CarVerify

Free Car Check

F40 FGG

1988 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 2174cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 May 2027
Tests31 (19 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate61.3%

Mileage

40,922 mi
Last recorded40,922 miles
Recorded on13 May 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
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

RegistrationF40 FGG
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1988
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 12 fail
Pass 13 May 2026 40,922 miles
Fail 13 May 2026 40,922 miles

Offside Front Position lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Pass 21 May 2025 40,658 miles
Fail 21 May 2025 40,658 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 16 Jul 2024 40,442 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2023 40,149 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2022 39,488 miles

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Jun 2021 39,260 miles

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel

Fail 9 Jun 2021 39,260 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel

Pass 3 Jun 2019 38,915 miles

Front and rear suspension components corroded

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively on limit (1.2.1 (e))

Nearside Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering rack (2.1.5 (a))

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

Pass 13 Jul 2018 38,628 miles

Front and rear suspension components corroded

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

Nearside steering rack damp

Fail 13 Jul 2018 38,628 miles

Front and rear suspension components corroded

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside steering rack damp

Fail 21 Jun 2018 38,820 miles

Front Oil leaking excessively from engine behind front bumper. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Coil spring corroded all 4 coil springs. (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both rear discs. (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 5 Jun 2017 38,376 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2016 37,894 miles

supension and brake components corroded

Pass 23 Jun 2015 37,488 miles
Fail 23 Jun 2015 37,488 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Fail 21 May 2014 37,225 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Rear fog lamp switch 'sticks'

Pass 21 May 2014 37,225 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear fog lamp switch 'sticks'

Pass 20 May 2013 36,796 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

brake pipes slightly surface corroded

nearside and offside rear tyres deteriorating/cracking on outer sidewalls

Pass 1 May 2012 36,717 miles

Brake pipes slightly surface corroded

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Fail 23 Apr 2012 36,717 miles

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

brake pipes slightly surface corroded

parking brake has little reserve travel

Fail 27 Jan 2011 36,508 miles

nearside steering rack gaiter wet

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

brake pipes surface corroded

rear tyres outer sidewalls deteriorating/cracking

Pass 27 Jan 2011 36,508 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

brake pipes surface corroded

nearside steering rack gaiter wet

rear tyres outer sidewalls deteriorating/cracking

Fail 5 Feb 2010 36,257 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear tyre sidewalls starting to perish

Pass 5 Feb 2010 36,257 miles

rear tyre sidewalls starting to perish

Fail 6 Feb 2009 35,947 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Pass 6 Feb 2009 35,947 miles
Pass 8 Feb 2008 35,571 miles
Fail 1 Feb 2008 35,560 miles

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

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

Offside Front Headlamps matched pair are incorrectly positioned (1.7.3)

rear brakes binding and rear brake pads look low

rear fog light switch sticks

rear no.plate lamps dim

Pass 6 Feb 2007 35,067 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

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

F40 FGG is a 1988 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.3%.

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 F40 FGG, 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 F40 FGG?

You can check the full history of F40 FGG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F40 FGG registered?

F40 FGG is a 1988 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 9 September 1988.

Is F40 FGG safe to buy?

The MOT history for F40 FGG shows 31 tests with a 61.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F40 FGG 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 F40 FGG. 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.