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C990 BYL

1985 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Apr 2026
Tests20 (14 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

43,340 mi
Last recorded43,340 miles
Recorded on11 Apr 2025
Typical for 1985 Lotus Esprit50,410 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC990 BYL
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1985
ColourRed
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

14 pass 6 fail
Pass 11 Apr 2025 43,340 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2024 43,124 miles
Fail 3 Apr 2024 43,105 miles

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 14 Mar 2023 42,853 miles
Fail 10 Mar 2023 42,835 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Mar 2021 42,625 miles
Fail 21 Jan 2021 42,584 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has inadequate effort at a wheel (1.3.1 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle by more than 50% Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

clutch pedal rubber missing

Pass 21 Dec 2016 42,394 miles
Fail 21 Dec 2016 42,394 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 17 Sep 2014 42,182 miles
Pass 8 May 2014 41,581 miles

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

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

Fail 1 May 2014 41,581 miles

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Pass 10 May 2013 40,983 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Apr 2012 40,377 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Oil leak

Pass 20 Apr 2011 38,703 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Steering system slightly rough (2.2.D.1)

os handbrake cable not releasing fully

Pass 15 Apr 2010 35,922 miles
Pass 1 May 2009 33,246 miles
Pass 14 May 2008 33,113 miles

All steering and suspension components show no signs of wear or movment at the time of test but there may be some movment or wear evident once the vehicle is used. we recommend that the vehicle is checked after a period of use.

The vehicle appears to have been stood for some time.

Fail 11 Apr 2008 33,108 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

All steering and suspension components show no signs of wear or movement at the time of test but there may be some movment or wear evident once the vehicle is used. We recommend that the vehicle is checked after a period of use.

The vehicle appears to have been stood for some time.

Pass 25 Apr 2006 32,609 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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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C990 BYL is a 1985 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1985 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.4% with a typical mileage of 50,410 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 C990 BYL, 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 41 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 C990 BYL?

You can check the full history of C990 BYL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C990 BYL registered?

C990 BYL is a 1985 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 17 October 1985.

Is C990 BYL safe to buy?

The MOT history for C990 BYL 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 C990 BYL 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 C990 BYL. 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.