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H481 MPE

1990 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 May 2027
Tests17 (13 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate76.5%

Mileage

56,943 mi
Last recorded56,943 miles
Recorded on6 May 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

RegistrationH481 MPE
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

13 pass 4 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 56,943 miles
Pass 29 May 2025 56,263 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2023 55,993 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2022 54,755 miles

Offside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Jul 2021 54,370 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2020 53,639 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2015 52,343 miles

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 16 Jul 2015 52,343 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 15 Jul 2014 50,466 miles

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 29 Apr 2014 50,444 miles

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

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 1 May 2013 49,039 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2012 47,846 miles
Pass 20 May 2010 45,908 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 12 May 2010 45,908 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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 Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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)

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 26 Jan 2007 45,513 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

Pass 26 Jan 2007 45,513 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 13 Jan 2006 43,107 miles

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

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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H481 MPE is a 1990 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.5%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 H481 MPE, 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 H481 MPE?

You can check the full history of H481 MPE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H481 MPE registered?

H481 MPE is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 5 September 1990.

Is H481 MPE safe to buy?

The MOT history for H481 MPE shows 17 tests with a 76.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H481 MPE 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 H481 MPE. 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.