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JWA 550J

1971 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1558cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Apr 2018
Tests18 (12 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

16,183 mi
Last recorded16,183 miles
Recorded on12 Apr 2017
Typical for 1971 Lotus Elan49,460 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

RegistrationJWA 550J
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1971
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,558cc

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

12 pass 6 fail
Pass 12 Apr 2017 16,183 miles
Fail 12 Apr 2017 16,182 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Headlamp switch faulty front keep flashing when switched off (1.7.1)

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

Pass 11 Apr 2016 16,024 miles
Fail 11 Apr 2016 16,024 miles

Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 21 Oct 2014 14,845 miles

oil leak

Fail 20 Oct 2014 14,843 miles

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

Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Oil leak

Pass 15 Oct 2013 14,579 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Fail 11 Oct 2013 14,576 miles

Direction indicators flashing less than 60 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

Rear Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

Steering column top bearing excessively worn (2.1.2c)

Steering column top mounting bracket insecure (2.1.2d)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 30 Oct 2012 14,085 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak

Pass 26 Oct 2011 13,144 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2010 12,618 miles

slight play o/s + n/s front w/bearings

Pass 23 Oct 2009 11,211 miles

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

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

n/s rear inner drive rubber torn

Pass 16 Oct 2008 10,700 miles

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

o//side h/brake pads low

Pass 22 Oct 2007 8,689 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2007 8,688 miles

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

Nearside Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.2.A.1b)

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

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

Pass 2 Oct 2006 4,931 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2005 3,783 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2005 3,690 miles

Headlamp not in good working order (not working) (1.2.4a)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside Front Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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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JWA 550J is a 1971 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1971 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.9% with a typical mileage of 49,460 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 JWA 550J, 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 55 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 JWA 550J?

You can check the full history of JWA 550J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was JWA 550J registered?

JWA 550J is a 1971 Lotus Elan, first registered on 3 March 1971.

Is JWA 550J safe to buy?

The MOT history for JWA 550J shows 18 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does JWA 550J 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 JWA 550J. 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.