CarVerify

Free Car Check

C101 VDG

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Mar 2026
Tests17 (11 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate64.7%

Mileage

129,696 mi
Last recorded129,696 miles
Recorded on3 Mar 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

RegistrationC101 VDG
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

11 pass 6 fail
Pass 3 Mar 2025 129,696 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component Steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 21 Mar 2024 129,696 miles

Front Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Pass 15 Mar 2023 129,686 miles

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

Pass 6 Feb 2020 129,686 miles

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

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

all tyres perished

Fail 27 Jan 2020 129,686 miles

All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Intermediate drop arm insecure steering box drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Power steering component leaking steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

all tyres perished

Pass 10 Oct 2018 129,686 miles

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

Fail 9 Oct 2018 129,686 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Fuel tank leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Speedometer clearly inoperative cable not connected (7.8 (b) (ii))

Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

2x gearbox mount nuts missing

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

Pass 3 Dec 2014 129,686 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

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

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

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

corrosion in nearside front chassis outrigger

damp around steering box

slight play in steering box drop arm

Pass 5 Oct 2012 129,686 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

both rear shockabsorber top bushes slight play

damp around steering box

nearside front shockabsorber top bushes slight play

slight play in offside front wheel bearing

Pass 11 Oct 2011 129,686 miles

Centre Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

all tyres perished

Fail 24 May 2010 129,686 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Oil leak

Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 24 May 2010 129,686 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Oil leak

Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 12 Feb 2007 128,746 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

Fail 8 Feb 2007 128,732 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Front Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

rear brakes release unevenly (3.7.B.4)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

Pass 13 Feb 2006 125,198 miles

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

both front tyres close to tread wear indicators

both rear shock absorber body covers corroded

oil leak

oil leaks from both front tractor joints

Fail 7 Feb 2006 125,171 miles

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

both front tyres close to tread wear indicators

both rear shock body covers corroded

oil leak

oil leaks from both front tractor joints

Fail 6 Feb 2006 125,169 miles

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

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

Offside Front Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

oil leak

oil leaks from both front tractor joints

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

C101 VDG 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 64.7%.

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 C101 VDG, 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 C101 VDG?

You can check the full history of C101 VDG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C101 VDG registered?

C101 VDG is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 December 1985.

Is C101 VDG safe to buy?

The MOT history for C101 VDG shows 17 tests with a 64.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C101 VDG 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 C101 VDG. 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.