CarVerify

Free Car Check

B242 DTL

1985 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests22 (19 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate86.4%

Mileage

178,667 mi
Last recorded178,667 miles
Recorded on6 May 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationB242 DTL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGrey
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

19 pass 3 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 178,667 miles
Pass 2 Apr 2025 176,644 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2024 175,197 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2023 173,213 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2022 164,765 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2021 154,222 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 11 Mar 2020 144,291 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2019 132,595 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2018 123,286 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2017 115,364 miles

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

Fail 22 Mar 2017 115,329 miles

Front registration plate letter/figure incomplete (6.3.1c)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm attachment bracket/mounting bolt missing (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Pass 4 Mar 2016 110,204 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2013 186,497 miles

corrosion forming on the nearside chassis section at the rear not a reason for rejection at time of test

corrosion forming on the offside chassis section at the rear not a reason for rejection at time of test

rear cross section slightly corroded not excessive at time of test

Pass 23 Feb 2012 183,855 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2011 181,029 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

slight corrosion forming on both rear chassis sections not excessive at time of test

slight corrosion forming on the nearside chassis (middle of vehicle) not excessive at time of test

slight corrosion forming on the nearside front chassis section by suspension not excessive at time of test

Pass 25 Feb 2010 178,425 miles

Nearside Upper Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

slight play in steering box

Pass 23 Feb 2009 175,538 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 18 Feb 2009 175,529 miles

Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Offside Rear Upper Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 18 Feb 2008 172,754 miles

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

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)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

damp around n/s rear hub

damp around steering box

light corrosion on various areas of vehicle chassis & various repairs to chassis carried out

Pass 18 Feb 2008 172,754 miles

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

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)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

damp around n/s rear hub

damp around steering box

light corrosion on various areas of vehicle chassis & various repairs to chassis carried out

Pass 21 Feb 2007 171,137 miles

Nearside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

both headlamp beam patterns diffused slightly

Pass 21 Feb 2006 169,597 miles

Brake servo corroded but not excessively weakened (3.6.A.2b)

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)

Nearside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

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

Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

both beam patterns diffused slightly

corrosion on various areas of vehicle chassis

o/s sphere seal leaking

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

B242 DTL is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.4%.

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 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 B242 DTL, 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 B242 DTL?

You can check the full history of B242 DTL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B242 DTL registered?

B242 DTL is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 February 1985.

Is B242 DTL safe to buy?

The MOT history for B242 DTL shows 22 tests with a 86.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B242 DTL 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 B242 DTL. 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.