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L8 VGT

1998 Lotus Esprit

Gold Petrol 3506cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 May 2027
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

43,286 mi
Last recorded43,286 miles
Recorded on21 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 Lotus Esprit48,579 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

RegistrationL8 VGT
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourGold
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,506cc

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 7 fail
Pass 21 Apr 2026 43,286 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2025 43,195 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2024 43,077 miles
Pass 3 May 2023 42,649 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2022 42,609 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2020 42,596 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2019 42,356 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2019 42,356 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Pass 8 Jun 2018 41,943 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2018 41,943 miles

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

Pass 8 Aug 2015 41,921 miles
Fail 8 Aug 2015 41,921 miles

Nearside Front Lower engine mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (6.1.D.1a)

Ac compressor leaking

Nearside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear main oil seal leaking

Pass 22 Aug 2014 39,850 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2014 39,850 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Fail 21 Jul 2014 39,845 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

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

Pass 4 Jul 2013 35,102 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2012 34,223 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2011 34,053 miles

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

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

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

Fail 2 Aug 2010 34,032 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust has a part missing (7.1.1a)

Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (7.1.4)

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front coil spring cracked (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front coil spring cracked (2.4.C.1a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

nsr exhaust waste gate rod not attached

oil leak

Pass 5 Aug 2009 33,916 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2009 33,916 miles

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

Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 27 Jun 2008 32,564 miles
Pass 25 May 2007 29,545 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2006 26,684 miles

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

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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L8 VGT is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Gold with a 3,506cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

Across all 1998 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.0% with a typical mileage of 48,579 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 L8 VGT, 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 28 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 L8 VGT?

You can check the full history of L8 VGT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L8 VGT registered?

L8 VGT is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 29 April 1998.

Is L8 VGT safe to buy?

The MOT history for L8 VGT shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L8 VGT 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 L8 VGT. 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.