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C1 ESP

1988 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

97,845 mi
Last recorded97,845 miles
Recorded on29 Apr 2026
Typical for 1988 Lotus Esprit57,107 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC1 ESP
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1988
ColourBlue
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

17 pass 3 fail
Pass 29 Apr 2026 97,845 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 6 May 2025 96,578 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2023 96,233 miles

Offside Obligatory mirror slightly loose (3.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 3 Nov 2022 95,766 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2021 95,094 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2020 94,825 miles
Fail 9 Nov 2020 94,823 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe leaking on an air braking system (1.1.11 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Brake pipe leaking on an air braking system (1.1.11 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Nov 2019 94,581 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2018 93,757 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2017 93,382 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2016 92,197 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2015 91,569 miles

parking brake 18%

Pass 29 Oct 2014 90,696 miles

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

Fail 29 Oct 2014 90,696 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 5 Nov 2013 89,829 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2012 88,650 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2009 88,632 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2008 88,596 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2007 88,313 miles

BOTH FRONT TYRE TREADS GETTING LOW.

Fail 15 Mar 2007 88,313 miles

An item not tested (Manual)

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

BOTH FRONT TYRE TREADS GETTING LOW.

NS NUMBER PLATE LAMP STARTED TO WORK.

OS DIP PATTERN POOR.

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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C1 ESP is a 1988 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

Across all 1988 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 77.5% with a typical mileage of 57,107 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its 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 C1 ESP, 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 38 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 C1 ESP?

You can check the full history of C1 ESP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C1 ESP registered?

C1 ESP is a 1988 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is C1 ESP safe to buy?

The MOT history for C1 ESP 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 C1 ESP 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 C1 ESP. 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.