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M688 XSG

1995 Lotus Elan

Yellow Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jun 2027
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

43,829 mi
Last recorded43,829 miles
Recorded on9 Jun 2026
Typical for 1995 Lotus Elan65,228 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

RegistrationM688 XSG
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1995
ColourYellow
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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 9 Jun 2026 43,829 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2025 43,098 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2024 43,015 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2022 42,608 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2021 42,571 miles

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

Pass 2 Oct 2020 42,054 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2020 42,054 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 29 Oct 2019 41,707 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2018 41,403 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2017 40,885 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2016 40,136 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2016 40,136 miles

Nearside Rear fog lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.3.2f)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 24 Oct 2015 39,014 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 24 Oct 2015 39,014 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator obviously incorrectly positioned (1.4.A.2b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicator obviously incorrectly positioned (1.4.A.2b)

Pass 1 Nov 2014 38,498 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2014 38,498 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Pass 9 Oct 2013 38,109 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2012 37,814 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

various dash lights on

Fail 28 Sep 2012 37,808 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

various dash lights on

Fail 1 Sep 2012 37,798 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Rear Brake cable has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 2 Sep 2011 34,905 miles
Pass 18 May 2009 30,037 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2008 27,407 miles

Alternator light on

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Fail 29 Apr 2008 27,407 miles

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Alternator light on

Brake warning light on

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 16 Jan 2007 25,214 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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M688 XSG is a 1995 Lotus Elan in Yellow with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 1995 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.3% with a typical mileage of 65,228 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 M688 XSG, 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 31 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 M688 XSG?

You can check the full history of M688 XSG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M688 XSG registered?

M688 XSG is a 1995 Lotus Elan, first registered on 31 December 1995.

Is M688 XSG safe to buy?

The MOT history for M688 XSG shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M688 XSG 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 M688 XSG. 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.