CarVerify

Free Car Check

M54 RFS

1994 Lotus Elan

Green Petrol 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires28 May 2026
Tests24 (14 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

79,981 mi
Last recorded79,981 miles
Recorded on28 May 2025
Typical for 1994 Lotus Elan65,737 mi

Above 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

RegistrationM54 RFS
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1994
ColourGreen
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

14 pass 10 fail
Pass 28 May 2025 79,981 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 27 May 2025 79,981 miles

Brake performance unable to be tested rear pipe leaking (1.2.1 (g))

Offside Rear Brake pipe leaking on an air braking system (1.1.11 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 29 May 2024 77,441 miles
Fail 17 May 2024 77,441 miles

Central Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 18 May 2023 76,137 miles

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

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

Fail 17 May 2023 76,137 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 12 Jan 2022 75,179 miles
Fail 11 Jan 2022 75,179 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Pass 13 Aug 2019 74,662 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2018 71,423 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 31 Jul 2018 71,421 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 10 Aug 2017 70,784 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 29 Jul 2016 69,380 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2016 69,372 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 12 Jun 2015 66,798 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2014 65,844 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

front suspension arms slightly corroded

rear suspension arms slightly corroded

Fail 23 Jun 2014 65,844 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

front suspension arms slightly corroded

rear suspension arms slightly corroded

Pass 8 May 2013 65,844 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Fail 8 May 2013 65,844 miles

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

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

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

Fail 9 Jan 2009 65,844 miles

FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION CORRODED

N/S/R BRAKE DISC STARTING TO CORRODED IN PLACES

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

SLIGHT OIL LEAK ENGINE AREA

SLIGHT PLAY AT N/S/R + D/S/R WHEEL BEARINGS

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Jan 2009 65,844 miles

FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION CORRODED

N/S/R BRAKE DISC STARTING TO CORRODED IN PLACES

SLIGHT OIL LEAK ENGINE AREA

SLIGHT PLAY AT N/S/R + D/S/R WHEEL BEARINGS

Pass 25 Sep 2007 65,461 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2007 65,461 miles

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

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 26 Jun 2006 64,583 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

M54 RFS is a 1994 Lotus Elan in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

Across all 1994 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 77.2% with a typical mileage of 65,737 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 M54 RFS, 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 32 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 M54 RFS?

You can check the full history of M54 RFS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M54 RFS registered?

M54 RFS is a 1994 Lotus Elan, first registered on 1 August 1994.

Is M54 RFS safe to buy?

The MOT history for M54 RFS shows 24 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M54 RFS 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 M54 RFS. 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.