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C49 CYO

1986 Lotus Esprit

Black Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Aug 2026
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

33,576 mi
Last recorded33,576 miles
Recorded on23 Jul 2025
Typical for 1986 Lotus Esprit53,759 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

RegistrationC49 CYO
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1986
ColourBlack
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 23 Jul 2025 33,576 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2024 33,089 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2023 32,872 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2022 32,551 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 26 Sep 2022 32,551 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 8 Oct 2021 31,868 miles

Coolant leak radiator ()

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

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

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Aug 2020 31,457 miles
Fail 17 Aug 2020 31,457 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 28 Aug 2019 31,047 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 20 Aug 2019 31,040 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Aug 2018 30,741 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2017 30,376 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2016 30,095 miles

Offside washer poor

Pass 15 Sep 2015 29,738 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 3 Sep 2014 29,211 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2013 28,341 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Fail 13 Aug 2013 28,340 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Pass 10 Jul 2012 28,243 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 27 Jun 2012 28,242 miles

Indicator switch faulty (1.4.A.1)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pad(s) modified and seriously weakened (3.5.1n)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Pass 25 May 2011 27,621 miles

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

Pass 18 Sep 2009 27,547 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2008 27,481 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2008 27,481 miles

Rear Stop lamp excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

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

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C49 CYO is a 1986 Lotus Esprit in Black with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 C49 CYO, 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 C49 CYO?

You can check the full history of C49 CYO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C49 CYO registered?

C49 CYO is a 1986 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 22 January 1986.

Is C49 CYO safe to buy?

The MOT history for C49 CYO shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C49 CYO 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 C49 CYO. 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.