CarVerify

Free Car Check

C142 TLO

1985 Lotus Excel

White Petrol 2174cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Jan 2020
Tests20 (13 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate65%

Mileage

132,691 mi
Last recorded132,691 miles
Recorded on11 Jan 2019
Typical for 1985 Lotus Excel59,916 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

RegistrationC142 TLO
MakeLotus
ModelExcel
Year1985
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc
View full Lotus Excel reliability data

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 7 fail
Pass 11 Jan 2019 132,691 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Jul 2017 132,662 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2016 29,368 miles

OIL LEAK

Pass 25 Jul 2015 25,193 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2014 19,888 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Fail 24 Jul 2014 19,878 miles

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Pass 26 Jul 2013 17,461 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

engine oil/diff leaks

Fail 25 Jul 2013 17,454 miles

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

engine oil/diff leaks

Pass 20 Jul 2012 14,008 miles

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

offside rear brake disc rusty on inner braking surface only approx 10mmm clean to indiate where inner brake pad touching

slight play / clonking in steering ???

Fail 11 Jul 2012 13,865 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

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

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

offside rear brake disc rusty on inner braking surface only approx 10mmm clean to indiate where inner brake pad touching

slight play / clonking in steering ???

Pass 5 Jul 2011 9,722 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Oil leak

both front tyres worn on inner and outer shoulder

Pass 13 Jul 2010 5,266 miles

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

n/s/f tyre worn on outer shoulder

Pass 25 Jul 2009 2,536 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2008 1,308 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2008 1,302 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Brake pedal creeps down while the pedal is held under pressure (3.3.B.1a) DANGEROUS

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front brake caliper leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Coolant leak

Oil leak

unable to access pas pump and rack for leaks covered in oil

Fail 21 May 2008 1,299 miles

Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Oil leak

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

brake pipes corroded,borderline condition at rear subframe

current rear brake efforts-foot n/s90,o/s 175,hand-n/s 100,o/s 200

diff oil leak

disc corrosion

front pipe blowing,manifold fractured

horn poor sound

hydrocarbons high(passed @2000rpm)

n/s/r foot+hand brakes low effort

n/s/r+o/s/r inner c/v gaiters detached

o/s/r backplate holed/corroded

rear floor reinforcement corroded

rear subframe corrosion

slight play front hubs

steering belt noisy

Pass 18 May 2007 99,655 miles
Fail 18 May 2007 99,655 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

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

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Oil leak

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

boot cannot be opened

fuel cap cannot be opened

Pass 25 May 2006 97,025 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front and rear coil springs rusting/brake pipes rusting

Fail 28 Apr 2006 97,004 miles

Nearside Front passenger seat insecure (6.2.3)

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

How Reliable is the Lotus Excel?

Based on 5,018 MOT tests across 458 vehicles.

75.4%
Pass Rate
606
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
458
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Steering rack gaiter split 218
Brake pipe excessively corroded 128
brake binding 126
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 118
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 113
Full Lotus Excel 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

C142 TLO is a 1985 Lotus Excel in White with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65%.

Across all 1985 Lotus Excel models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.3% with a typical mileage of 59,916 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 Excel fails its MOT is steering rack gaiter split, accounting for 218 recorded failures. If you're considering buying C142 TLO, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Excel typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 41 years old, this Lotus Excel is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C142 TLO?

You can check the full history of C142 TLO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C142 TLO registered?

C142 TLO is a 1985 Lotus Excel, first registered on 20 September 1985.

Is C142 TLO safe to buy?

The MOT history for C142 TLO shows 20 tests with a 65% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C142 TLO 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 C142 TLO. 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.