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NFS 121M

1973 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Jul 2026
Tests17 (13 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate76.5%

Mileage

33,421 mi
Last recorded33,421 miles
Recorded on30 Jul 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

RegistrationNFS 121M
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1973
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,998cc

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

13 pass 4 fail
Pass 30 Jul 2025 33,421 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2024 33,341 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2022 33,205 miles

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

Fail 29 Mar 2022 33,204 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Inner Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 26 Apr 2021 33,166 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2019 33,152 miles

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

Pass 19 Apr 2018 33,015 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2017 32,898 miles

nearside front tyre slightly worn on the inner edge

offside rear tyre cracking open

Fail 25 Apr 2017 32,898 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

nearside front tyre slightly worn on the inner edge

offside rear tyre cracking open

Pass 25 Apr 2016 32,542 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2015 32,034 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2014 31,428 miles

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

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

Fail 24 Mar 2014 31,419 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.4.G.4e)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Rear Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (2.4.G.4e)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

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

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

rear suspension siezed

Pass 15 Aug 2008 30,624 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2007 29,235 miles

Handbrake near end of reserve travel.

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 26 Jul 2007 29,235 miles

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Handbrake near end of reserve travel.

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 14 Jul 2006 26,951 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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NFS 121M is a 1973 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.5%.

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 NFS 121M, 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 NFS 121M?

You can check the full history of NFS 121M by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was NFS 121M registered?

NFS 121M is a 1973 Lotus Elan, first registered on 1 August 1973.

Is NFS 121M safe to buy?

The MOT history for NFS 121M shows 17 tests with a 76.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does NFS 121M 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 NFS 121M. 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.