CarVerify

Free Car Check

A23 GCC

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires1 May 2026
Tests10 (6 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

132,682 mi
Last recorded132,682 miles
Recorded on2 May 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Below or 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

RegistrationA23 GCC
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
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

6 pass 4 fail
Pass 2 May 2025 132,682 miles

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

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Fail 2 May 2025 132,682 miles

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 8 Feb 2024 130,956 miles

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Oct 2022 129,957 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2022 129,955 miles

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

Pass 20 Aug 2021 129,001 miles

Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn both fronts (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Oil leak, but not excessive axel and gearbox (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Feb 2007 75,000 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2007 75,000 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer missing (7.2.4c)

Nearside Rear Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.2.C.1h)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 24 Feb 2006 75,000 miles

Centre Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

offside door mirror has corner cracked, not affecting view to rear

offside front outrigger badly corroded

slight oil leak from nearside front hub

some wear in wiper linkage, not affecting operation

Fail 21 Feb 2006 75,000 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely by positive means (7.2.4b)

Nearside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Offside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Nearside Front Brake hose twisted (3.6.B.4c) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Power steering pump drive system defective (2.3.6) DANGEROUS

Centre Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

offrside door mirror has corner cracked, not affecting view to rear.

offside front outtrigger badly corroded

propshaft defective

slight oil leak from nearside front hub

some wear in wiper linkage, not affecting operation

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

A23 GCC is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 10 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 A23 GCC, 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 A23 GCC?

You can check the full history of A23 GCC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A23 GCC registered?

A23 GCC is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1985.

Is A23 GCC safe to buy?

The MOT history for A23 GCC shows 10 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 A23 GCC 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 A23 GCC. 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.