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H987 CAV

1990 Lotus Elan

White Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

81,727 mi
Last recorded81,727 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

RegistrationH987 CAV
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1990
ColourWhite
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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 81,727 miles

Offside Rear wheel has slight buckle

Fail 20 Apr 2026 81,694 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Advise front and rear suspension has been undersealed

Fail 7 Apr 2026 81,673 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Advise front and rear suspension has been undersealed

Fail 17 Apr 2025 81,543 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake inoperative on one side both rears (1.4.1 (a))

Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel both rears (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 7 May 2024 80,629 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 2 May 2023 80,523 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2021 80,378 miles
Pass 16 Mar 2021 80,156 miles
Pass 10 Mar 2020 79,686 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Feb 2019 78,570 miles

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

Pass 28 Feb 2018 77,743 miles

Front brake disc modified but not seriously weakened (3.5.1n)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has very minor rough noise

Fail 28 Feb 2018 77,741 miles

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

Front brake disc modified but not seriously weakened (3.5.1n)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has very minor rough noise

Pass 7 Mar 2017 77,269 miles
Fail 27 Feb 2017 77,262 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 8 Mar 2016 76,504 miles
Fail 2 Mar 2016 76,495 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp does not operate immediately when selected on dipped beam (1.7.4a)

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Headlamp does not operate immediately when selected on dipped beam (1.7.4a)

Pass 24 Feb 2015 75,993 miles
Fail 23 Feb 2015 75,990 miles

Nearside Headlamp does not operate immediately when selected on main beam (1.7.4a)

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

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

Pass 21 Feb 2014 74,343 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2013 72,923 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2012 71,511 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

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

Pass 2 Sep 2010 70,476 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2009 69,864 miles
Fail 15 Sep 2009 69,850 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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)

Pass 18 Jun 2008 68,741 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 12 Jun 2007 67,389 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2006 64,566 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2005 62,671 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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H987 CAV is a 1990 Lotus Elan in White with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 H987 CAV, 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 H987 CAV?

You can check the full history of H987 CAV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H987 CAV registered?

H987 CAV is a 1990 Lotus Elan, first registered on 26 October 1990.

Is H987 CAV safe to buy?

The MOT history for H987 CAV shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H987 CAV 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 H987 CAV. 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.