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B13 VCS

1996 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 May 2021
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

59,970 mi
Last recorded59,970 miles
Recorded on20 May 2020
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elan53,185 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB13 VCS
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1996
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc

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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 May 2020 59,970 miles
Pass 3 May 2019 59,312 miles

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 4 May 2018 58,240 miles
Pass 3 May 2017 57,374 miles
Pass 1 May 2016 56,184 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2012 54,983 miles
Fail 24 Jul 2012 54,929 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 22 Jul 2011 53,896 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2010 53,156 miles
Fail 5 Aug 2010 53,141 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 29 May 2009 52,574 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

corrision to front suspenion

general corrision to rear suspenion

nearside front and offside front coil springs corrided

Pass 2 Jun 2008 50,912 miles
Fail 29 May 2008 50,912 miles

Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

front and rear brake ferrules corroded

surface corrosion to front and rear suspension arms

Fail 24 May 2007 49,794 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

all suspension springs corroded

corrosion under vehicle

front flexi hoses perished

o/s/f beam pattern poor

rera number plate faded

slight play in o/s of steering rack

slight play in rear wheel bearings

Pass 24 May 2007 49,794 miles

all suspension springs corroded

corrosion under vehicle

front flexi hoses perished

o/s/f beam pattern poor

rera number plate faded

slight play in o/s of steering rack

slight play in rear wheel bearings

Pass 3 May 2006 49,145 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2006 49,145 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

general surface corrosion to all suspension legs

misting of oil on steering rack

n/s/r tyre wear on inner edge

road springs all have surface corrosion

How Reliable is the Lotus Elan?

Based on 51,097 MOT tests across 4,280 vehicles.

77.4%
Pass Rate
554
Miles/Year
59
Year Lifespan
4,280
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,585
brake recording little or no effort 1,342
parking brake recording little or no effort 1,318
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 927
brake binding 845
Full Lotus Elan reliability report

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B13 VCS is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 53,185 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 Lotus Elan fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 2,585 recorded failures. If you're considering buying B13 VCS, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Elan typically stays on UK roads for around 59 years. At 30 years old, this Lotus Elan is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of B13 VCS?

You can check the full history of B13 VCS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B13 VCS registered?

B13 VCS is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 26 January 1996.

Is B13 VCS safe to buy?

The MOT history for B13 VCS shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B13 VCS 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 B13 VCS. 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.