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LFU 972R

1976 Lotus Esprit

Red Petrol 1973cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 May 2026
Tests20 (11 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate55%

Mileage

79,231 mi
Last recorded79,231 miles
Recorded on15 May 2025
Typical for 1976 Lotus Esprit60,848 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationLFU 972R
MakeLotus
ModelEsprit
Year1976
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,973cc

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

11 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 May 2025 79,231 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

steering wheel rim slightly loose

Fail 1 May 2025 79,231 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect both (4.1.2 (c))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

steering wheel rim slightly loose

Pass 8 Mar 2024 78,904 miles
Fail 6 Oct 2023 78,902 miles

Headlamp aim unable to be tested lights not popping up (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Aug 2022 78,422 miles

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

both side engine mounts deteriorated

Fail 12 Aug 2022 78,422 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

both side engine mounts deteriorated

Pass 26 Aug 2019 78,370 miles

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

both side engine mounts deteriorated

Fail 31 Jul 2019 78,370 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low lamp does not open fully (4.1.2 (a))

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

both side engine mounts deteriorated

slight roughness through steering

Pass 17 Aug 2018 77,956 miles

engine mounts deteriorated

slight roughness through steering

Fail 2 May 2018 77,956 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low headlamp not opening fully (1.8)

Nearside Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak ()

engine mounting deteriorated, but not resulting in excessive movement both side mounts (6.1.D.1a)

Pass 19 May 2017 77,576 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

nearside seatbelt does not retract fully

slight roughness felt through steering

Fail 16 May 2017 77,576 miles

Nearside Front Mechanical brake component locking device missing R clip missing at top pin (3.5.1l)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Steering wheel weakened by fractures (2.1.1)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

nearside seatbelt does not retract fully

offside headlamp will not open or close fully

slight roughness felt through steering

Pass 29 Apr 2016 76,546 miles

nearside seatbelt does not retract fully

Fail 28 Apr 2016 76,546 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Steering wheel weakened by cracks (2.1.1)

nearside seatbelt does not retract fully

Pass 9 Apr 2015 75,337 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2014 75,100 miles
Fail 12 Apr 2014 75,100 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not fitted (1.1.C.1b)

Offside Registration plate lamp not fitted (1.1.C.1b)

Brake rod insecure (3.5.1d) DANGEROUS

Dipswitch operation does not extinguish all main beam headlamps leaving at least one pair of dipped beam headlamps (1.7.4b) DANGEROUS

Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c) DANGEROUS

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 15 Nov 2006 75,072 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2006 75,062 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 16 Jan 2006 73,682 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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LFU 972R is a 1976 Lotus Esprit in Red with a 1,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55%.

Across all 1976 Lotus Esprit models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.7% with a typical mileage of 60,848 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 LFU 972R, 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 50 years old, this Lotus Esprit is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of LFU 972R?

You can check the full history of LFU 972R by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was LFU 972R registered?

LFU 972R is a 1976 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 3 September 1976.

Is LFU 972R safe to buy?

The MOT history for LFU 972R shows 20 tests with a 55% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does LFU 972R 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 LFU 972R. 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.