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N259 RUT

1996 Lotus Elan

Green Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jul 2027
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

14,425 mi
Last recorded14,425 miles
Recorded on8 Jun 2026
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elan53,185 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

RegistrationN259 RUT
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 8 Jun 2026 14,425 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2025 14,407 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2024 14,394 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2023 14,352 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2022 14,329 miles

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing NSR and OSR tyres cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Jun 2021 14,309 miles

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear tyres starting to crack (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 6 Jul 2020 14,295 miles

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing NSR and OSR tyres starting to crack (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 27 Apr 2020 14,272 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing NSR and OSR tyres starting to crack (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 17 May 2019 13,786 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Cracking in treads (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Cracking in treads (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 25 May 2018 13,321 miles

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

headlamp masking kit/tape fitted

o/s and n/s rear tyres, light perishing

Pass 22 Jun 2016 13,092 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

head lamp mask/cover fitted

Fail 22 Jun 2016 13,092 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

head lamp mask/cover fitted

Pass 21 May 2015 12,900 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

both rear tyres perished

offside wiper smears

Fail 21 May 2015 12,900 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

both rear tyres perished

nearside rear brake pipe not fully clipped

offside wiper smears

Pass 7 May 2014 12,403 miles

Catalytic converter breaking up

Pass 10 May 2013 12,099 miles
Fail 2 May 2013 12,067 miles

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 10 May 2012 11,185 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2011 10,963 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2010 10,777 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2009 10,671 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2007 10,650 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Pass 6 Jul 2006 10,573 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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N259 RUT is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 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 N259 RUT, 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 N259 RUT?

You can check the full history of N259 RUT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N259 RUT registered?

N259 RUT is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 21 June 1996.

Is N259 RUT safe to buy?

The MOT history for N259 RUT shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N259 RUT 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 N259 RUT. 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.