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A48 HEL

1983 Land Rover Defender

Grey Petrol 3500cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Aug 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

17,370 mi
Last recorded17,370 miles
Recorded on21 Aug 2026
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

RegistrationA48 HEL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1983
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,500cc

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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 21 Aug 2026 17,370 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 15 Aug 2025 16,982 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Fail 14 Aug 2025 16,978 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the offside (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 11 Nov 2022 16,397 miles

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

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

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

Fail 11 Nov 2022 16,394 miles

Central Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Headlamp switch does not immediately illuminate all main beam headlamps (4.1.3 (a))

Indicator tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 5 Oct 2021 13,770 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2021 13,768 miles

Front Registration plate missing (0.1 (a))

Offside Front Wheel bearing play so excessive it is likely to break up (5.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 31 Jan 2017 12,482 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2016 3,549 miles
Pass 30 Jan 2015 272,432 miles
Pass 30 Jan 2014 200,052 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2013 200,052 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2012 193,555 miles

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

Pass 1 Feb 2011 179,699 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2010 1 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2008 100,003 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2007 100,004 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Pass 2 Oct 2007 100,004 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2006 100,006 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2005 99,703 miles
Fail 2 Aug 2005 99,106 miles

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has an unsatisfactory modification, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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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A48 HEL is a 1983 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 3,500cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 A48 HEL, 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 A48 HEL?

You can check the full history of A48 HEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A48 HEL registered?

A48 HEL is a 1983 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 September 1983.

Is A48 HEL safe to buy?

The MOT history for A48 HEL shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A48 HEL 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 A48 HEL. 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.