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S444 JDB

1998 Lotus Esprit

Yellow Petrol 1974cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Jul 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

50,561 mi
Last recorded50,561 miles
Recorded on26 Jun 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

RegistrationS444 JDB
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourYellow
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,974cc

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 8 fail
Pass 26 Jun 2026 50,561 miles

Front Coolant leak

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly damaged flex to caliper (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 3 Jul 2025 49,016 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2024 48,951 miles

Coolant leak radiator

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases manifold (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 27 Jul 2023 48,840 miles

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 25 Aug 2022 48,752 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 6 Aug 2021 48,714 miles
Fail 5 Aug 2021 48,712 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

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

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

Nearside Front splitter insecure

Pass 2 Jun 2018 48,572 miles
Fail 14 May 2018 48,571 miles

Nearside front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

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

Offside front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 25 Apr 2017 48,236 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded across cross member. (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened brake disc corroded. (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened brake disc corroded. (3.5.1i)

Fail 20 Apr 2017 48,227 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases leak at engine area. (7.1.2)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Rear Brake hose inappropriately repaired hitting hand brake cable. (3.6.A.3)

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

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

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded across cross member. (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened brake disc corroded. (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened brake disc corroded. (3.5.1i)

Pass 28 Apr 2016 46,717 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2014 44,900 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2014 44,900 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Pass 26 Jul 2013 42,783 miles

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

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

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

Fail 26 Jul 2013 42,783 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Coil spring not correctly located (2.4.C.2)

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

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

Pass 27 Jun 2012 41,196 miles

FRONT BRAKE DISCS GETTING LOW

Fail 23 Jun 2012 41,173 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

FRONT BRAKE DISCS GETTING LOW

Pass 21 Jun 2011 37,771 miles
Pass 19 May 2010 36,830 miles
Fail 19 May 2010 36,830 miles

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Pass 6 Dec 2007 35,282 miles
Fail 9 Nov 2007 35,260 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 7 Nov 2006 32,006 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2005 31,064 miles

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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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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.

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S444 JDB is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Yellow with a 1,974cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

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 S444 JDB, 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 S444 JDB?

You can check the full history of S444 JDB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S444 JDB registered?

S444 JDB is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S444 JDB safe to buy?

The MOT history for S444 JDB shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S444 JDB 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 S444 JDB. 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.