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J579 SJT

1992 Lotus Elan

Green Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Mar 2027
Tests29 (16 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate55.2%

Mileage

132,582 mi
Last recorded132,582 miles
Recorded on16 Mar 2026
Typical for 1992 Lotus Elan76,086 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ579 SJT
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1992
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

16 pass 13 fail
Pass 16 Mar 2026 132,582 miles

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

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

Fail 10 Mar 2026 132,582 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 16 Mar 2023 130,034 miles

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Fail 16 Mar 2023 130,034 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 17 Mar 2022 127,374 miles

hand brake near limit

power steering leak

Fail 11 Mar 2022 127,296 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 23 Mar 2021 124,962 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2021 124,961 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 6 Feb 2020 124,830 miles

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

Fail 5 Feb 2020 124,824 miles

Parking brake inoperative on one side Both sides very poor (1.4.1 (a))

Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel Both sides rear (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Pass 7 Feb 2019 124,152 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 7 Feb 2019 124,152 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 17 Jan 2019 124,152 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded both front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Headlamp aim not tested both headlamps stuck in down position (4.1.2 (b))

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

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

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 10 Apr 2015 122,096 miles
Fail 22 Dec 2014 122,059 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 7 Jan 2014 116,599 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2013 116,039 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2013 116,039 miles

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Fail 27 Oct 2011 115,621 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 27 Oct 2011 115,621 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2010 115,087 miles
Fail 24 Sep 2010 115,087 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear registration plate background overprinted or shadowed with text (6.3.1e)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Nail in offside rear tyre

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 22 Oct 2009 112,557 miles

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

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Pass 22 Oct 2009 112,557 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2008 110,754 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 13 Sep 2007 108,000 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2006 105,970 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2005 101,343 miles
Fail 12 Sep 2005 101,343 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm (4.1.E.2a)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

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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J579 SJT is a 1992 Lotus Elan in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.2%.

Across all 1992 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.0% with a typical mileage of 76,086 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 J579 SJT, 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 34 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 J579 SJT?

You can check the full history of J579 SJT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J579 SJT registered?

J579 SJT is a 1992 Lotus Elan, first registered on 30 December 1992.

Is J579 SJT safe to buy?

The MOT history for J579 SJT shows 29 tests with a 55.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J579 SJT 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 J579 SJT. 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.