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B87 DCA

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Feb 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

174,348 mi
Last recorded174,348 miles
Recorded on22 Jan 2026
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

RegistrationB87 DCA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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 6 fail
Pass 22 Jan 2026 174,348 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush Nearside and offside (5.3.2 (c))

Rear Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated ‘A’ frame (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 24 Jan 2025 174,142 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2024 173,802 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2023 173,476 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2022 173,326 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2021 173,153 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 8 Jan 2020 172,888 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2019 172,450 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2018 171,824 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2016 171,183 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2015 170,477 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2014 170,027 miles
Pass 24 Dec 2013 169,313 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2013 169,306 miles

Nearside Front Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has excessive play in a swivel pin (2.5.A.3b)

Offside Front Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

steering damper bush worn o/s

Pass 1 Nov 2012 160,964 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2012 160,940 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

Offside Front Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g)

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

Pass 2 Nov 2011 157,721 miles
Fail 2 Nov 2011 157,721 miles

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

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

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

Pass 3 Nov 2010 153,994 miles

Offside Front suspension has slight movement at a suspension ball joint (2.5.A.1c)

Fail 29 Oct 2010 153,972 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive movement at a suspension ball joint (2.5.A.1c)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

Pass 5 Nov 2009 149,473 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has slight movement between a swivel joint and its housing (2.5.A.1b)

Fail 27 Oct 2009 149,314 miles

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber insecure (2.7.2b)

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has slight movement between a swivel joint and its housing (2.5.A.1b)

Pass 7 Nov 2008 144,254 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2007 140,126 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2007 140,126 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 29 Nov 2005 133,847 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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B87 DCA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 B87 DCA, 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 B87 DCA?

You can check the full history of B87 DCA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B87 DCA registered?

B87 DCA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 6 March 1985.

Is B87 DCA safe to buy?

The MOT history for B87 DCA shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B87 DCA 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 B87 DCA. 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.