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B538 OLY

1985 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Oct 2026
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

233,696 mi
Last recorded233,696 miles
Recorded on15 Oct 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB538 OLY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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 7 fail
Pass 15 Oct 2025 233,696 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2025 233,696 miles

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

Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 4 Oct 2024 232,956 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2023 232,282 miles
Fail 20 Oct 2023 232,282 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 24 Oct 2022 231,243 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2022 231,231 miles

Fuel system component leaking engine bay (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis rail by suspension bracket (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting chassis rail x2 by rear crosmember (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Nearside Rear rear crossmember small corrosion hole outside prescribed areas

Pass 25 Oct 2021 229,816 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2021 229,816 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is so weakened by corrosion within 30cm of a towbar mounting, the towbar is likely to become detached chassis (6.1.6 (i) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 13 Oct 2020 228,541 miles

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

Fail 12 Oct 2020 228,541 miles

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis behind front bumper corroded (2.1.2 (e) (i))

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

Offside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis behind front bumper corroded (2.1.2 (e) (i))

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

Pass 14 Oct 2019 227,142 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2018 226,046 miles

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

slight oil leak from engine /gearbox

Pass 30 Aug 2017 225,350 miles
Fail 24 Aug 2017 225,315 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis rail on top corroded close to shock and spring mount (2.4.A.3)

Pass 7 Sep 2016 223,244 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2015 222,125 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2014 220,427 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 1 Oct 2013 217,680 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2012 111,875 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2011 110,297 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2010 108,930 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2009 107,907 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

repair to os door pillar,unable to tell type of repair

slight drag to nsr brake

slight play in steering box

Pass 11 May 2007 107,288 miles
Fail 8 May 2007 107,288 miles

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

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Pass 12 May 2006 103,849 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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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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B538 OLY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 B538 OLY, 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 B538 OLY?

You can check the full history of B538 OLY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B538 OLY registered?

B538 OLY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 May 1985.

Is B538 OLY safe to buy?

The MOT history for B538 OLY shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B538 OLY 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 B538 OLY. 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.