CarVerify

Free Car Check

N678 CMP

1996 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

46,116 mi
Last recorded46,116 miles
Recorded on1 May 2026
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elan53,185 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

RegistrationN678 CMP
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

15 pass 8 fail
Pass 1 May 2026 46,116 miles

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

Pass 6 May 2025 45,684 miles

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

Rear Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 30 Jun 2023 45,101 miles

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

Fail 30 Jun 2023 45,100 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 24 Jun 2022 44,679 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2019 44,244 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 4 Jun 2018 44,236 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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 17 May 2018 44,230 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 24 Apr 2017 43,066 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2017 43,066 miles

Offside Obligatory mirror insecure (8.1.1)

Pass 20 Apr 2016 43,058 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2015 42,801 miles
Pass 31 Aug 2012 42,293 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2011 42,009 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2011 41,996 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

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

rear brake disc's corroded

Pass 1 Apr 2010 41,332 miles
Fail 1 Apr 2010 41,332 miles

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

Pass 27 Mar 2009 41,048 miles
Fail 16 Feb 2009 40,989 miles

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

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

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

Pass 30 Jan 2008 40,421 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2008 40,381 miles

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

Pass 10 Oct 2006 39,897 miles
Fail 6 Oct 2006 39,885 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Coolant leak

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

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

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

N678 CMP is a 1996 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 53,185 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 N678 CMP, 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 30 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 N678 CMP?

You can check the full history of N678 CMP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N678 CMP registered?

N678 CMP is a 1996 Lotus Elan, first registered on 16 March 1996.

Is N678 CMP safe to buy?

The MOT history for N678 CMP shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N678 CMP 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 N678 CMP. 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.