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H16 CUP

1990 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Feb 2027
Tests24 (16 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

38,009 mi
Last recorded38,009 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 2026
Typical for 1990 Lotus Elan82,230 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationH16 CUP
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

16 pass 8 fail
Pass 6 Feb 2026 38,009 miles

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

Pass 18 Feb 2025 37,991 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2023 37,986 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2022 37,942 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2021 37,931 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2020 37,856 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened rear both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 24 Nov 2020 37,855 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened rear both sides (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 31 Oct 2018 37,794 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened + rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Fail 29 Oct 2018 37,794 miles

Nearside Front Outer Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Outer Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened + rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 9 Oct 2017 37,736 miles

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

both front tyres cracking on sidewalls

Fail 5 Sep 2017 37,732 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Pass 1 Sep 2016 37,519 miles

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

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

Fail 1 Sep 2016 37,518 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid jet (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Pass 3 Jun 2015 36,400 miles
Fail 5 May 2015 36,400 miles

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

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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)

Coolant leak

Steering system slightly tight (2.2.D.1)

slight play on o/s/r wheel bearing

Pass 30 Apr 2014 35,209 miles

steering system slightly tight

Fail 25 Apr 2014 35,309 miles

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

Offside 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)

Steering system slightly tight (2.2.D.1)

Pass 8 Jul 2011 34,460 miles

slight play detected in steering system

Fail 3 May 2011 34,454 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

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

Offside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

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

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Pass 28 May 2010 32,658 miles
Fail 17 May 2010 32,658 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)

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

Pass 23 Feb 2009 32,573 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2007 32,182 miles
Pass 9 May 2006 31,964 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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H16 CUP is a 1990 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 H16 CUP, 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 H16 CUP?

You can check the full history of H16 CUP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H16 CUP registered?

H16 CUP is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 31 December 1990.

Is H16 CUP safe to buy?

The MOT history for H16 CUP shows 24 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 H16 CUP 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 H16 CUP. 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.