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C121 XCJ

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Petrol 3528cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 May 2027
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

115,050 mi
Last recorded115,050 miles
Recorded on20 May 2026
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC121 XCJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
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 8 fail
Pass 20 May 2026 115,050 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2019 115,020 miles
Pass 17 Nov 2017 114,537 miles

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

Nearside Front Radius arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Fail 16 Nov 2017 114,534 miles

Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

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

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

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

Nearside Front Radius arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 25 Nov 2016 113,731 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2015 112,810 miles
Fail 5 Aug 2014 12,825 miles

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

Pass 5 Aug 2014 112,825 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2012 112,892 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2012 112,892 miles

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Pass 22 Sep 2011 112,825 miles

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

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

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

Pass 21 Sep 2010 112,825 miles

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

Fail 21 Sep 2010 112,825 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 Sep 2009 112,825 miles
Fail 15 Sep 2009 112,825 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Pass 27 Oct 2008 112,825 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Fail 20 Oct 2008 112,825 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 31 Oct 2007 112,825 miles

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

Fail 30 Oct 2007 112,825 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

Fail 16 Oct 2006 112,825 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 16 Oct 2006 112,825 miles

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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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C121 XCJ is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 3,528cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

Across all 1986 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.7% with a typical mileage of 124,952 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 C121 XCJ, 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 40 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 C121 XCJ?

You can check the full history of C121 XCJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C121 XCJ registered?

C121 XCJ is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 4 February 1986.

Is C121 XCJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for C121 XCJ shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C121 XCJ 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 C121 XCJ. 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.