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C170 CAT

1985 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Oct 2026
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

152,872 mi
Last recorded152,872 miles
Recorded on4 Oct 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC170 CAT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlack
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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 4 Oct 2025 152,872 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2024 151,114 miles
Fail 7 Jun 2024 151,114 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 20 Jul 2020 150,250 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front tyers outer wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 18 Oct 2016 146,693 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2015 142,826 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2014 139,687 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2014 139,683 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 3 Oct 2013 136,606 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2012 135,885 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2011 13,259 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2010 129,349 miles

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

Oil leak

secondery bonnet catch missing

slight leak steering box

Fail 1 Sep 2010 129,349 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Oil leak

secondery bonnet catch missing

slight leak steering box

Pass 4 Sep 2009 125,801 miles

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

Oil leak

slight play offside panard rod bush

steering box oil leak

Pass 8 Sep 2008 121,197 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2007 117,428 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2007 117,411 miles

Brake pedal creeps down when held under pressure (3.3.B.1a)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 19 Jun 2006 116,590 miles

CORROSION THROUGHOUT UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE

offside and nearside front rose bowls damp

Fail 7 Jun 2006 116,559 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 11 Jun 2005 112,888 miles
Fail 10 Jun 2005 112,880 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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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C170 CAT is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 C170 CAT, 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 C170 CAT?

You can check the full history of C170 CAT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C170 CAT registered?

C170 CAT is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 8 August 1985.

Is C170 CAT safe to buy?

The MOT history for C170 CAT shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C170 CAT 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 C170 CAT. 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.