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F252 FTV

1988 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Jun 2027
Tests27 (18 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

93,351 mi
Last recorded93,351 miles
Recorded on17 Jun 2026
Typical for 1988 Lotus Esprit57,107 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationF252 FTV
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1988
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

18 pass 9 fail
Pass 17 Jun 2026 93,351 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2025 91,685 miles

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive Gearbox area (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Jun 2024 91,566 miles

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

Pass 19 Jun 2023 91,503 miles

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

Fail 5 Jun 2023 91,501 miles

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 9 May 2022 91,100 miles

Front Brake pedal wearing smooth (1.1.2 (c))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 28 May 2021 90,784 miles

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

Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect nearside and offside slight misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 10 Jun 2019 88,937 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Fail 6 Jun 2019 88,937 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 22 May 2018 88,443 miles
Fail 22 May 2018 88,443 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 2 Jun 2017 88,353 miles

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

Pass 2 Jul 2015 87,101 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 31 Mar 2014 86,902 miles

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

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

Fail 28 Mar 2014 86,902 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

Fail 19 Apr 2013 86,393 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

all coil springs corroded

rear discs corroded

Pass 19 Apr 2013 86,393 miles

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

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

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

Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

all coil springs corroded

rear discs corroded

Fail 11 Apr 2011 85,137 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

rear discs corroded

water leak

Pass 11 Apr 2011 85,137 miles

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

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

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

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

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

rear discs corroded

water leak

Pass 9 Mar 2010 83,158 miles
Fail 8 Mar 2010 83,158 miles

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

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 25 Feb 2009 80,947 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 19 Mar 2008 79,537 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 17 Mar 2008 79,537 miles

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

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 24 Jan 2007 78,009 miles

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 17 May 2006 76,734 miles
Fail 15 May 2006 76,730 miles

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

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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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.

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F252 FTV is a 1988 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1988 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 77.5% with a typical mileage of 57,107 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 F252 FTV, 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 38 years old, this Lotus Esprit is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of F252 FTV?

You can check the full history of F252 FTV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F252 FTV registered?

F252 FTV is a 1988 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is F252 FTV safe to buy?

The MOT history for F252 FTV shows 27 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F252 FTV 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 F252 FTV. 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.