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H17 EXL

1990 Lotus Excel

White Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Mar 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

58,394 mi
Last recorded58,394 miles
Recorded on26 Mar 2026
Typical for 1990 Lotus Excel69,975 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

RegistrationH17 EXL
MakeLotus
ModelExcel
Year1990
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc
View full Lotus Excel reliability data

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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 5 fail
Pass 26 Mar 2026 58,394 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Power steering pipe/hose slightly damaged Leaking fluid from joint (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Pass 10 Mar 2025 58,394 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2025 58,394 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both D Bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All Brake Pipes covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 8 Feb 2024 56,857 miles

Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement D-Bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Mar 2023 54,345 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All brake pipes covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 23 Feb 2023 54,344 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All brake pipes covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 20 Jan 2023 54,281 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Windscreen washer jets misaligned and not providing sufficient fluid to the windscreen (3.5 (a))

front engine oil leak

Pass 1 Feb 2022 51,123 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2020 50,875 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2019 50,508 miles

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

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

Pass 19 Apr 2018 50,399 miles

Nearside Rear metal splash guard loose corroded

Pass 3 May 2017 50,085 miles

offside rear handbrake slightly reduced effort

rear parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.6b)

Pass 5 May 2016 49,307 miles

Offside Rear rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 27 Apr 2015 48,994 miles

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

Pass 18 Feb 2014 48,306 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

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

Pass 26 Feb 2013 46,887 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2012 44,688 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

gearbox mounting split

o/s/r brake binding slightly

rear exhaust o ring splitting

Fail 15 Mar 2012 44,686 miles

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

gearbox mounting split

o/s/r brake binding slightly

rear exhaust o ring splitting

Pass 4 Apr 2007 44,656 miles
Pass 6 Apr 2006 43,755 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2006 43,750 miles

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

Offside Front Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

How Reliable is the Lotus Excel?

Based on 5,018 MOT tests across 458 vehicles.

75.4%
Pass Rate
606
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
458
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Steering rack gaiter split 218
Brake pipe excessively corroded 128
brake binding 126
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 118
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 113
Full Lotus Excel reliability report

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H17 EXL is a 1990 Lotus Excel in White with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

Across all 1990 Lotus Excel models, the average MOT pass rate is 79.8% with a typical mileage of 69,975 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 Excel fails its MOT is steering rack gaiter split, accounting for 218 recorded failures. If you're considering buying H17 EXL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Excel typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 36 years old, this Lotus Excel is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of H17 EXL?

You can check the full history of H17 EXL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H17 EXL registered?

H17 EXL is a 1990 Lotus Excel, first registered on 12 September 1990.

Is H17 EXL safe to buy?

The MOT history for H17 EXL shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H17 EXL 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 H17 EXL. 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.