CarVerify

Free Car Check

H851 HJM

1990 Lotus Elan

Silver Petrol 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Feb 2027
Tests8 (6 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

104,595 mi
Last recorded104,595 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationH851 HJM
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1990
ColourSilver
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

6 pass 2 fail
Pass 6 Feb 2026 104,595 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2024 104,026 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Fail 11 Mar 2024 104,004 miles

Exhaust emits dense blue smoke at idle (8.2.1.2 (f))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 14 Mar 2023 102,136 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished and cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished and cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded both rear springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 27 Oct 2021 101,686 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 Jul 2013 101,662 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2011 101,598 miles
Fail 7 Apr 2006 171,522 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear registration plate dirty (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Very very bad oil leak from oil cooler area, covering o/s/f steering and suspention but not effecting brake performance at present!

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

H851 HJM is a 1990 Lotus Elan in Silver with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 H851 HJM, 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 H851 HJM?

You can check the full history of H851 HJM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H851 HJM registered?

H851 HJM is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 30 November 1990.

Is H851 HJM safe to buy?

The MOT history for H851 HJM shows 8 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H851 HJM 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 H851 HJM. 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.