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WNN 17M

1973 Lotus Elan

Yellow Petrol 1558cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Sep 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

63,240 mi
Last recorded63,240 miles
Recorded on1 Sep 2025
Typical for 1973 Lotus Elan50,618 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationWNN 17M
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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 1 Sep 2025 63,240 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2024 61,653 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2023 60,425 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2022 58,718 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2021 56,359 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2019 54,535 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2018 52,673 miles

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

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

Fail 23 Jul 2018 52,673 miles

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm tyre tread 1mm. (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge tyre tread 2mm. (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 6 Apr 2017 51,159 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2016 48,969 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 31 Mar 2016 48,969 miles

Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 2 Apr 2015 46,660 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2015 46,660 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Headlamp does not operate immediately when selected on dipped beam (1.7.4a)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 2 Apr 2014 43,311 miles
Fail 31 Mar 2014 43,303 miles

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

Offside rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

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

registration plate fitted to the front does not have black characters on a white background (6.3.2a)

registration plate fitted to the rear does not have black characters on a yellow background (6.3.2b)

Pass 25 Apr 2013 41,876 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2012 41,378 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2012 41,377 miles

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

n/s/r subframe bolt in upper wheel arch,next to coil spring,has a spacer washer missing,but subframe still secure

Pass 22 Jun 2011 41,043 miles
Pass 12 May 2010 40,322 miles

offside/nearside rear discs,rusty on outer faces

Fail 10 May 2010 40,318 miles

Steering column shaft has excessive end float (2.1.3)

offside/nearside rear discs,rusty on outer faces

Pass 19 Mar 2009 39,536 miles
Fail 17 Mar 2009 39,535 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 28 Mar 2008 39,137 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2006 36,975 miles

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

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

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

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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WNN 17M is a 1973 Lotus Elan in Yellow with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

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 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 WNN 17M, 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 WNN 17M?

You can check the full history of WNN 17M by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was WNN 17M registered?

WNN 17M is a 1973 Lotus Elan, first registered on 21 August 1973.

Is WNN 17M safe to buy?

The MOT history for WNN 17M 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 WNN 17M 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 WNN 17M. 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.