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C196 PEW

1986 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Dec 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

182,891 mi
Last recorded182,891 miles
Recorded on26 Nov 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC196 PEW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourBlack
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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 26 Nov 2025 182,891 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2024 175,928 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2023 170,196 miles

Central Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 17 Nov 2022 165,794 miles
Pass 17 Nov 2021 157,416 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2020 151,325 miles
Pass 20 May 2019 146,130 miles
Fail 15 May 2019 146,125 miles

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

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

Pass 8 May 2018 144,168 miles
Pass 19 May 2017 142,203 miles

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front headlamp beam pattern slightly indistinct but visible at time of test

Rear Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin both inner pads (3.5.1g)

Fail 10 May 2017 142,198 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed outer sidewall (4.1.D.1b)

Rear Anti-roll bar missing (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Front outer sidewall has a deep cut not exposing plies to specified length

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front headlamp beam pattern slightly indistinct but visible at time of test

Rear Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin both inner pads (3.5.1g)

Pass 5 May 2016 139,680 miles

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Fail 4 May 2016 139,680 miles

Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Drop arm ball joint (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Brake hose twisted (3.6.B.4c)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Rear Towbar retaining device insecure (6.6.3a)

Lower Steering column universal joint insecure (2.1.5) DANGEROUS

Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h) DANGEROUS

Steering locking device insecure Drop arm lock nut (2.2.C.1g) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Brake/Side light bulb incorrectly fitted

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Pass 6 May 2015 137,792 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2014 137,453 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2013 191,443 miles

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 1 Jul 2013 191,443 miles

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

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Nearside Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Offside Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Offside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

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

Offside Vehicle structure has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Fail 12 Jun 2013 191,443 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

Horn control insecure (1.6.1)

Nearside Front Body has excessive displacement which may lead to loss of vehicle control (6.1.B.1a)

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Nearside Vehicle structure has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Brake actuating linkage mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (3.3.A.2)

Offside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

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

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

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Oil leak

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

Pass 2 Jun 2012 191,449 miles
Fail 28 May 2012 191,443 miles

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

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

chassis/outrigger corrosion

Pass 30 Dec 2010 191,443 miles

osf inner drivers door handle tight but still operates

slight play in both rear wheel bearings

slight play in nsf wheel bearing

Pass 12 Dec 2009 191,443 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2008 191,443 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2007 191,443 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2007 191,443 miles

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

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

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

Pass 30 Aug 2006 188,391 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2006 188,385 miles

Front Power steering malfunctioning (2.3.3a) DANGEROUS

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

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

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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C196 PEW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 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 C196 PEW, 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 C196 PEW?

You can check the full history of C196 PEW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C196 PEW registered?

C196 PEW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 March 1986.

Is C196 PEW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C196 PEW shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C196 PEW 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 C196 PEW. 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.