CarVerify

Free Car Check

R222 TDB

1998 Lotus Esprit

Silver Petrol 3506cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 May 2026
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

116,980 mi
Last recorded116,980 miles
Recorded on10 May 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Esprit48,579 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR222 TDB
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourSilver
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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 10 May 2025 116,980 miles
Pass 24 May 2024 116,428 miles
Fail 28 Mar 2024 116,428 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Jul 2022 116,035 miles

Odometer display is flashing

front number plate placed and secured over old number plate legal at time of re-test

Fail 15 Jul 2022 116,033 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Odometer display is flashing

Pass 22 Jul 2021 115,424 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2020 114,970 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 10 Aug 2019 114,394 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive water (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Aug 2018 113,695 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2017 113,109 miles

front tyres worn on edges

Pass 17 Aug 2016 112,589 miles
Pass 24 May 2016 112,486 miles

Front tyres worn to inner shoulders

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Lower arm inner bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Lower arm inner bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 15 Apr 2015 112,093 miles
Pass 4 Mar 2014 111,898 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2012 111,573 miles

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

Nearside Rear 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)

Pass 26 Oct 2011 110,887 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2010 108,633 miles
Pass 28 May 2010 107,927 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2009 102,409 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2008 97,465 miles

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Fail 22 Mar 2008 97,465 miles

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Pass 20 Mar 2007 91,132 miles

both sides rear brake pipes starting to corrode

engine management light on dash

Pass 21 Mar 2006 86,119 miles

brake pipes starting to corrode

rear exhaust in poor condition

slight coolant leak

slight oil leak

slight play in offside front wheel bearing

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

R222 TDB is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Silver with a 3,506cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 R222 TDB, 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 R222 TDB?

You can check the full history of R222 TDB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R222 TDB registered?

R222 TDB is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 16 April 1998.

Is R222 TDB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R222 TDB shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R222 TDB 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 R222 TDB. 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.