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MRD 431J

1984 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1558cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Aug 2026
Tests20 (14 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

28,409 mi
Last recorded28,409 miles
Recorded on4 Aug 2025
Typical for 1984 Lotus Elan47,653 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

RegistrationMRD 431J
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1984
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,558cc

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 6 fail
Pass 4 Aug 2025 28,409 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2022 28,402 miles

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

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

Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.3.1 (b) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Pass 30 Apr 2018 28,228 miles

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all 4 have slight corrosion / pitting to faces (3.5.1i)

Pass 10 Apr 2017 27,868 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)

Pass 24 Mar 2016 27,625 miles

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all 4 (3.5.1i)

Fail 24 Mar 2016 27,625 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all 4 (3.5.1i)

Pass 1 Apr 2015 27,218 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2014 26,607 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2013 25,442 miles
Fail 12 Apr 2012 25,099 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Apr 2012 25,099 miles

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

Pass 21 Apr 2011 24,578 miles

All 4 brake discs have pitting to inner wearing faces

Fail 21 Apr 2011 24,578 miles

All 4 brake discs have pitting to inner wearing faces

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 23 Apr 2010 24,234 miles
Fail 7 Mar 2009 23,256 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 7 Mar 2009 23,256 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2008 22,552 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2008 22,552 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 19 Mar 2007 20,989 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2006 19,025 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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MRD 431J is a 1984 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1984 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.1% with a typical mileage of 47,653 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 MRD 431J, 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 42 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 MRD 431J?

You can check the full history of MRD 431J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MRD 431J registered?

MRD 431J is a 1984 Lotus Elan, first registered on 25 September 1984.

Is MRD 431J safe to buy?

The MOT history for MRD 431J shows 20 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MRD 431J 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 MRD 431J. 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.