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B581 VUA

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Mar 2027
Tests7 (4 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate57.1%

Mileage

140,737 mi
Last recorded140,737 miles
Recorded on6 Mar 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationB581 VUA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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

4 pass 3 fail
Pass 6 Mar 2026 140,737 miles
Fail 2 Mar 2026 140,730 miles

Front Prop shaft securing bolt loose to brake transfer box x 4 (6.1.7 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Rear Prop shaft joint excessively worn to dif (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 7 Mar 2025 138,347 miles
Fail 14 Feb 2025 138,340 miles

Brake pipe likely to become detached or damaged front to rear no clips or fixings (1.1.11 (d) (ii))

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Power steering inoperative (2.1.5 (c) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system to flexi (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch all 4 (5.2.3 (f))

Pass 14 Jan 2019 127,978 miles
Fail 21 Dec 2018 127,961 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers insecurely attached upper mounting bolt loose (5.3.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Stub axle has excessive vertical movement between stub axle and axle beam (5.1.2 (c) (i))

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leaking excessively from transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Power steering component leaking (2.1.5 (a))

Power steering malfunctioning (2.1.5 (a))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c)) DANGEROUS

Fuel system component leaking excessively or a risk of fire (6.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Brake fluid warning lamp defective (1.1.10 (f))

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

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

Power steering fluid level below minimum (2.1.5 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Dec 2017 122,972 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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B581 VUA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 7 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.1%.

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 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 B581 VUA, 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 B581 VUA?

You can check the full history of B581 VUA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B581 VUA registered?

B581 VUA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 24 January 1985.

Is B581 VUA safe to buy?

The MOT history for B581 VUA shows 7 tests with a 57.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B581 VUA 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 B581 VUA. 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.