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B879 LAO

1985 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Oct 2026
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

243,873 mi
Last recorded243,873 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB879 LAO
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourRed
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

18 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Oct 2025 243,873 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all brake pipes heavily greased (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

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

all chassis heavily greased

Pass 17 Sep 2024 229,513 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 26 Sep 2023 214,565 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced battery box (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Driver's door catch deteriorated so the door cannot be readily opened or closed (6.2.3 (c) (i))

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

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

chassis heavily greased obscuring view

Pass 20 Sep 2022 198,945 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Drag link end ball joint has slight play pitman end (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

all chassis greased obscuring view of condition

Pass 22 Sep 2021 185,429 miles

All chassis greased obscuring view of condition

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel slight play in uj joint on lower (2.3 (a) (i))

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.2.2 (b))

Pass 14 Sep 2020 175,085 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes greased (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

all chassis greased obscuring view of condition

Fail 14 Sep 2020 175,085 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes greased (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

all chassis greased obscuring view of condition

Pass 9 Sep 2019 159,822 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 10 Sep 2018 147,478 miles

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Steering box worn, but not excessively rough (2.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 12 Sep 2017 138,801 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2016 129,156 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2016 129,155 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 11 Sep 2015 12,596 miles

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Fail 11 Sep 2015 120,595 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Obligatory mirror seriously obscured affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Nearside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Pass 9 Sep 2014 109,851 miles

Nearside Front Upper Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn linkage (2.7.4)

Offside Front Upper Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn linkage (2.7.4)

Pass 4 Sep 2013 95,707 miles

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

Pass 13 Sep 2012 80,772 miles
Fail 13 Sep 2012 80,772 miles

Horn control insecure (1.6.1)

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 29 Sep 2011 69,017 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2011 69,017 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint retaining device insecure (2.1.6)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Steering locking device insecure (2.2.C.1g)

Pass 17 Sep 2010 57,340 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 16 Sep 2009 51,169 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2008 47,483 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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B879 LAO is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 B879 LAO, 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 B879 LAO?

You can check the full history of B879 LAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B879 LAO registered?

B879 LAO is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 July 1985.

Is B879 LAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for B879 LAO shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B879 LAO 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 B879 LAO. 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.