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N529 BNU

1996 Lotus Elan

Green Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Oct 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

32,944 mi
Last recorded32,944 miles
Recorded on10 Oct 2025
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

RegistrationN529 BNU
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 6 fail
Pass 10 Oct 2025 32,944 miles

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

Pass 14 Oct 2024 32,376 miles

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

Pass 11 Oct 2023 31,913 miles

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

Pass 17 Oct 2022 31,658 miles

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

Fail 17 Oct 2022 31,658 miles

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

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

Pass 12 Oct 2021 31,176 miles

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

Pass 8 Oct 2020 30,763 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Pass 17 Oct 2019 30,350 miles

Handbrake travel

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

Fail 23 Sep 2019 30,342 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Handbrake travel

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

Pass 3 Oct 2018 29,627 miles

Handbrake travel

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 20 Sep 2017 29,086 miles

Both front wiper blades are smeary/noisy

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively Both front (3.7.B.3)

Both rear service brake anti lock valves have been removed where fitted as standard

Fail 18 Sep 2017 29,086 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front Outer Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Sidewall as marked (4.1.D.1a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

front brake excessively fluctuating Both front (3.7.B.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed Across tread pattern badly perished (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Both front wiper blades are smeary/noisy

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. Recorded at 23% (3.7.B.5b)

Both rear service brake anti lock valves have been removed where fitted as standard

Offside Rear Tyre has perishing across tread pattern but not exposing ply/cords of tyre at time of test

Pass 12 Aug 2016 27,722 miles

Oil leak ()

n/s beam pattern slightly distorted

Pass 11 Aug 2015 24,615 miles
Fail 11 Aug 2015 24,615 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve movement (3.3.A.5)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear service brakes poor effort.

Pass 15 May 2014 24,344 miles
Pass 28 May 2013 24,097 miles
Pass 29 May 2012 23,860 miles
Fail 29 May 2012 23,860 miles

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 3 Jun 2011 23,321 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

nsf headlamp pattern poor

Pass 3 Jun 2010 23,128 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 7 Apr 2009 22,245 miles

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 25 Apr 2007 21,631 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 25 Apr 2007 21,631 miles

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 19 Apr 2006 20,608 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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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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N529 BNU is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

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 N529 BNU, 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 N529 BNU?

You can check the full history of N529 BNU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N529 BNU registered?

N529 BNU is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 18 April 1996.

Is N529 BNU safe to buy?

The MOT history for N529 BNU shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N529 BNU 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 N529 BNU. 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.