CarVerify

Free Car Check

S946 SCL

1998 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 1974cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Nov 2026
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

81,964 mi
Last recorded81,964 miles
Recorded on14 Nov 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

RegistrationS946 SCL
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourRed
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 3 fail
Pass 14 Nov 2025 81,964 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2024 80,492 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2023 79,545 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both front inner surfaces (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess Parking brake cable (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 3 Dec 2021 77,746 miles

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

Nearside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 15 Nov 2021 77,742 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Nearside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 31 Jan 2019 77,735 miles

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

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

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

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

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Fail 31 Jan 2019 77,735 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 9 Jan 2018 77,564 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 9 Jan 2018 77,564 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 6 Jan 2017 76,531 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Jan 2016 75,535 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened X2 pitted (3.5.1i)

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)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened X2 pitted (3.5.1i)

Pass 16 Jan 2015 72,762 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)

Pass 10 Jan 2014

Offside front tyre wearing on inner edge

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

Pass 30 Jan 2013 70,007 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2011 67,348 miles

both nearside and offside front upper ball joint boots are split !

inner face of both nearside and offside rear brake discs coroded

inner face of nearside front brake disc coroded

Pass 27 Aug 2010 64,543 miles

both rear brake disc's in poor condition

Pass 25 Aug 2009 60,380 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2008 52,551 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)

Pass 7 Aug 2007 46,678 miles

front tyres wearing on edges

Pass 21 Apr 2006 41,120 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

S946 SCL is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 1,974cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

Across all 1998 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 85.0% with a typical mileage of 48,579 miles. This vehicle is performing in line with others of the same 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 S946 SCL, 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 S946 SCL?

You can check the full history of S946 SCL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S946 SCL registered?

S946 SCL is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 11 August 1998.

Is S946 SCL safe to buy?

The MOT history for S946 SCL shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S946 SCL 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 S946 SCL. 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.