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B397 ACY

1985 Land Rover Defender

Cream Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Mar 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

339,712 mi
Last recorded339,712 miles
Recorded on5 Mar 2026
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

RegistrationB397 ACY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourCream
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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 5 Mar 2026 339,712 miles

Central Front Inner Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Rear reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface (4.8.1 (a) (i))

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))

Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 24 Mar 2025 335,995 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively both (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Mar 2024 330,977 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 24 Feb 2023 325,261 miles

Central Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Central Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced crossmember corroded (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn radius arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced chassis rail (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security outrigger (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 17 Feb 2022 319,293 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2021 313,542 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2020 307,267 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2019 299,446 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2018 294,428 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2013 293,747 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2013 293,574 miles

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

front registration plate damaged

long handbrake travel

offside front hub seal leaking

Pass 17 Feb 2012 289,739 miles

Corrosion in gearbox crossmember.

Nearside Rear reflector slightly damaged but function not impaired (1.5.1c)

Offside Rear reflector slightly damaged but function not impaired (1.5.1c)

Pass 12 Feb 2011 287,887 miles

Corrosion in gearbox crossmember.

Front number plate deteriorated.

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

Pass 4 Feb 2010 285,081 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2010 285,081 miles

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Fail 29 Jan 2009 282,278 miles

Corrosion in gearbox crossmember.

Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Slight damage on front number plate.

Pass 29 Jan 2009 282,278 miles

Corrosion in gearbox crossmember.

Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Slight damage on front number plate.

Pass 29 Jan 2008

Front number plate damaged.

Offside Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 29 Jan 2008

Front number plate damaged.

Offside Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 23 Jan 2007 278,172 miles
Fail 2 Jan 2007 278,180 miles

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

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1) DANGEROUS

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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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B397 ACY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Cream with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

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 B397 ACY, 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 B397 ACY?

You can check the full history of B397 ACY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B397 ACY registered?

B397 ACY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 March 1985.

Is B397 ACY safe to buy?

The MOT history for B397 ACY 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 B397 ACY 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 B397 ACY. 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.