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E311 CAU

1988 Lotus Excel

Red Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jun 2027
Tests19 (15 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate78.9%

Mileage

37,627 mi
Last recorded37,627 miles
Recorded on17 Jun 2026
Typical for 1988 Lotus Excel56,451 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

RegistrationE311 CAU
MakeLotus
ModelExcel
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

15 pass 4 fail
Pass 17 Jun 2026 37,627 miles

Both Rear coil springs corroded

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))

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

Pass 9 Jun 2025 37,480 miles

Coil spring corroded all four (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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))

exhaust rubbers perished

Pass 11 Jun 2024 37,270 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))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 27 Jun 2023 37,051 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Tyre 215/50ZR15 (5.2.3 (e))

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 Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Tyre 215/50ZR15 (5.2.3 (e))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage Strong advice (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 22 Jun 2023 37,045 miles

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Tyre 215/50ZR15 (5.2.3 (e))

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 Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Tyre 215/50ZR15 (5.2.3 (e))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage Strong advice (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 24 Jun 2016 36,626 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2015 36,344 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2014 35,552 miles

Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

slight damage to front number plate.

Fail 30 May 2014 35,550 miles

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

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

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

slight damage to front number plate.

Pass 7 Jun 2013 35,002 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.4.A.2c)

Fail 4 Jun 2013 35,002 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Offside Rear Direction indicator has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 7 Jun 2012 34,479 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2011 33,749 miles
Fail 7 Jun 2011 33,749 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 28 May 2010 32,907 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2009 31,998 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2008 31,380 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2007 30,004 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2006 29,214 miles

How Reliable is the Lotus Excel?

Based on 5,018 MOT tests across 458 vehicles.

75.4%
Pass Rate
606
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
458
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Steering rack gaiter split 218
Brake pipe excessively corroded 128
brake binding 126
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive 118
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 113
Full Lotus Excel reliability report

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E311 CAU is a 1988 Lotus Excel in Red with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.9%.

Across all 1988 Lotus Excel models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.4% with a typical mileage of 56,451 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Lotus Excel fails its MOT is steering rack gaiter split, accounting for 218 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E311 CAU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Excel typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 38 years old, this Lotus Excel is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E311 CAU?

You can check the full history of E311 CAU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E311 CAU registered?

E311 CAU is a 1988 Lotus Excel, first registered on 3 March 1988.

Is E311 CAU safe to buy?

The MOT history for E311 CAU shows 19 tests with a 78.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E311 CAU 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 E311 CAU. 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.