CarVerify

Free Car Check

P680 JCH

1997 Caterham 7

Red Petrol 1585cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 May 2026
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

65,027 mi
Last recorded65,027 miles
Recorded on12 May 2025
Typical for 1997 Caterham 718,697 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Caterham
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationP680 JCH
MakeCaterham
Model7
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,585cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

14 pass 5 fail
Pass 12 May 2025 65,027 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive diff leaking. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Apr 2023 65,002 miles
Pass 6 May 2022 64,708 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 Oct 2020 64,601 miles

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

lump sticking out of offside front inner wheel rim from repair

Pass 29 May 2019 64,253 miles
Pass 11 May 2018 63,746 miles

offside rear wheel weight rubbing on handbrake cable

slight play at steering wheel

slight play in steering rack

Pass 6 Jun 2016 62,645 miles

front pads low

rear handbrake cable close to wheel

Pass 1 May 2015 62,067 miles

rear discs rusty

slight play offside front wheel bearing

Fail 30 Apr 2015 62,063 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

rear discs rusty

slight play offside front wheel bearing

Pass 17 May 2012 61,436 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2011 60,995 miles

Oil leak

diff oil leak

slight play both rear wheels

under trays fitted

both rear hand brake cables catching inner rear wheels

Fail 7 Apr 2011 60,995 miles

Front Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak

diff oil leak

slight play both rear wheels

under trays fitted

both rear hand brake cables catching inner rear wheels

Pass 23 Apr 2009 59,909 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 23 Apr 2009 59,908 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Offside Obligatory mirror missing (8.1.1)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 28 Apr 2008 58,898 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Fail 28 Apr 2008 58,898 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Outer Track rod end loose (2.2.B.1d)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 12 Apr 2007 58,161 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

both rear shockers top mounts starting to corrode

Pass 13 Apr 2006 56,595 miles
Fail 6 Apr 2006 56,510 miles

Nearside Side repeater missing (1.4.A.2b)

Offside Side repeater missing (1.4.A.2b)

hand brake cables cable tied to chassis but secure

How Reliable is the Caterham 7?

Based on 6,444 MOT tests across 473 vehicles.

87.5%
Pass Rate
570
Miles/Year
55
Year Lifespan
473
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 71
fog lamp not working 36
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 36
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 36
Steering rack gaiter split 35
Full Caterham 7 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

P680 JCH is a 1997 Caterham 7 in Red with a 1,585cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

Across all 1997 Caterham 7 models, the average MOT pass rate is 90.0% with a typical mileage of 18,697 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Caterham 7 fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 71 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P680 JCH, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Caterham 7 typically stays on UK roads for around 55 years. At 29 years old, this Caterham 7 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P680 JCH?

You can check the full history of P680 JCH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P680 JCH registered?

P680 JCH is a 1997 Caterham 7, first registered on 1 July 1997.

Is P680 JCH safe to buy?

The MOT history for P680 JCH shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P680 JCH have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on P680 JCH. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.