CarVerify

Free Car Check

B543 ENH

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2500cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 Aug 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

175,603 mi
Last recorded175,603 miles
Recorded on19 Aug 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

RegistrationB543 ENH
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,500cc

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

20 pass 5 fail
Fail 19 Aug 2026 175,603 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective not retracting or extending (7.1.2 (e))

Offside Front Axle swivel joint so worn or insecure in a stub axle that directional stability is impaired (5.1.2 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Oil leak, but not excessive Front axle to propshaft seal weeping. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread cracked (0.1 (b))

Front Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Front Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Flexible brake hose is touching tyre when on lock

Pass 15 Aug 2025 174,805 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2024 174,208 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2023 173,545 miles

Advise corrosion has started in rear cross member

Advise small corrosion hole o/s/f outrigger

Fail 22 Jun 2023 173,545 miles

Central Rear Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Registration plate missing (0.1 (a))

Advise corrosion has started in rear cross member

Advise small corrosion hole o/s/f outrigger

Pass 8 Jun 2022 172,286 miles

Advise slight oil leak from engine but not excessive

Advise slight weepage from steering box but not excessive

Pass 8 Jun 2021 171,869 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2020 171,179 miles

Advise exhaust is touching the gearbox centre cross member

Advise slight weep of oil from the steering box

Pass 6 Jun 2019 170,080 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2018 169,182 miles
Fail 5 Jun 2018 169,179 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Offside Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt track rod end (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear axle ball joint cover (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 13 Jun 2017 169,018 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2016 168,356 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2015 166,749 miles

Front Electrical wiring deteriorated but not exposing bare wires (1.9.2c)

Front Electrical wiring deteriorated, but not likey to cause a short (1.9.2b)

Pass 11 Jun 2014 166,297 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2013 166,221 miles

advise engine oil leak

advise slight lift in steering box shaft

advise slight movement in o/s/f swivel top bush

Pass 25 Apr 2012 165,325 miles
Fail 27 Mar 2012 165,265 miles

Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

advise both head lioght reflectors corroded

Pass 17 Mar 2011 164,125 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2010 16,145 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2010 16,145 miles

Offside Front brake disc contaminated by grease (3.5.1h)

Pass 20 Mar 2009 161,012 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2008 160,234 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2007 159,091 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2006 157,953 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

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

B543 ENH is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 B543 ENH, 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 B543 ENH?

You can check the full history of B543 ENH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B543 ENH registered?

B543 ENH is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 2 January 1985.

Is B543 ENH safe to buy?

The MOT history for B543 ENH shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B543 ENH 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 B543 ENH. 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.