CarVerify

Free Car Check

J511 MJL

1992 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Jan 2027
Tests27 (18 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

140,674 mi
Last recorded140,674 miles
Recorded on28 Jan 2026
Typical for 1992 Lotus Elan76,086 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

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

RegistrationJ511 MJL
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1992
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

18 pass 9 fail
Pass 28 Jan 2026 140,674 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 20 Nov 2024 140,350 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 20 Nov 2024 140,350 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 8 Nov 2023 139,785 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 23 Nov 2022 138,752 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 22 Nov 2022 138,752 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 23 Nov 2021 137,994 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 22 Oct 2020 136,664 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 14 May 2019 135,376 miles
Fail 13 May 2019 135,376 miles

Offside Front Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 25 Apr 2017 134,508 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2016 133,753 miles

general underside corrosion

Fail 23 Feb 2016 133,753 miles

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

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

general underside corrosion

Pass 5 Mar 2015 133,086 miles
Fail 20 Jan 2015 133,007 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

advice all susspension componants corroded and chassis

Pass 20 Feb 2014 129,624 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2014 129,624 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 25 Jan 2013 125,750 miles

Offside Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Oil leak

Fail 23 Jan 2013 125,684 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 6 Jan 2012 124,137 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2012 124,135 miles

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

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

rear brake juddering severely (3.7.A.5b)

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

Pass 10 Jan 2011 118,802 miles
Fail 30 Dec 2010 118,645 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)

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

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 22 Dec 2009 114,627 miles
Pass 30 Dec 2008 110,322 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2007 107,322 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 4 Dec 2006 102,754 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

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

J511 MJL is a 1992 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1992 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.0% with a typical mileage of 76,086 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 J511 MJL, 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 34 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 J511 MJL?

You can check the full history of J511 MJL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J511 MJL registered?

J511 MJL is a 1992 Lotus Elan, first registered on 30 December 1992.

Is J511 MJL safe to buy?

The MOT history for J511 MJL shows 27 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J511 MJL 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 J511 MJL. 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.