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R688 RMJ

1998 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 3506cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Aug 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

86,546 mi
Last recorded86,546 miles
Recorded on8 Aug 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Esprit48,579 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR688 RMJ
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 6 fail
Pass 8 Aug 2025 86,546 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2025 86,528 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 15 Mar 2024 85,604 miles

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

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

Pass 12 Nov 2022 84,529 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2021 84,310 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Upper Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Fail 2 Nov 2021 84,310 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing play so excessive that directional control is impaired (5.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Upper Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 12 Nov 2020 83,962 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 12 Nov 2019 83,813 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2018 82,978 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2017 82,451 miles

Both front tyres have age related cracks

Both front tyres worn unevenly

Pass 6 Aug 2016 81,733 miles

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

Pass 20 Aug 2015 81,219 miles

Age related cracks to both front tyres

Both front tyres worn unevenly

Fail 25 Jun 2015 81,219 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (3.4.1b)

Nearside Inner Headlamp has a product on the light source so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Outer Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Offside Inner Headlamp has a product on the light source so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Nearside Inner Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Outer Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Inner Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Outer Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

age related cracking to tyre tread.offside front

slight wear in steering rack inner balljoint offside.

Pass 30 Jun 2014 80,525 miles

Age related cracks to both front tyres

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

High level brake light not working

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Fail 16 Jun 2014 80,520 miles

Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

Age related cracks to both front tyres

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

High level brake light not working

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 25 Jun 2013 79,063 miles

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

Fail 18 Jun 2013 79,063 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 21 Jun 2012 77,552 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2011 75,901 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2011 75,899 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2) DANGEROUS

2x front meatal brake pipes to calipers corroded

Pass 2 Jul 2010 73,778 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 19 May 2009 72,393 miles
Pass 14 May 2008 69,447 miles
Pass 8 May 2007 56,801 miles
Pass 24 May 2006 63,223 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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R688 RMJ is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 3,506cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

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 R688 RMJ, 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 R688 RMJ?

You can check the full history of R688 RMJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R688 RMJ registered?

R688 RMJ is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 30 March 1998.

Is R688 RMJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R688 RMJ shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R688 RMJ 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 R688 RMJ. 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.