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B480 XBU

1985 Lotus Esprit

Yellow Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Mar 2027
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

34,639 mi
Last recorded34,639 miles
Recorded on3 Mar 2026
Typical for 1985 Lotus Esprit50,410 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

RegistrationB480 XBU
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1985
ColourYellow
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc

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

12 pass 7 fail
Pass 3 Mar 2026 34,639 miles

Nearside Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. slight imbalance rear brakes (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. slight imbalance rear brakes (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 13 May 2019 34,347 miles

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

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

Fail 24 Apr 2019 34,338 miles

Brake performance not tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Fluid leak, but not excessive engine and or gear oil (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Sep 2017 34,076 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2016 33,559 miles
Fail 9 Sep 2016 33,548 miles

Offside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp indicator / stoplamp (1.1.A.3f)

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Pass 15 Oct 2013 29,317 miles
Fail 8 Oct 2013 29,313 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

all brake pipe to clean and grease

gear selector linkage bush split

Pass 16 Jul 2012 29,296 miles

Screen is cracked

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

Fail 16 Jul 2012 29,296 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Screen is cracked

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

Pass 19 Jul 2011 29,190 miles

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 18 Jul 2011 29,187 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 20 Jul 2010 29,133 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2009 29,076 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 6 Jul 2009 29,074 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

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

Pass 23 Jul 2008 27,975 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2008 27,972 miles

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

Steering column movement between the shaft and steering wheel (2.1.2b)

Steering column top bearing excessively worn (2.1.2c)

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Pass 14 Jul 2007 27,547 miles

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

offside front tyre low on outer edge

Pass 13 Jul 2006 27,220 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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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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B480 XBU is a 1985 Lotus Esprit in Yellow with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

Across all 1985 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.4% with a typical mileage of 50,410 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 B480 XBU, 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 41 years old, this Lotus Esprit is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of B480 XBU?

You can check the full history of B480 XBU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B480 XBU registered?

B480 XBU is a 1985 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 31 December 1985.

Is B480 XBU safe to buy?

The MOT history for B480 XBU shows 19 tests with a 63.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B480 XBU 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 B480 XBU. 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.