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M978 DEW

1995 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Aug 2026
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

87,850 mi
Last recorded87,850 miles
Recorded on28 Jul 2025
Typical for 1995 Lotus Elan65,228 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM978 DEW
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1995
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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 28 Jul 2025 87,850 miles

heavy surface corrosion to rear subframe and suspention related components

nearside rear tyre down to0% reinflated to 30psi

Pass 6 Aug 2024 87,755 miles
Fail 5 Aug 2024 87,749 miles

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

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

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

nearside front brake binding

Pass 4 Jul 2023 87,643 miles
Pass 19 May 2022 87,335 miles

interior mirror insecure

Fail 19 May 2022 87,335 miles

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

interior mirror insecure

Pass 16 Oct 2020 87,220 miles

Rear No hydraulic rear brakes

Fail 6 Oct 2020 87,211 miles

Central Rear Parking brake lever inoperative (1.1.6 (d))

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

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear No hydraulic rear brakes

Pass 11 Aug 2016 86,647 miles
Fail 10 Aug 2016 86,643 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure inner side wall (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 4 Aug 2015 86,098 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2014 85,724 miles

Rear Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 12 Jul 2013 85,069 miles
Fail 6 Jul 2012 84,076 miles

Offside Front constant velocity joint is insecure (2.5.C.1b)

Pass 6 Jul 2012 84,076 miles
Fail 3 Mar 2011 83,132 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)

Pass 3 Mar 2011 83,132 miles
Pass 5 Mar 2010 81,505 miles

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

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

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

Fail 4 Mar 2010 81,503 miles

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

Offside Parking brake not fitted on at least two wheels (3.1.1)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 12 Jun 2009 80,562 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2009 80,540 miles

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

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 2 Apr 2009 80,540 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2006 70,793 miles
Fail 27 Jul 2006 70,793 miles

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

Pass 12 Apr 2005 64,480 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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M978 DEW is a 1995 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

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 M978 DEW, 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 M978 DEW?

You can check the full history of M978 DEW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M978 DEW registered?

M978 DEW is a 1995 Lotus Elan, first registered on 1 January 1995.

Is M978 DEW safe to buy?

The MOT history for M978 DEW shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M978 DEW 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 M978 DEW. 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.