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H146 LDA

1990 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Jul 2026
Tests26 (14 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

119,532 mi
Last recorded119,532 miles
Recorded on17 Jul 2025
Typical for 1990 Lotus Elan82,230 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationH146 LDA
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1990
ColourRed
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 12 fail
Pass 17 Jul 2025 119,532 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2024 117,301 miles

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 18 Jul 2023 116,317 miles

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

Pass 19 Jul 2022 114,937 miles
Pass 9 Jul 2021 112,602 miles

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 3 Jun 2020 112,539 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2020 112,539 miles

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 23 May 2019 112,239 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2018 112,127 miles

emissions high

slight play in o/s/r wheel bearing

brake performance poor

Fail 9 Apr 2018 112,124 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

MINOR PLAY O/S/R WHEEL BEARINGS.

Pass 24 Nov 2016 111,881 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2016 111,950 miles

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

Fail 12 Aug 2016 111,815 miles

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

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

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

exhaust rubber broken on rear but still supported ok

Fail 2 Aug 2016 111,790 miles

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

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

exhaust rubber broken on rear but still supported ok

Fail 8 Jun 2016 111,783 miles

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded both (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Power steering fluid level low, but not below minimum (2.3.1)

Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play nsr osr (2.6.2)

Rear brake pipes covered with under seal

oil leak

power steering slightly stiff

Fail 27 Apr 2016 111,774 miles

Direction indicators not working all (1.4.A.2c)

Hazard warning lamps inoperative all not working (1.4.B.1b)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid washers aimed off windcreen (8.2.3)

Brake pipe slightly corroded both front (3.6.B.2c)

rear brake pipes covered in sealant

Pass 8 Apr 2015 111,664 miles
Fail 25 Mar 2015 111,664 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

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

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

all tyres 6mm and 7yrs old

minor play in osr bearing

Pass 22 Apr 2014 111,513 miles

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

Fail 11 Feb 2014 11,507 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Obligatory mirror missing (8.1.1)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

Pass 9 Mar 2010 110,884 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2010 110,884 miles

Centre Obligatory mirror insecure (8.1.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 2 Dec 2008 109,034 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2008 109,028 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 22 May 2006 108,148 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 22 May 2006 108,148 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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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H146 LDA is a 1990 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

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 H146 LDA, 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 H146 LDA?

You can check the full history of H146 LDA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H146 LDA registered?

H146 LDA is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 26 November 1990.

Is H146 LDA safe to buy?

The MOT history for H146 LDA shows 26 tests with a 53.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H146 LDA 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 H146 LDA. 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.