DVLA verified

MOT valid

Tax valid

1997 CATERHAM SEVEN (S3)1.6L PETROL

P675 DPD

Vehicle Insight Summary

This 1997 CATERHAM SEVEN (S3) is a PETROL vehicle with a 1597cc engine. Currently it has a valid MOT and is taxed for road use. The latest recorded mileage is 23,841.

MOT

Valid

Expires 20/05/2027

Tax

Taxed

Expires 01/06/2027

£8.99

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Mileage: 23,841
Fuel: PETROL
Year: 1997
Engine: 1597cc

Free vehicle health score

/ 100 · Average

Public record health check: Average.

Based on free DVLA & DVSA signals. Premium checks for stolen/finance/write-off history are locked below.

✓ Valid MOT

✓ Taxed

✓ Good MOT pass rate (80%)

✗ 3 dangerous defects found recently

A score of 65 doesn't mean it's safe to buy. Private markers don't appear in public data.

Verified Experian Data

Full History Report

Official provenance and safety check for P675DPD

Data provided by Experian

Stolen

Locked

Finance

Locked

Write-off

Locked

Salvage

Locked

Imported

Locked

Exported

Locked

Scrapped

Locked

Destruction

Locked

V5C Logbook

Locked

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Data provided by Experian

Technical Specifications

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Full MOT History

Live data last synced with DVSA: 16 Jul 2026, 05:27

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

This 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) (P675 DPD) has a recorded MOT history spanning from March 2022 to May 2026, with 5 MOT tests on record.

Historically, this vehicle has passed 80% of its MOT tests, totaling 4 passes against 1 fails. This is a strong MOT track record, suggesting the vehicle has been well-maintained.

The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Steering (2 issues), Brakes (2 issues), Lighting (1 issue). These areas are worth paying attention to when inspecting this vehicle.

A total of 6 failure items have been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle by more than 50% Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (ii))”; “Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii))”; “Driver's seat insecure (6.2.5 (a) (ii))”.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

PASS

FAIL

ADVISORY

Buyer's Guide

AI-powered analysis based on real MOT data and market insights.

Buying Score

68/100

Risk Level

Medium

Est. Annual Cost

£700-£900

Mileage

The recorded 23,841 miles is well below ...

Our Verdict

Approach with measured caution — this 1997 Caterham Seven S3 passed its most recent MOT with no defects but has a concerning 2024 failure that required multiple safety-related repairs. A clean 2026 test and low mileage are positives, but the earlier brake and steering issues warrant a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Given the 2024 MOT failure for driver's seat insecurity, front brake imbalance over 50%, poor parking brake efficiency, missing steering rack gaiters, and a failed offside front position lamp, confirm with the seller that all repairs were carried out properly and request receipts. The car then passed the very next day in July 2024 and again in May 2026, suggesting fixes were made, but a specialist Caterham engineer should verify brake and steering condition before purchase.

Reviewed by the IsItAGoodCar editorial team — AI-assisted analysis verified by automotive experts.