CarVerify

Free Car Check

C13 ESP

1986 Lotus Esprit

White Petrol 2174cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Feb 2025
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

80,676 mi
Last recorded80,676 miles
Recorded on15 Feb 2024
Typical for 1986 Lotus Esprit53,759 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 £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

RegistrationC13 ESP
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1986
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc

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

13 pass 8 fail
Pass 15 Feb 2024 80,676 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2022 80,624 miles

Nearside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Fail 21 Nov 2022 80,624 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 8 Sep 2021 80,468 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2021 80,468 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Jun 2020 80,414 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Fail 9 Jun 2020 80,399 miles

Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Driver's seat insecure (6.2.5 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 19 Jun 2019 80,312 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) both ()

Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both front upper (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 18 Apr 2018 80,063 miles

Both rear tyres heavily cracked

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 18 Apr 2018 80,062 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter insecure (2.2.D.2d)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Both rear tyres heavily cracked

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 Sep 2015 79,720 miles

Nearside Rear tyre cut on outer wall no ply or cords showing

Offside Rear tyre cut on outer wall no ply or cords showing

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 28 May 2014 78,205 miles

near side front tyre age cracked no ply or cords showing

near side rear tyre cut on the outer wall no ply or cords showing

off side front tyre age cracked no ply or cords showing

off side rear tyre age cracked no ply or cords showing

Pass 9 Oct 2012 77,899 miles

cracks in all sidewalls

steering notchy

Fail 5 Oct 2012 77,894 miles

An item not tested (Manual)

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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)

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

cracks in all sidewalls

steering notchy

Pass 2 Sep 2011 76,501 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2011 76,501 miles

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 1 Oct 2010 75,549 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2009 73,796 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2009 73,792 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 4 Jun 2008 72,886 miles
Fail 16 May 2008 72,882 miles

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Coolant leak

How Reliable is the Lotus Esprit?

Based on 25,410 MOT tests across 2,324 vehicles.

80.6%
Pass Rate
515
Miles/Year
50
Year Lifespan
2,324
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 624
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 464
brake binding 455
parking brake recording little or no effort 332
Headlamp aim too low 326
Full Lotus Esprit 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

C13 ESP is a 1986 Lotus Esprit in White with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

Across all 1986 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.2% with a typical mileage of 53,759 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 Esprit fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 624 recorded failures. If you're considering buying C13 ESP, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Esprit typically stays on UK roads for around 50 years. At 40 years old, this Lotus Esprit is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C13 ESP?

You can check the full history of C13 ESP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C13 ESP registered?

C13 ESP is a 1986 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 25 March 1986.

Is C13 ESP safe to buy?

The MOT history for C13 ESP shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C13 ESP 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 C13 ESP. 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.