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B974 WBW

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Petrol 3528cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires13 May 2026
Tests24 (13 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate54.2%

Mileage

196,699 mi
Last recorded196,699 miles
Recorded on12 May 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

RegistrationB974 WBW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
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

13 pass 11 fail
Pass 12 May 2025 196,699 miles
Pass 14 May 2024 195,831 miles

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

chassis rusty in places

Fail 1 May 2024 195,814 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn radius arm front bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear reflector missing (4.8.2 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Front Fluid leak, but not excessive swivel housing (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive transmission oil cooler hoses (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Oct 2022 195,592 miles
Fail 25 Oct 2022 195,592 miles

Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system from compensator (1.1.11 (b) (ii))

Pass 21 May 2021 195,159 miles
Fail 21 May 2021 195,159 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 22 Oct 2019 194,090 miles
Fail 9 Oct 2019 194,064 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn both trailing arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength axle bracket (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn both trailing arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

nearside door shut holed but not within a prescribed area

nearside floor panel corroded & hold but not within a prescribed area

Pass 28 May 2014 193,309 miles
Fail 28 May 2014 193,309 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Fail 23 Apr 2014 193,289 miles

Centre Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Steering box has a significant oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Pass 6 Apr 2013 192,834 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2011 192,545 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 29 Oct 2011 192,545 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Pass 31 Mar 2010 188,482 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 17 Mar 2010 188,429 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 11 Feb 2010 188,225 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

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

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Pass 12 Jan 2009 185,852 miles

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

corrosion to nearside front chassis

Fail 12 Jan 2009 185,852 miles

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

corrosion to nearside front chassis

Pass 29 Oct 2007 171,973 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 24 Oct 2006 167,590 miles

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

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

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear prop uj slight play

Pass 24 Oct 2006 167,590 miles

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

rear prop uj slight play

Pass 11 Oct 2005 152,980 miles

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

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

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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B974 WBW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 3,528cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.2%.

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 B974 WBW, 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 B974 WBW?

You can check the full history of B974 WBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B974 WBW registered?

B974 WBW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 January 1985.

Is B974 WBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for B974 WBW shows 24 tests with a 54.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B974 WBW 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 B974 WBW. 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.