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B698 FTU

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Dec 2026
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

82,685 mi
Last recorded82,685 miles
Recorded on10 Dec 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationB698 FTU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
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

9 pass 5 fail
Pass 10 Dec 2025 82,685 miles

Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal underbody (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 4 Dec 2025 82,678 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis leg (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis leg (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal underbody (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Dec 2020 80,091 miles

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

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

Fail 7 Dec 2020 80,090 miles

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Pass 3 Dec 2019 80,023 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2018 79,923 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2018 79,915 miles

Nearside Front Macpherson strut pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Macpherson strut pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.3.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front mud flap mount almost fouling wheel

Pass 14 Sep 2017 78,146 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2009 78,232 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2009 78,245 miles

Centre Front Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Nearside Front Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 12 Sep 2008 77,386 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2008 75,895 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2006 73,153 miles

Propshaft component defective

Fail 14 Nov 2006 73,128 miles

Centre Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer missing (7.2.4c)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Windscreen washer control missing (8.2.1a)

Propshaft component defective

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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B698 FTU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

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 B698 FTU, 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 B698 FTU?

You can check the full history of B698 FTU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B698 FTU registered?

B698 FTU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1985.

Is B698 FTU safe to buy?

The MOT history for B698 FTU shows 14 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B698 FTU 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 B698 FTU. 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.