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E308 UMS

1988 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Jan 2027
Tests20 (12 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

3,074 mi
Last recorded3,074 miles
Recorded on30 Jan 2026
Typical for 1988 Lotus Esprit57,107 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

RegistrationE308 UMS
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1988
ColourRed
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 8 fail
Pass 30 Jan 2026 3,074 miles

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 29 Jul 2024 2,718 miles

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

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

Fail 29 Jul 2024 2,718 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 8 Aug 2023 2,010 miles

Offside Front Spotlight not working

Pass 18 Aug 2022 1,469 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear sub frame mounting has slight play

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

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

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

Fail 1 Jul 2022 1,459 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Sub- frame mounting has slight play

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

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

Pass 6 Jul 2021 583 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Jun 2020 265 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

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

Fail 11 Jun 2020 246 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Lower ball joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

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

Pass 20 Jun 2019 55,789 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2019 55,785 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 22 Jun 2018 52,891 miles

Offside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside front lower ball joint gaiter has had a temporary repair

Fail 19 Jun 2018 52,880 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 30 Jun 2015 52,849 miles
Fail 24 Jun 2015

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 8 Aug 2014 52,810 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 19 Jul 2013 51,016 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe leaking (3.6.A.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 19 Jul 2013 51,016 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2012 48,447 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

slight wear in steering rack

Fail 13 Jul 2012 48,447 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

slight wear in steering rack

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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E308 UMS is a 1988 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 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 E308 UMS, 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 E308 UMS?

You can check the full history of E308 UMS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E308 UMS registered?

E308 UMS is a 1988 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 1 February 1988.

Is E308 UMS safe to buy?

The MOT history for E308 UMS shows 20 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E308 UMS 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 E308 UMS. 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.