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J970 SPH

1992 Lotus Elan

Blue Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Apr 2027
Tests16 (14 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

26,125 mi
Last recorded26,125 miles
Recorded on30 Apr 2026
Typical for 1992 Lotus Elan76,086 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

RegistrationJ970 SPH
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1992
ColourBlue
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

14 pass 2 fail
Pass 30 Apr 2026 26,125 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2018 26,099 miles

centre exhaust starting to rust and repaired

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

parking brake performance slightly low

suspension starting to rust

Pass 16 Oct 2017 26,096 miles

centre exhaust starting to rust and repaired

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

parking brake performance slightly low

suspension coil springs starting to rust

Pass 17 Oct 2016 26,007 miles

centre exhaust starting to rust and repaired

front wiper blade rubbers starting to split/ wear

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

parking brake performance slightly low

suspension coil springs starting to rust

Pass 28 Oct 2015 25,708 miles

centre exhaust starting to rust

parking brake performance slightly low

rear suspension coil springs starting to rust

Pass 5 Aug 2014 25,687 miles

both front tyres starting to perish

both rear tyres starting to perish and treads worn low on inner edges

front number plate cracked and starting to discolour

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

rear suspension coil springs and rear antiroll bars surface rusting

Pass 8 Jul 2013 25,678 miles

centre exhaust surface rusting

front number plate cracked

front tyres starting to perish

handbrake performance slightly low

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

rear suspension coil springs surface rusting

rear tyres starting to perish and treads worn low on inner edges

Pass 26 Jun 2012 25,663 miles

front number plate small crack

front tyres starting to perish

nearside front headlamp beam pattern slightly weak

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

rear suspension coil springs and rear antiroll bar starting to rust

rear tyre treads inner edges worn low

Pass 8 Jun 2011 25,648 miles

front antiroll bar end links slight movement

front number plate cracked

front tyres starting to perish

rear tyres starting to perish and treads wearing low on inner edges

rear wheel bearings slight play

suspension starting to rust

Fail 8 Jun 2011 25,642 miles

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Nearside Front Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

front antiroll bar end links slight movement

front number plate cracked

front tyres starting to perish

rear tyres starting to perish and treads wearing low on inner edges

rear wheel bearings slight play

suspension starting to rust

Pass 7 Jun 2010 25,593 miles

front number plate small crack

nearside front headlamp beam pattern slightly weak

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

rear suspension coil springs and rear antiroll bar starting to rust

rear tyre treads inner edges wearing low

Pass 1 Jun 2009 25,440 miles

front brakes slight imbalance- 24%

handbrake efficiency slightly low

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

offside rear handbrake performance slightly low

rear tyre treads inner edges worn to 1.6mm

suspension and steering starting to rust

Pass 4 Jun 2008 24,437 miles

front number plate cracked

handbrake performance slightly low

nearside front tyre tread inner edge worn to 2mm

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

offside front antiroll bar link slight movement

offside rear tyre tread inner edge worn to 1.6mm

Fail 2 Jun 2008 24,430 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

front number plate cracked

nearside front tyre tread inner edge worn to 2mm

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

offside front antiroll bar link slight movement

offside rear tyre tread inner edge worn to 1.6mm

Pass 29 May 2007 23,084 miles

both front tyre treads inner edges worn to legal limit

centre exhaust starting to rust

front number plate small crack

handbrake performance slightly low

nearside rear wheel bearing slight play

Pass 23 May 2006 22,312 miles

both front tyre treads worn to 2mm on inner edges

both rear wheel bearings slight play

front number plate cracked

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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J970 SPH is a 1992 Lotus Elan in Blue with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

Across all 1992 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.0% with a typical mileage of 76,086 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 J970 SPH, 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 34 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 J970 SPH?

You can check the full history of J970 SPH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J970 SPH registered?

J970 SPH is a 1992 Lotus Elan, first registered on 28 April 1992.

Is J970 SPH safe to buy?

The MOT history for J970 SPH shows 16 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J970 SPH 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 J970 SPH. 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.