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J816 AAW

1992 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires4 Jul 2026
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

127,023 mi
Last recorded127,023 miles
Recorded on2 Jul 2025
Typical for 1992 Lotus Elan76,086 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ816 AAW
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1992
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

13 pass 8 fail
Pass 2 Jul 2025 127,023 miles
Fail 1 Jul 2025 127,023 miles

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

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Pass 4 Jul 2024 125,201 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 4 Jul 2024 125,201 miles

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 5 Jul 2023 122,495 miles

Nearside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

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

Pass 20 May 2022 122,220 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2020 120,510 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2019 120,348 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2018 119,862 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All rear pipes covered (1.1.11 (c))

Front and centre exhaust mounts deteriorated

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 5 Jun 2018 119,862 miles

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

Nearside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

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

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All rear pipes covered (1.1.11 (c))

Front and centre exhaust mounts deteriorated

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Oct 2014 114,854 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2013 114,720 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 21 Mar 2013 114,717 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both cooling fans sized

Pass 5 Aug 2011 114,467 miles

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 16 Jul 2011 114,462 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Trailing arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Pass 30 Jul 2010 114,314 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2010 114,294 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose seriously damaged (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Brake hose seriously damaged (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 16 May 2009 113,855 miles
Fail 18 Apr 2009 113,855 miles

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

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

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

Pass 4 Apr 2007 113,813 miles

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

all brake pipes rusty

clutch pedal rubber missing

exhaust gas leak

unable to open boot

Fail 2 Apr 2007 113,813 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

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

clutch pedal rubber missing

gas leak

o/s/f brake pipe rusty

rear brake pipes rusty

unable to open boot

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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J816 AAW is a 1992 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

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 J816 AAW, 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 J816 AAW?

You can check the full history of J816 AAW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J816 AAW registered?

J816 AAW is a 1992 Lotus Elan, first registered on 7 January 1992.

Is J816 AAW safe to buy?

The MOT history for J816 AAW shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J816 AAW 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 J816 AAW. 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.