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F257 SYE

1988 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Apr 2027
Tests24 (18 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

41,202 mi
Last recorded41,202 miles
Recorded on7 Apr 2026
Typical for 1988 Lotus Esprit57,107 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

RegistrationF257 SYE
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 6 fail
Pass 7 Apr 2026 41,202 miles

Nearside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess (1.1.15 (a))

Offside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 20 Nov 2024 38,201 miles

Offside Front Outer Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Wheel bearing has slight play n/s & o/s (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Nov 2023 34,915 miles

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Rear Wheel bearing has slight play n/s & o/s (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 14 Nov 2022 30,959 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2021 28,222 miles

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

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

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

Pass 13 Nov 2020 24,790 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2019 23,764 miles
Fail 15 May 2019 23,706 miles

Nearside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced chassis frame (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Nearside Front Outer Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 21 May 2018 20,437 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 3mm - 245/45R17 (4.1.E.1)

Fail 11 May 2018 20,437 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 3mm - 245/45R17 (4.1.E.1)

Pass 12 May 2017 14,179 miles
Fail 6 May 2017 14,170 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Apr 2016 12,174 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 17 Mar 2015 10,247 miles

Nearside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 3 Jan 2014 105,546 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 29 Sep 2012 1,149 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2012 968 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 23 Jul 2011 94,854 miles

Oil leak

Rear coil springs corroded

Slight play in nearside front wheel

Fail 21 Jul 2011 94,854 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Service brake grabbing severely (3.7.C.2)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Fuel system component insecure (7.2.1)

Offside Rear Service brake grabbing severely (3.7.C.2)

Oil leak

Rear coil springs corroded

Slight play in nearside front wheel

Pass 18 Nov 2009 92,756 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2008 90,688 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2007 87,587 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2007 87,582 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 26 Jul 2005 82,227 miles

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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F257 SYE is a 1988 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 F257 SYE, 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 F257 SYE?

You can check the full history of F257 SYE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F257 SYE registered?

F257 SYE is a 1988 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is F257 SYE safe to buy?

The MOT history for F257 SYE shows 24 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F257 SYE 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 F257 SYE. 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.