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L290 WWV

1993 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Feb 2027
Tests28 (18 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

32,688 mi
Last recorded32,688 miles
Recorded on12 Feb 2026
Typical for 1993 Lotus Elan59,953 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationL290 WWV
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1993
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

18 pass 10 fail
Pass 12 Feb 2026 32,688 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 4 Feb 2026 32,636 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 10 Feb 2025 30,450 miles
Fail 29 Jan 2025 30,392 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Pass 25 Aug 2022 27,614 miles
Fail 24 Aug 2022 27,610 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Headlamp are incorrectly positioned will not open (4.1.4 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

air pipe split on manifold

Pass 2 Oct 2020 27,598 miles

Headlamp lens slightly defective n/s and o/s (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 2 Oct 2020 27,598 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Headlamp lens slightly defective n/s and o/s (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Sep 2019 27,550 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 12 Sep 2019 27,549 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Sep 2018 27,460 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component pump area (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 12 Sep 2018 27,455 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component pump area (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 14 Sep 2017 27,295 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2017 27,295 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Offside Front Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecure to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.5.C.1a)

Pass 3 Oct 2016 26,769 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2016 26,769 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)

Pass 6 Oct 2015 26,256 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2014 25,890 miles

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

Pass 7 Oct 2013 25,711 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2012 23,687 miles

Coolant leak

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

all 4 suspension arms rusty

chassis rusty

Fail 20 Sep 2012 23,687 miles

Coolant leak

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

all 4 suspension arms rusty

chassis rusty

Pass 3 Oct 2011 21,269 miles

oil leaks

underside rusty

Fail 26 Sep 2011 21,269 miles

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

oil leaks

underside rusty

Pass 7 Oct 2010 20,594 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2009 19,444 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2008 17,172 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Oil leak

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 3 Oct 2007 14,053 miles

Coolant leak

Oil leak

Pass 9 Oct 2006 10,837 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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L290 WWV is a 1993 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1993 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.5% with a typical mileage of 59,953 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 L290 WWV, 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 33 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 L290 WWV?

You can check the full history of L290 WWV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L290 WWV registered?

L290 WWV is a 1993 Lotus Elan, first registered on 31 December 1993.

Is L290 WWV safe to buy?

The MOT history for L290 WWV shows 28 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L290 WWV 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 L290 WWV. 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.