1987 Lotus Esprit — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1987 Lotus Esprit passed 85.7% of its 266 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 20.6% of the time, so this is 6.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.8% of all tests — 4.1 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are non catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and service brake performance — non catalyst emissions alone was recorded 12 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1987 Esprit fails 14.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 13.2% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.3 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 10.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 14.6% in 2021 to 11.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 26 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.6% | 15 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 14 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 9 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.5% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non catalyst emissions | 12 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 9 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 8 |
| 5 | Horn | 8 |
| 6 | Ball joint dust cover | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.5% | 28 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 9.4% | 25 |
| 3 | Steering | 8.6% | 23 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 17 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 15 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.1% | 11 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 62 | 14.5% |
| 30-60k | 125 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 53 | 13.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48 | 14.6% |
| 2022 | 56 | 14.3% |
| 2023 | 55 | 16.4% |
| 2024 | 54 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 53 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 1987 Esprit
On a 1987 Esprit, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Emissions & environmental (5.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1987 Lotus Esprits pass their MOT?
85.7% of the 266 1987 Lotus Esprit MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1987 Lotus Esprit?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.8% of tests, followed by brakes (5.6%).
Does the 1987 Esprit get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.5% in the 0-30k band to 13.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 266 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.