1987 Lotus Esprit — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

86.4%

Latest Pass Rate

798

Total Tests (All Years)

58,858 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1987 Lotus Esprit as it ages.

22 yrs79.4%

→ ↑4.5%

23 yrs83.9%

→ ↑0.8%

24 yrs84.7%

→ ↓24.4%

25 yrs60.3%

→ ↑14.7%

26 yrs75.0%

→ ↓4.6%

27 yrs70.4%

→ ↑6.5%

28 yrs76.9%

→ ↓0.4%

29 yrs76.5%

→ ↑3.1%

30 yrs79.6%

→ ↑1.4%

31 yrs81.0%

→ ↓9.2%

32 yrs71.8%

→ ↑7.7%

34 yrs79.5%

→ ↓8.1%

35 yrs71.4%

→ ↑6.4%

36 yrs77.8%

→ ↑8.6%

37 yrs86.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	79.4%	68
23 yrs	83.9%	62
24 yrs	84.7%	59
25 yrs	60.3%	58
26 yrs	75.0%	52
27 yrs	70.4%	54
28 yrs	76.9%	52
29 yrs	76.5%	51
30 yrs	79.6%	54
31 yrs	81.0%	42
32 yrs	71.8%	39
34 yrs	79.5%	39
35 yrs	71.4%	35
36 yrs	77.8%	45
37 yrs	86.4%	88

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 Lotus Esprit pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (37 yrs)	86.4%	88
2023 (36 yrs)	77.8%	45
2022 (35 yrs)	71.4%	35
2021 (34 yrs)	79.5%	39
2019 (32 yrs)	71.8%	39
2018 (31 yrs)	81%	42
2017 (30 yrs)	79.6%	54
2016 (29 yrs)	76.5%	51
2015 (28 yrs)	76.9%	52
2014 (27 yrs)	70.4%	54
2013 (26 yrs)	75%	52
2012 (25 yrs)	60.3%	58
2011 (24 yrs)	84.7%	59
2010 (23 yrs)	83.9%	62
2009 (22 yrs)	79.4%	68

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

79.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 68Avg Mileage 46,392Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.2%

2010

83.9%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 62Avg Mileage 47,465Top Failure Brakes — 11.3%

2011

84.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 59Avg Mileage 46,939Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.9%

2012High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 58Avg Mileage 45,815Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%

2013

75.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 52Avg Mileage 45,018Top Failure Brakes — 40.4%

2014

70.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 54Avg Mileage 47,121Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.8%

2015

76.9%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 52Avg Mileage 50,923Top Failure Brakes — 38.5%

2016

76.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 51Avg Mileage 44,202Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.6%

2017

79.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 54Avg Mileage 46,070Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.9%

2018

81.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 42Avg Mileage 44,501Top Failure Brakes — 28.6%

2019

71.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 39Avg Mileage 48,389Top Failure Brakes — 28.2%

2021

79.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 39Avg Mileage 48,368Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.3%

2022

71.4%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 35Avg Mileage 50,827Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.9%

2023

77.8%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 45Avg Mileage 52,077Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%

2024

86.4%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 88Avg Mileage 58,858Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.9%

MOT results for 1987 Lotus Esprit by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	79.4%	68	46,392	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.2%
2010	23	83.9%	62	47,465	Brakes — 11.3%
2011	24	84.7%	59	46,939	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.9%
2012	25	60.3%	58	45,815	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.3%
2013	26	75.0%	52	45,018	Brakes — 40.4%
2014	27	70.4%	54	47,121	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.8%
2015	28	76.9%	52	50,923	Brakes — 38.5%
2016	29	76.5%	51	44,202	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.6%
2017	30	79.6%	54	46,070	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.9%
2018	31	81.0%	42	44,501	Brakes — 28.6%
2019	32	71.8%	39	48,389	Brakes — 28.2%
2021	34	79.5%	39	48,368	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.3%
2022	35	71.4%	35	50,827	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.9%
2023	36	77.8%	45	52,077	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%
2024	37	86.4%	88	58,858	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 15.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 Lotus Esprit, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

25.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

23.4%

— Consistent

Brakes

19.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

16.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

11.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	13.2% (22 yrs)	9.1% (37 yrs)	-4.1%	🟢 ↓
Steering	5.9% (22 yrs)	4.5% (37 yrs)	-1.4%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Lotus Esprit page →

About This Data

This page shows how Lotus Esprit cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 798 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.