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L500 ESP

1995 Lotus Esprit

Black Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Sep 2026
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

80,672 mi
Last recorded80,672 miles
Recorded on19 Sep 2025
Typical for 1995 Lotus Esprit51,286 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationL500 ESP
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1995
ColourBlack
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 19 Sep 2025 80,672 miles
Fail 12 Sep 2025 80,672 miles

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

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

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

Pass 3 Sep 2024 79,199 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2023 77,223 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2022 76,754 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2020 76,526 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2020 78,525 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Lower Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Upper Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Upper Steering linkage ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 23 Sep 2019 75,340 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2018 75,258 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2017 75,169 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2016 74,718 miles
Pass 30 May 2015 74,424 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2014 73,344 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2014 73,343 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (7.1.4)

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Oil leak

Rear coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 17 May 2013 73,162 miles

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

Pass 27 Feb 2012 71,796 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2011 68,315 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2010 65,523 miles
Fail 17 Mar 2010 65,523 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Pass 20 Apr 2009 63,657 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 28 Apr 2008 60,069 miles

Both front tyres wearing on inner edges to excess.

advise wheel alignment check.

Pass 4 Apr 2007 57,351 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2006 52,841 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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L500 ESP is a 1995 Lotus Esprit in Black with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

Across all 1995 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.7% with a typical mileage of 51,286 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 L500 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 31 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 L500 ESP?

You can check the full history of L500 ESP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L500 ESP registered?

L500 ESP is a 1995 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 31 December 1995.

Is L500 ESP safe to buy?

The MOT history for L500 ESP shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L500 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 L500 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.