1996 Lotus Elise 1.8L Petrol · P465 BSS
1996 Lotus Elise (1.8L, petrol). First registered 19 Dec 1996. Recorded mileage 55,786 miles. MOT valid until 22 May 2027.
- Make & Model
- LOTUS ELISE
- Year / Origin
- 1996 · Preston
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 22 May 2027
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 55,786 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 1.8L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
Thinking of buying this vehicle? Free MOT and tax checks do not cover legal ownership. If outstanding finance exists, finance companies have legal right to repossess without compensation.
P465 BSS Key Findings
- 5 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 22/05/2026
- 55,786 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 1 historical MOT failure
- No defects recorded at the latest MOT
- Recurring suspension items (11 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
P465 BSS MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
5 MOT tests are recorded for this 1996 Lotus Elise (P465 BSS) between April 2023 and May 2026.
The record contains 4 passes and 1 failure.
The most recent test on 22 May 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 1 failure that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Suspension (11 issues), Brakes (6 issues), Exhaust & Emissions (2 issues), Lighting (1 issue), Tyres (1 issue). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 20 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))”; “Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))”.
P465 BSS Mileage History
- 17/04/202351,668 mi
- 16/04/202452,797 mi+1,129 mi
- 24/05/202452,828 mi+31 mi
- 25/04/202553,859 mi+1,031 mi
- 22/05/202655,786 mi+1,927 mi
Average of roughly 1,330 miles per year across 5 recorded odometer readings.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
Diagnostic & Valuation Intelligence
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Known faults for Lotus Lotus Elise S1
Our database tracks 3 specific mechanical faults and recurring failure patterns identified across UK MOT testing stations for this generation.
MOT Roadworthiness: Good
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
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LOTUS ELISE Model Intelligence & Reliability
Verified MOT failure trends, buying advice, and technical directory specifications.
Owner-reported defects, recurring MOT failure points, and estimated repair costs.
Browse production generations, registration statistics, and trim variants.
Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 1996 model year cars.
- Rover K-Series Cylinder Head Gasket FailureSerious
The 1.8-litre Rover K-Series engine (18 K4F) is notorious for cylinder head gasket failure, largely caused by low coolant volume, thermal shock from the front-mounted radiator setup, plastic locating dowels that fatigue, and cylinder liner height settling. Once overheated, the factory elastomeric beaded gasket fails, allowing oil and coolant to cross-contaminate or pressurising the cooling system. Proper remedial repair requires skimming the cylinder head, checking liner stand-out, fitting steel locating dowels, an upgraded multi-layer steel (MLS) gasket, and an uprated lower oil rail.
- Galvanic Chassis and Suspension Mount CorrosionSerious
The Elise S1 bonded aluminium chassis tub incorporates steel threaded inserts and bobbins for the suspension wishbone mounting brackets. Exposure to moisture and salt on UK winter roads sets up a galvanic reaction between the steel inserts and the extruded aluminium. This causes the aluminium surrounding the front upper wishbone mounts to oxidise into a white, powdery residue and crack or delaminate. Because the bonded aluminium tub cannot be repaired with conventional welding, severe galvanic corrosion compromises the structural integrity of the chassis and will result in an MOT failure.
- Radiator Plastic End-Tank Seam LeakageModerate
The factory-fitted front radiator on the Elise S1 utilises an aluminium cooling core crimped to moulded plastic end tanks. Over repeated heat cycles and British road vibrations, the plastic end tanks distort and the crimped rubber sealing gaskets perish, leading to coolant seepage. Because the radiator is housed within the composite front crash structure beneath the front bodywork, replacement requires removing the entire front clamshell. Specialists recommend replacing failed original units with an all-aluminium radiator featuring fully TIG-welded end tanks to avoid repeating the labour-intensive procedure.
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