CarVerify

Free Car Check

B797 WNW

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Sep 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

748 mi
Last recorded748 miles
Recorded on11 Sep 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
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

RegistrationB797 WNW
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

20 pass 4 fail
Pass 11 Sep 2025 748 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Sep 2024 71 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 14 Sep 2023 99,999 miles

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

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Sep 2022 100,000 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 28 Sep 2021

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 2 Sep 2020

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Apr 2019 100,000 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

mile ommeter not working

Pass 15 Mar 2018
Pass 8 Mar 2017 100,000 miles

Rear chassis rusty

Pass 9 Mar 2016 99,999 miles

oil leak. n/s/r wheel binding slightly.

Fail 9 Mar 2016 99,999 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

oil leak. n/s/r wheel binding slightly.

Pass 18 Feb 2015 100,000 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 11 Feb 2014 99,999 miles

coil springs rusty.

rear cross member rusty.

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Oil leak

clutch pedal rubber missing.

Pass 12 Feb 2013 100,006 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Oil leak

Pass 16 Feb 2012 100,000 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 24 Jan 2011 99,999 miles

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Nearside rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

slight play in steering drop arm ball joint

Pass 3 Feb 2010 99,999 miles
Fail 25 Jan 2010 99,999 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear Shock absorber detached (2.7.2b)

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

brake pipe across back axle rusty.

n/s track rod end rubber split.

slight play in in rear torion bar bush.

slight play in steering box.

slight play in steering drop arm.

steering ball seal leaking.

wipers split on ends.

Pass 13 Jan 2009 100,000 miles

decellometer used on all brakes

mileometer not working

slight play in o\s\f top strut bush

slight play in steering rack

Fail 6 Jan 2009 100,000 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

slight play in steering box

Pass 4 Feb 2008 100,000 miles

decellometer used on all brakes

Pass 3 Jan 2007 100,000 miles

o\s\r\ shock absorber bush starting to crack

Pass 5 Dec 2005 99,999 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

oil leak

Fail 26 Nov 2005 99,999 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is above 850mm from the ground (1.6.B3)

Offside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3)

Offside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is above 850mm from the ground (1.6.B3)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

oil leak

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

B797 WNW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 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 B797 WNW, 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 B797 WNW?

You can check the full history of B797 WNW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B797 WNW registered?

B797 WNW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 April 1985.

Is B797 WNW safe to buy?

The MOT history for B797 WNW shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B797 WNW 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 B797 WNW. 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.