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N685 LEX

1996 Lotus Esprit

Blue Petrol 2174cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Dec 2026
Tests17 (13 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate76.5%

Mileage

65,844 mi
Last recorded65,844 miles
Recorded on12 Dec 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Esprit48,465 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

RegistrationN685 LEX
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

13 pass 4 fail
Pass 12 Dec 2025 65,844 miles

Front Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all four (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Fail 25 Aug 2025 65,843 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.3.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all four (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Pass 4 Oct 2023 64,593 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 4 Oct 2023 64,593 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 16 Apr 2019 64,168 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 24 Apr 2018 63,386 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

both front tyres wearing on inner edges and cracking on outer edges

Pass 24 Apr 2017 62,856 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Oil leak ()

Pass 14 Mar 2016 61,723 miles

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

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

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

n/s and o/s rear tyres deteriorated

Pass 16 Mar 2015 61,199 miles

both front tyres worn on inner edges and also cracked

both rear tyres cracked

Pass 24 Mar 2014 61,000 miles

all tyres have cracking

Pass 10 Apr 2013 61,000 miles

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

Pass 12 Apr 2012 60,434 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Oil leak

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

nearside front tyre has small splits but not deep enough to reach the ply or chords

nearside front wheel arch trim missing but no sharp edges

nearside rear tyre has splits in the outer sidewall but not deep enough to reach the ply or chords

offside rear wheel bearing noisy

passenger seat missing

Fail 26 Mar 2012 60,432 miles

Centre Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 13 Nov 2008 58,253 miles

Coolant leak

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

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

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

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly damaged (2.3.2)

both driveshaft seals leaking

engine light on

Fail 4 Nov 2008

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

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Nearside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

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

Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i) DANGEROUS

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

Coolant leak

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

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

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

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly damaged (2.3.2)

both driveshaft seals leaking

engine light on

Pass 26 Nov 2007 55,370 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp not in a clean condition but not affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

both driveshaft seals leaking

crack in exhaust

fuel hoses perished

Pass 4 Sep 2006 54,067 miles

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

both driveshaft seals leaking

brake pipes getting rusty

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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N685 LEX is a 1996 Lotus Esprit in Blue with a 2,174cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.5%.

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 N685 LEX, 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 N685 LEX?

You can check the full history of N685 LEX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N685 LEX registered?

N685 LEX is a 1996 Lotus Esprit, first registered on 19 January 1996.

Is N685 LEX safe to buy?

The MOT history for N685 LEX shows 17 tests with a 76.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N685 LEX 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 N685 LEX. 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.