CarVerify

Free Car Check

VGY 553S

1978 Lotus Elite

Blue Petrol 1973cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires1 May 2019
Tests11 (6 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate54.5%

Mileage

21,712 mi
Last recorded21,712 miles
Recorded on2 May 2018
Typical for 1978 Lotus Elite62,451 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationVGY 553S
MakeLotus
ModelElite
Year1978
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,973cc

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

6 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 May 2018 21,712 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing hub (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Non obligatory mirror damaged ()

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing hub (2.4.G.2)

Fail 2 May 2018 21,712 miles

Direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Steering wheel retaining device insecure (2.1.6)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing hub (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Non obligatory mirror damaged ()

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing hub (2.4.G.2)

Pass 28 Mar 2017 21,304 miles

Oil leak ()

Upper Steering column universal joint damaged but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Pass 30 Mar 2016 20,918 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases front pipe (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 27 Mar 2015 20,785 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Fail 2 Feb 2015 20,778 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Fail 18 Dec 2014 20,778 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 23 Dec 2013 20,659 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

Oil leak

front tyres perrished on tread

rear tyres perrished on tread

Fail 17 Dec 2013 20,659 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Nearside Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Nearside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

Oil leak

front tyres perrished on tread

rear tyres perrished on tread

Pass 11 Aug 2011 20,626 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2006 20,413 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Offside Rear Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded and its strength is seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

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

all rear suspension bushes slight play

emissions ok at 2000rpm, >1200ppm @ idle

nearside rear differential oil seal leaking

How Reliable is the Lotus Elite?

Based on 2,929 MOT tests across 500 vehicles.

78.2%
Pass Rate
276
Miles/Year
66
Year Lifespan
500
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 134
Stop lamp not working 101
Service brake: efficiency below requirements 76
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 69
brake binding 60
Full Lotus Elite reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

VGY 553S is a 1978 Lotus Elite in Blue with a 1,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.5%.

Across all 1978 Lotus Elite models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.0% with a typical mileage of 62,451 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 Elite fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 134 recorded failures. If you're considering buying VGY 553S, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Elite typically stays on UK roads for around 66 years. At 48 years old, this Lotus Elite is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of VGY 553S?

You can check the full history of VGY 553S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VGY 553S registered?

VGY 553S is a 1978 Lotus Elite, first registered on 1 January 1978.

Is VGY 553S safe to buy?

The MOT history for VGY 553S shows 11 tests with a 54.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does VGY 553S 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 VGY 553S. 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.