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B789 XWU

1985 Land Rover Defender

Red Petrol 3528cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Apr 2027
Tests14 (8 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate57.1%

Mileage

154,449 mi
Last recorded154,449 miles
Recorded on15 Apr 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationB789 XWU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,528cc

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

8 pass 6 fail
Pass 15 Apr 2026 154,449 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2025 154,320 miles
Pass 10 May 2012 153,391 miles

Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

both front tractor joints leaking

brake warning light on

front number plate cracked

front prop shaft slide joint worn

front prop shsft rear uj worn

oil light on

rear number plate slightly delaminated

Fail 3 May 2012 153,317 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

Offside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

both front tractor joints leaking

brake warning light on

front number plate cracked

front prop shaft slide joint worn

front prop shsft rear uj worn

oil light on

rear number plate slightly delaminated

Pass 28 Apr 2011 152,528 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2011 152,522 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 19 Apr 2010 152,142 miles
Fail 9 Apr 2010 152,137 miles

Front Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 23 May 2008 151,194 miles

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Fail 20 May 2008 151,194 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b) DANGEROUS

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 18 May 2007 149,928 miles
Fail 16 May 2007 149,928 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Rear Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

diff end bearing and seal worn (non testable items)

Fail 10 Feb 2007 149,874 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 16 Feb 2006 147,646 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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B789 XWU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 3,528cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 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 B789 XWU, 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 B789 XWU?

You can check the full history of B789 XWU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B789 XWU registered?

B789 XWU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 July 1985.

Is B789 XWU safe to buy?

The MOT history for B789 XWU shows 14 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 B789 XWU 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 B789 XWU. 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.