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F1 RUS

1996 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Oct 2026
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

84,134 mi
Last recorded84,134 miles
Recorded on17 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Esprit48,465 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF1 RUS
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1996
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

12 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Oct 2025 84,134 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2024 82,769 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2024 82,769 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Pass 28 Jul 2023 82,366 miles
Pass 19 Sep 2017 82,353 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x2 (3.5.1i)

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

both front tyres bald inner edge

oil leak

power steering pipes corroded

wipers smeary

Fail 20 Jun 2017 82,346 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened X2 corroding (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

both front tyres bald inner edges

n/s/r shock absorber operation very stiff/notchy

Pass 18 Mar 2016 80,218 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened X2 worn (3.5.1i)

both front tyres low inner edges

oil leak

Fail 8 Mar 2016 80,215 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Road wheel bead rim badly distorted (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened X2 worn (3.5.1i)

both front tyres low inner edges

oil leak

Pass 27 Feb 2015 64,740 miles

front anti roll bar bushes worn.

Fail 26 Feb 2015 64,739 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

front anti roll bar bushes worn.

Pass 20 Mar 2014 67,744 miles

Vehicle structure has slight damage (6.1.A.1)

Pass 19 Aug 2011 67,626 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2011 67,625 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 16 May 2009 67,513 miles

Offside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 7 May 2008 64,203 miles

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

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

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

engine oil leaks

Fail 6 Sep 2007 64,158 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pedal actuating cable wires broken and cable significantly weakened (3.3.A.1f)

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 29 Aug 2006 63,409 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2005 62,119 miles
Fail 5 Dec 2005 62,111 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement (7.2.4b)

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

Nearside Brake cable has wires broken but is not significantly weakened (3.5.1b)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

general perishing off suspension bush's

nearside wing mirror loose

oil leak

temporary fuel cap fitted

wiper smeary and washers req service

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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F1 RUS is a 1996 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 81.8% with a typical mileage of 48,465 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 F1 RUS, 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 30 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 F1 RUS?

You can check the full history of F1 RUS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F1 RUS registered?

F1 RUS is a 1996 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 31 December 1996.

Is F1 RUS safe to buy?

The MOT history for F1 RUS 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 F1 RUS 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 F1 RUS. 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.