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M178 EAF

1995 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Oct 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

54,886 mi
Last recorded54,886 miles
Recorded on27 Oct 2025
Typical for 1995 Lotus Elan65,228 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

RegistrationM178 EAF
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1995
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc

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 27 Oct 2025 54,886 miles

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

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

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

Pass 14 Aug 2024 54,709 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing Corroded (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 15 Apr 2023 54,312 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing Corroded (5.3.2 (b))

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

Fail 7 Apr 2023 54,296 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing Corroded (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 26 Nov 2021 53,644 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2020 51,528 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2019 51,393 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2018 50,594 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2017 49,651 miles
Fail 25 Apr 2017 49,651 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Pass 16 May 2016 49,357 miles
Fail 16 May 2016 49,357 miles

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 7 Jan 2015 48,180 miles
Fail 15 Dec 2014 48,134 miles

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

slight rumble noise from nearside rear wheel bearing.

Pass 5 Nov 2013 47,017 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2012 46,346 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 30 Nov 2011 44,672 miles
Fail 29 Nov 2011 44,699 miles

Offside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

Pass 5 Jun 2010 43,081 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2009 41,528 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2009 41,524 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Apr 2008 39,890 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2007 37,753 miles
Fail 4 Jul 2007 37,744 miles

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 3 Jul 2006 34,387 miles

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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M178 EAF is a 1995 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 1995 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.3% with a typical mileage of 65,228 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 M178 EAF, 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 31 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 M178 EAF?

You can check the full history of M178 EAF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M178 EAF registered?

M178 EAF is a 1995 Lotus Elan, first registered on 31 December 1995.

Is M178 EAF safe to buy?

The MOT history for M178 EAF 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 M178 EAF 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 M178 EAF. 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.