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N898 GRK

1996 Lotus Elan

Purple Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Oct 2026
Tests26 (17 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate65.4%

Mileage

122,967 mi
Last recorded122,967 miles
Recorded on23 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elan53,185 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationN898 GRK
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1996
ColourPurple
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc
View full Lotus Elan reliability data

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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 9 fail
Pass 23 Oct 2025 122,967 miles

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

Pass 11 Jun 2024 122,614 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 4 Feb 2022 121,825 miles

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

Fail 31 Jan 2022 121,815 miles

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 28 Jan 2021 121,319 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2019 120,665 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2017 120,068 miles

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 7 Jul 2016 119,729 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2015 119,176 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2015 119,176 miles

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 27 Jun 2014 118,411 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2013 117,179 miles
Pass 31 May 2012 115,197 miles
Fail 24 May 2012 115,153 miles

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

Offside 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 lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 20 May 2011 112,228 miles

Brake pedal rubber worn

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Clutch pedal rubber missing

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 3 Jun 2010 109,442 miles

NSR brake pipe routed close to antiroll bar link

Slight play in lower steering column

Fail 1 Jun 2010 109,401 miles

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

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

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

NSR brake pipe routed close to antiroll bar link

Slight play in lower steering column

Fail 27 May 2010 109,389 miles

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

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

Pass 28 Aug 2009 108,961 miles

Handbrake lever travel high but efficiences good.

Offside Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Slight play bottom steering column joint

Fail 29 Jul 2009 108,945 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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)

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

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) not in a clean condition but function not impaired (1.1.4a)

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

Offside Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Slight play in bottom steering column joint

Pass 19 Dec 2007 104,453 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2007 104,448 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 20 Dec 2006 97,130 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2006 97,128 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 9 Jan 2006 90,471 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2005 90,469 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

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

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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N898 GRK is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Purple with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.4%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 53,185 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 N898 GRK, 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 30 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 N898 GRK?

You can check the full history of N898 GRK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N898 GRK registered?

N898 GRK is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 4 January 1996.

Is N898 GRK safe to buy?

The MOT history for N898 GRK shows 26 tests with a 65.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N898 GRK 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 N898 GRK. 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.