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GFW 778K

1972 Lotus Elan

White Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Jun 2027
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

100,222 mi
Last recorded100,222 miles
Recorded on4 Jun 2026
Typical for 1972 Lotus Elan52,454 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationGFW 778K
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1972
ColourWhite
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

17 pass 3 fail
Pass 4 Jun 2026 100,222 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2024 99,887 miles

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

Nearside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Twin pipe joints (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 17 Aug 2023 99,689 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 1 Aug 2022 99,469 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Jul 2021 99,234 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2020 99,131 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2018 98,851 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2017 98,567 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2017 98,548 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Pass 17 Nov 2015 98,011 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 26 Nov 2014 97,437 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 8 Nov 2013 96,870 miles

Nearside Front Lower Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Front Lower Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

Pass 25 Oct 2012 96,156 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2011 95,664 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2010 94,960 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring mounting damaged but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

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

nearside rear flexible brake hose in metal clip but close to disc in normal running position

Pass 11 Nov 2009 94,097 miles

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

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Fail 5 Nov 2009 94,066 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Pass 9 Sep 2008 93,651 miles

Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

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

Fail 22 Aug 2008 93,616 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a)

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

Pass 9 Aug 2007 93,111 miles

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

slight play detected at nearside end of steering rack

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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GFW 778K is a 1972 Lotus Elan in White with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

Across all 1972 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.8% with a typical mileage of 52,454 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 GFW 778K, 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 54 years old, this Lotus Elan is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of GFW 778K?

You can check the full history of GFW 778K by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was GFW 778K registered?

GFW 778K is a 1972 Lotus Elan, first registered on 4 July 1972.

Is GFW 778K safe to buy?

The MOT history for GFW 778K shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does GFW 778K 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 GFW 778K. 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.