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C181 JMA

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Dec 2026
Tests15 (11 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate73.3%

Mileage

115,660 mi
Last recorded115,660 miles
Recorded on15 Dec 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC181 JMA
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 4 fail
Pass 15 Dec 2025 115,660 miles

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

Fail 16 Oct 2025 115,609 miles

Nearside Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Windscreen washer not working wipers not fully tested for clearing (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint has slight play axle end ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 10 May 2024 113,304 miles
Pass 3 May 2023 112,978 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2013 111,179 miles

Driver's door catch deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Driver's door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Nearside Driver's door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

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

Pass 26 Mar 2012 109,312 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Pass 30 Mar 2011 107,351 miles

both doors corroded

Fail 28 Mar 2011 107,331 miles

Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Offside Side repeater excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

both doors corroded

Pass 18 Mar 2010 104,446 miles

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

suport for fuel tank corroded

vehicle has general corosion

Fail 11 Mar 2010 104,425 miles

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

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

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

Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

suport for fuel tank corroded

vehicle has general corosion

Pass 3 Mar 2009 101,547 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2009 101,526 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Upper Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g) DANGEROUS

Pass 11 Feb 2008 98,592 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2007 95,428 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2006 93,091 miles

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

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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C181 JMA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.3%.

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 C181 JMA, 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 C181 JMA?

You can check the full history of C181 JMA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C181 JMA registered?

C181 JMA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 December 1985.

Is C181 JMA safe to buy?

The MOT history for C181 JMA shows 15 tests with a 73.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C181 JMA 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 C181 JMA. 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.