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B170 MSW

1985 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 May 2026
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

173,765 mi
Last recorded173,765 miles
Recorded on12 May 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationB170 MSW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourWhite
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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 12 May 2025 173,765 miles

Front Windscreen wiper blade defective both sides (3.4 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive Engine & Gearbox (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive Front & Rear DIFF (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 15 Apr 2025 173,600 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp light intensity severely reduced (4.1.4 (a))

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

offside front hub swivel leaking slightly

Pass 1 May 2024 171,844 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front hub swivel leaking grease

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 1 May 2024 171,844 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front hub swivel leaking grease

Offside Headlamp light intensity severely reduced (4.1.4 (a))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 13 Feb 2024 171,793 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Mar 2023 169,827 miles

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive axle input shaft seal slight leak (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides cracking in tread area (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 7 Mar 2023 169,827 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive axle input shaft seal slight leak (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Suspension rod insecurely attached both axle tie bars loose at axle fixings (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides cracking in tread area (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (4.7.2 (a))

Rear Suspension component attachment bracket/mounting insecure and impairing directional stability axle upper ball joint fixings insecure (5.3.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 7 Mar 2022 167,425 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2021 166,925 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2021 166,918 miles

Rear Service brake grabbing severely (1.2.1 (c))

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

Pass 17 Nov 2016 165,234 miles

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

Pass 6 Nov 2015 162,257 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2015 162,243 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 15 Nov 2014 159,217 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2013 156,000 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2012 155,967 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

general corrosion

rear propshaft, front u/j worn

Fail 18 Oct 2012 155,962 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

rear propshaft, front u/j worn

Pass 22 Oct 2011 153,462 miles

slight play in drop arm ball joint

slight play in nearside drag link end

Pass 22 Oct 2010 149,065 miles

slight weep at steering box

wear on brake pedal anti slip

Pass 2 Oct 2009 144,613 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2008 140,521 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 29 Sep 2008 140,521 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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B170 MSW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 B170 MSW, 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 B170 MSW?

You can check the full history of B170 MSW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B170 MSW registered?

B170 MSW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 26 March 1985.

Is B170 MSW safe to buy?

The MOT history for B170 MSW shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B170 MSW 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 B170 MSW. 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.