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G281 FTW

1990 Lotus Elan

White Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

112,933 mi
Last recorded112,933 miles
Recorded on6 May 2026
Typical for 1990 Lotus Elan82,230 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

RegistrationG281 FTW
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1990
ColourWhite
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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 112,933 miles

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

Pass 19 Aug 2025 112,398 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive radiator leaking (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre ()

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 19 Aug 2025 112,398 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive radiator leaking (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre ()

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 26 Jul 2024 111,613 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2024 111,613 miles

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp missing in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Fail 7 Jun 2024 111,400 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Offside Rear Service brake grabbing severely (1.2.1 (c))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 2 Jun 2023 107,342 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 1 Jun 2022 105,479 miles

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

Fail 1 Jun 2022 105,479 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 4 Aug 2021 105,263 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2018 104,750 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2017 104,381 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2016 103,460 miles

Front front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.5.C.1a)

Fail 25 Apr 2016 103,447 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Front front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.5.C.1a)

Pass 21 Aug 2014 103,348 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2014 103,348 miles

Centre Front engine mounting bracket insecure and likely to fail (6.1.D.1b)

Nearside Inner Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Coolant leak

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Oil leak

Pass 6 Sep 2013 101,382 miles

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

n/s front brake slightly binding

Fail 19 Aug 2013 101,379 miles

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

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

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

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

engine oil leak

front springs corroded slightly

nearside front brake is binding slightly

power steering pipes corroded

very slight play in the steering rack

Pass 6 Jun 2012 99,587 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2011 98,811 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2009 98,712 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2007 98,363 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2006 96,693 miles

both rear metal brake pipes by compensator slightly corroded,recommend replacements

Pass 1 Jul 2005 95,016 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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G281 FTW is a 1990 Lotus Elan in White with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

Across all 1990 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.8% with a typical mileage of 82,230 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 G281 FTW, 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 36 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 G281 FTW?

You can check the full history of G281 FTW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G281 FTW registered?

G281 FTW is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 14 June 1990.

Is G281 FTW safe to buy?

The MOT history for G281 FTW shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G281 FTW 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 G281 FTW. 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.