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A961 RDM

1983 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2395cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Feb 2026
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

176,180 mi
Last recorded176,180 miles
Recorded on11 Feb 2025
Typical for 1983 Land Rover Defender109,986 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA961 RDM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1983
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,395cc

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 6 fail
Pass 11 Feb 2025 176,180 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2022 175,753 miles

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

Headlamp lens slightly defective both (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Nov 2021 166,610 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2020 162,930 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2018 161,186 miles

Front Oil leak ()

Fail 30 Jan 2018 161,162 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Brake back plate(s) securing device excessively deteriorated (3.5.1j)

Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened both sides (2.4.C.3c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Propshaft universal joint worn ()

Pass 1 Feb 2017 160,180 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Fail 25 Jan 2017 160,180 miles

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

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Pass 26 Jan 2016 159,566 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Fail 26 Jan 2016 159,566 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Pass 28 Feb 2015 159,442 miles

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

Fail 17 Feb 2015 159,442 miles

Emissions not tested (7.4.B.1)

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 10 Feb 2014 158,578 miles

front numberplate cracked

Fail 5 Feb 2014 158,575 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber detached (2.7.2b) DANGEROUS

front numberplate cracked

Pass 24 Jan 2013 156,965 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 13 Jan 2012 155,573 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2010 154,512 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2009 152,794 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2008 149,968 miles

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

front and rear coil springs heavily corroded.

oil leak around engine area.

Pass 25 Sep 2007 147,953 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 Sep 2006 145,971 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2006 145,971 miles

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

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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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.

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A961 RDM is a 1983 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,395cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

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 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 A961 RDM, 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 A961 RDM?

You can check the full history of A961 RDM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A961 RDM registered?

A961 RDM is a 1983 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1983.

Is A961 RDM safe to buy?

The MOT history for A961 RDM shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A961 RDM 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 A961 RDM. 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.