CarVerify

Free Car Check

S955 BVO

1998 Lotus Esprit

Purple Petrol 3506cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Jan 2027
Tests12 (9 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

50,216 mi
Last recorded50,216 miles
Recorded on22 Jan 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
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

RegistrationS955 BVO
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1998
ColourPurple
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

9 pass 3 fail
Pass 22 Jan 2026 50,216 miles
Fail 14 Jan 2026 50,207 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn inner and outer bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn inner bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Jan 2025 49,408 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2019 49,238 miles

Nearside Front tyre cracked/perished

Offside Front tyre cracked/perished

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

Pass 12 Jul 2013 49,058 miles
Pass 25 May 2012 48,942 miles
Pass 20 May 2011 48,735 miles
Fail 10 May 2011 48,724 miles

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Centre Rear Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

Exhaust manifold bolt loose looking from NSR wheel

NSR & OSR discs corroded on inner face

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

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

Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside upper dust cover split/missing

Water & oil leaks

Wire not attached to gearbox switch

Pass 5 Jun 2010 48,308 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Fail 3 Jun 2010 48,308 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 11 Jul 2007 48,293 miles

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

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

Pass 4 May 2006 47,402 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

S955 BVO is a 1998 Lotus Esprit in Purple with a 3,506cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 S955 BVO, 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 S955 BVO?

You can check the full history of S955 BVO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S955 BVO registered?

S955 BVO is a 1998 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S955 BVO safe to buy?

The MOT history for S955 BVO shows 12 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S955 BVO 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 S955 BVO. 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.