CarVerify

Free Car Check

RUF 488H

1970 Lotus Elan

Red Petrol 1558cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jul 2027
Tests16 (14 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

84,383 mi
Last recorded84,383 miles
Recorded on10 Jul 2026
Typical for 1970 Lotus Elan51,693 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

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

RegistrationRUF 488H
MakeLotus
ModelElan
Year1970
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 2 fail
Pass 10 Jul 2026 84,383 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2025 83,996 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2024 83,503 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2023 83,147 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2021 83,079 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2020 82,844 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 23 May 2017 81,159 miles

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Fail 23 May 2017 81,159 miles

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter insecure (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 26 May 2016 80,694 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2015 80,145 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 19 Mar 2014 79,223 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

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

Pass 22 Mar 2013 78,650 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2012 78,130 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2011 77,674 miles
Fail 27 Jan 2011 77,650 miles

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Outer Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 22 Jan 2010 77,586 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

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

RUF 488H is a 1970 Lotus Elan in Red with a 1,558cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

Across all 1970 Lotus Elan models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.7% with a typical mileage of 51,693 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 RUF 488H, 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 56 years old, this Lotus Elan is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of RUF 488H?

You can check the full history of RUF 488H by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was RUF 488H registered?

RUF 488H is a 1970 Lotus Elan, first registered on 9 February 1970.

Is RUF 488H safe to buy?

The MOT history for RUF 488H 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 RUF 488H 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 RUF 488H. 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.