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B961 ORE

1985 Lotus Esprit

White Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Sep 2026
Tests16 (11 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate68.8%

Mileage

78,298 mi
Last recorded78,298 miles
Recorded on2 Sep 2025
Typical for 1985 Lotus Esprit50,410 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationB961 ORE
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1985
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,174cc

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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

11 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Sep 2025 78,298 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2024 78,045 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2023 77,695 miles

Coolant leak front and rear ()

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rears starting to perish (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 13 Jun 2022 77,136 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2022 77,136 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 5 Jan 2021 76,395 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2020 75,870 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 7 Jan 2020 75,870 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Drive shaft securing bolt loose (6.1.7 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 29 Jan 2019 75,104 miles

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

Fail 28 Jan 2019 75,104 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 24 Jan 2017 74,293 miles
Fail 20 Jan 2017 74,286 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 25 Jan 2016 73,067 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2015 71,975 miles
Fail 3 Feb 2015 71,975 miles

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

Pass 18 Jun 2014 71,850 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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B961 ORE is a 1985 Lotus Esprit in White with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.8%.

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 B961 ORE, 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 B961 ORE?

You can check the full history of B961 ORE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B961 ORE registered?

B961 ORE is a 1985 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 22 February 1985.

Is B961 ORE safe to buy?

The MOT history for B961 ORE shows 16 tests with a 68.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B961 ORE 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 B961 ORE. 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.