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B898 RLO

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Dec 2026
Tests17 (10 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate58.8%

Mileage

207,388 mi
Last recorded207,388 miles
Recorded on17 Dec 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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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB898 RLO
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGreen
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

10 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Dec 2025 207,388 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2014 205,328 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2014 205,328 miles

Headlamp switch faulty (1.7.1)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Intermediate drop arm deformed and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Offside Steering damper damaged and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 13 Mar 2013 203,057 miles

chassis shows corrosion

Fail 12 Mar 2013 203,041 miles

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

Front Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

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

chassis shows corrosion

Pass 15 Mar 2012 201,053 miles
Fail 27 Feb 2012 201,032 miles

All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

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

Offside Upper Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Inner Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 25 Feb 2011 199,135 miles
Fail 24 Feb 2011 119,131 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Feb 2010 197,610 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2010 197,610 miles

Body has a projection caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Pass 21 Jan 2009 194,019 miles

all tyres worn between 2mm and 3mm

Pass 4 Jan 2008 191,155 miles

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

all tyres wearing to breakers

Fail 4 Jan 2008 191,155 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

all tyres wearing to breakers

Pass 2 Jan 2007 188,512 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front number plate damaged

Fail 13 Dec 2005 186,125 miles

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

Pass 13 Dec 2005 186,125 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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B898 RLO is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.8%.

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 B898 RLO, 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 B898 RLO?

You can check the full history of B898 RLO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B898 RLO registered?

B898 RLO is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 3 January 1985.

Is B898 RLO safe to buy?

The MOT history for B898 RLO shows 17 tests with a 58.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B898 RLO 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 B898 RLO. 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.