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REC 973L

1973 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1558cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Oct 2026
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

3,811 mi
Last recorded3,811 miles
Recorded on23 Oct 2025
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

RegistrationREC 973L
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1973
ColourRed
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

17 pass 3 fail
Pass 23 Oct 2025 3,811 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2024 3,640 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2023 3,538 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2022 3,419 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2021 3,029 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2020 2,844 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2019 2,603 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2018 2,303 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2017 2,035 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2016 1,687 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2015 1,124 miles
Pass 18 Nov 2014 1,104 miles
Pass 12 Nov 2013 858 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2012 637 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2011 28 miles
Fail 29 Jun 2011 28 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 7 Oct 2010 4,359 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

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

Offside Stop lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Parking brake cable routed very close to starter motor

The rear indicators & wing side repeators are now visible from a reasonable distance but further improvement is desirable

Fail 6 Oct 2010 4,354 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Front Direction indicator excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Rear Direction indicator excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Side repeater excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Nearside Front Direction indicator deteriorated, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Parking brake cable routed very close to starter motor

Pass 3 Nov 2009 4,178 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2009 4,171 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

All Tyres Perished.

slight Roughness Felt In N/S/F Wheel Bearing.

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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REC 973L is a 1973 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

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 REC 973L, 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 REC 973L?

You can check the full history of REC 973L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was REC 973L registered?

REC 973L is a 1973 Lotus Elan, first registered on 8 January 1973.

Is REC 973L safe to buy?

The MOT history for REC 973L shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does REC 973L 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 REC 973L. 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.