1998 Lotus Elise 1.8L Petrol · S783 APF
1998 Lotus Elise (1.8L, petrol). First registered 10 Oct 1998. Recorded mileage 72,221 miles. MOT valid until 16 Feb 2027. Taxed until 01 Mar 2027.
- Make & Model
- LOTUS ELISE
- Year / Origin
- 1998 · Glasgow
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 16 Feb 2027
- Road Tax
- Taxed (01 Mar 2027)
- Recorded Mileage
- 72,221 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.
S783 APF Key Findings
- 5 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 17/02/2026
- 72,221 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 2 historical MOT failures
- No defects recorded at the latest MOT
- Recurring brakes items (3 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
S783 APF 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 1998 Lotus Elise (S783 APF) between January 2024 and February 2026.
The record contains 3 passes and 2 failures.
The most recent test on 17 February 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 2 failures that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Brakes (3 issues), Suspension (2 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 3 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: “Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))”; “Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))”; “Offside Front Anti-roll bar corroded and seriously weakened corroded through/ snapped (5.3.3 (b) (i))”.
S783 APF Mileage History
- 03/01/202470,833 mi
- 11/01/202470,833 mi
- 08/01/202571,551 mi+718 mi
- 22/01/202571,564 mi+13 mi
- 17/02/202672,221 mi+657 mi
Average of roughly 654 miles per year across 5 recorded odometer readings.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
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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 1998 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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