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C221 ARU

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Jan 2027
Tests22 (13 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate59.1%

Mileage

40,232 mi
Last recorded40,232 miles
Recorded on15 Dec 2025
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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC221 ARU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
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

13 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 Dec 2025 40,232 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2025 40,226 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 20 Dec 2024 37,801 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2024 37,764 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device missing (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 12 Dec 2023 32,466 miles
Pass 10 Jan 2023 26,367 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2023 26,366 miles

Offside Front Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension spring mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a))

Pass 6 Oct 2017 22,939 miles

hub seals weeping

light early corrosion to chassis rails noted

Fail 6 Oct 2017 22,939 miles

Nearside Front Ball joint dust cover missing (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

hub seals weeping

light early corrosion to chassis rails noted

Pass 23 Jan 2015 22,516 miles
Pass 3 Dec 2013 21,239 miles

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 2 Dec 2013 21,239 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 29 Oct 2012 211,192 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 25 Oct 2012 21,092 miles

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 9 Nov 2011 20,864 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2011 20,864 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 8 Oct 2010 20,461 miles
Fail 27 Sep 2010 20,451 miles

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

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

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

coil springs corroded

engine oil leak

exhaust rubbers spliting

front brake discs worn

unable to check for leaks underbody wet

Pass 24 Feb 2009 15,247 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2007 14,539 miles
Fail 17 Nov 2007 14,529 miles

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

Offside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Pass 2 Aug 2006 7,602 miles

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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C221 ARU is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.1%.

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 C221 ARU, 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 C221 ARU?

You can check the full history of C221 ARU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C221 ARU registered?

C221 ARU is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 April 1986.

Is C221 ARU safe to buy?

The MOT history for C221 ARU shows 22 tests with a 59.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C221 ARU 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 C221 ARU. 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.