CarVerify

Free Car Check

889 DVJ

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jan 2027
Tests20 (12 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

155,883 mi
Last recorded155,883 miles
Recorded on9 Jan 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

Registration889 DVJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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

12 pass 8 fail
Pass 9 Jan 2026 155,883 miles

Coolant leak top rad hose ()

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

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

slight handbrake travel

Fail 9 Jan 2026 155,883 miles

Coolant leak top rad hose ()

Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

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

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

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

slight handbrake travel

Pass 25 Oct 2024 150,975 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2023 142,015 miles

Damp around both front steering swivels

Damp around steering box

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x 2 (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Coil spring corroded x2 (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x 2 (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded x 2 (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Wipers smearing screen

Fail 6 Nov 2023 142,015 miles

Damp around both front steering swivels

Damp around steering box

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x 2 (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Coil spring corroded x2 (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x 2 (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded x 2 (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Wipers smearing screen

Pass 11 Aug 2022 141,851 miles

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch all ()

Pass 10 Aug 2021 141,127 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Rear wiper blade missing

parking brake near end of reserve travel==adjustment advised

Fail 28 Jul 2021 141,112 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Rear wiper blade missing

parking brake near end of reserve travel==adjustment advised

steering pulls to right under braking

Pass 28 Jul 2020 139,862 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2020 139,862 miles

All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Aug 2019 138,494 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly damaged to caliper (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 31 Jul 2018 136,887 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2017 135,230 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

indicators flashing fast

Fail 9 Aug 2017 135,229 miles

Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt steering box drop arm (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

indicators flashing fast

Pass 11 Jul 2016 131,017 miles

Offside play in track rod end

oil leak

Fail 11 Jul 2016 131,017 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Direction indicator excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside play in track rod end

oil leak

play in front prop sliding joint

Pass 7 Aug 2015 122,671 miles

o/s/f indicator dim but visable

Fail 7 Aug 2015 122,671 miles

Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

n/s drag link ball joint retaining pin missing(split pin)

o/s/f indicator dim but visable

Pass 19 Aug 2014 120,048 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2014 120,048 miles

Front registration plate not fixed vertically, or as close to vertical as is reasonably practical (6.3.2c)

Nearside Front Front suspension retaining device ineffective (2.5.A.4)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Nearside Rear Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Offside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Offside Rear Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

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

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

How Reliable is the Land Rover Defender?

Based on 2,960,045 MOT tests across 181,953 vehicles.

72.3%
Pass Rate
3,550
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
181,953
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 77,499
Brake pipe excessively corroded 77,229
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 57,749
position lamp(s) not working 53,914
Stop lamp not working 52,341
Full Land Rover Defender reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

889 DVJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1985 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.3% with a typical mileage of 122,807 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 Land Rover Defender fails its MOT is shock absorber has an excessively worn bush, accounting for 77,499 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 889 DVJ, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Land Rover Defender typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 41 years old, this Land Rover Defender is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 889 DVJ?

You can check the full history of 889 DVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 889 DVJ registered?

889 DVJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1985.

Is 889 DVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for 889 DVJ shows 20 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 889 DVJ 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 889 DVJ. 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.