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E3 LAN

1996 Lotus Elan

Green Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Jun 2027
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

88,440 mi
Last recorded88,440 miles
Recorded on19 Jun 2026
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elan53,185 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE3 LAN
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1996
ColourGreen
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 19 Jun 2026 88,440 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2025 88,417 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2024 88,258 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2023 88,186 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2022 88,152 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2021 87,202 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2020 87,069 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2019 86,406 miles
Pass 5 May 2018 85,447 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2017 85,420 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2016 85,420 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2016 85,420 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.D.1)

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 22 Jun 2015 85,401 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 3 Jun 2014 82,514 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Outer Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Outer Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 3 Jun 2014 82,514 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Outer Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Outer Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 6 Jun 2013 70,841 miles

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 29 May 2013 70,841 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 28 May 2012 70,856 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 1 Jun 2011 69,505 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

front discs corroded

Pass 11 May 2010 68,841 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 5 May 2009 67,183 miles
Pass 21 Apr 2008 66,403 miles

Nearside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Inner Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Inner Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 21 Apr 2008 66,403 miles

Nearside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Inner Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Inner Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 26 Apr 2007 65,716 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2007 65,716 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Emisssions test pass no printout availble .

Handbrake lever long travel / feels loose .But holding

Pass 29 Apr 2006 63,774 miles

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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E3 LAN is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 E3 LAN, 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 E3 LAN?

You can check the full history of E3 LAN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 LAN registered?

E3 LAN is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 12 March 1996.

Is E3 LAN safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 LAN shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 LAN 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 E3 LAN. 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.