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PTU 38L

1973 Lotus Elan

Yellow Petrol 1558cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Aug 2027
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

25,633 mi
Last recorded25,633 miles
Recorded on20 Jul 2026
Typical for 1973 Lotus Elan50,618 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

RegistrationPTU 38L
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1973
ColourYellow
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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 20 Jul 2026 25,633 miles

Nearside Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Aug 2025 25,343 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2024 24,843 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2023 24,480 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2022 24,144 miles

Offside Rear Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 4 Aug 2021 23,524 miles

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

Pass 7 Aug 2020 22,971 miles
Fail 4 Aug 2020 22,970 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Rear Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 19 Mar 2019 22,749 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2018 22,443 miles

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

Fail 17 Mar 2018 22,436 miles

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 21 Mar 2017 22,199 miles

Tyre worn close to the legal limit all tyres (4.1.E.1)

Fail 20 Mar 2017 22,199 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Tyre worn close to the legal limit all tyres (4.1.E.1)

Pass 3 Mar 2016 21,728 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2015 21,492 miles

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 17 Apr 2014 21,153 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 3 Apr 2013 20,155 miles

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

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

nearside driveshaft inner gaiter deteriorated

Pass 30 Apr 2012 19,405 miles
Pass 11 Apr 2011 18,470 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2010 18,214 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside front brake binding slightly

Offside Rear position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Pass 3 Apr 2009 17,865 miles
Pass 13 May 2008 17,778 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 29 Aug 2006 17,647 miles

Offside 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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PTU 38L is a 1973 Lotus Elan in Yellow with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

Across all 1973 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.2% with a typical mileage of 50,618 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 PTU 38L, 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 53 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 PTU 38L?

You can check the full history of PTU 38L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was PTU 38L registered?

PTU 38L is a 1973 Lotus Elan, first registered on 30 March 1973.

Is PTU 38L safe to buy?

The MOT history for PTU 38L shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does PTU 38L 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 PTU 38L. 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.