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A305 XKU

1983 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Nov 2026
Tests18 (12 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

76,342 mi
Last recorded76,342 miles
Recorded on1 Dec 2025
Typical for 1983 Land Rover Defender109,986 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA305 XKU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1983
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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 6 fail
Pass 1 Dec 2025 76,342 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2023 74,712 miles

Front Service brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 5 Dec 2022 74,132 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2021 73,201 miles

Offside Front Outer Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 5 Oct 2021 73,201 miles

Offside Front Outer Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 6 Oct 2020 72,265 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2019 71,387 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2018 70,790 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2017 70,787 miles

Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear bump stop missing

Pass 18 Feb 2015 70,240 miles
Fail 16 Feb 2015 70,239 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

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

Offside Rear Upper Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Oil leak

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1a)

both front hub oil seals leaking badly

oil leak on steering box

Pass 14 Feb 2014 69,554 miles

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

Fail 14 Feb 2014 69,554 miles

Nearside Front Electrical wiring inadequately supported (1.9.2a)

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

Fail 20 Dec 2012 67,515 miles

Nearside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 20 Dec 2012 67,515 miles

Nearside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Fail 12 Dec 2012 673,525 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Brake pedal has no servo assistance (3.3.B.2)

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

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Nearside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Oil leak

Pass 23 Dec 2011 63,720 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2010 61,792 miles

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

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A305 XKU is a 1983 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1983 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.8% with a typical mileage of 109,986 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 A305 XKU, 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 43 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 A305 XKU?

You can check the full history of A305 XKU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A305 XKU registered?

A305 XKU is a 1983 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 October 1983.

Is A305 XKU safe to buy?

The MOT history for A305 XKU shows 18 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A305 XKU 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 A305 XKU. 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.