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C263 LAW

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Nov 2026
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

139,991 mi
Last recorded139,991 miles
Recorded on11 Nov 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

RegistrationC263 LAW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGreen
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 11 Nov 2025 139,991 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2024 135,447 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2023 132,222 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2022 128,360 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2021 118,224 miles

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security above rear axle (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced chassis rail (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 13 Oct 2020 107,190 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2019 104,048 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2018 104,025 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2016 102,140 miles

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

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

Pass 16 May 2015 98,170 miles

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

Pass 23 May 2014 92,545 miles

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

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

Lower Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

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

Prop-shaft universal joint worn

Pass 17 May 2013 87,046 miles
Pass 18 May 2012 81,893 miles
Pass 16 May 2011 76,711 miles
Pass 25 May 2010 72,081 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2009 70,217 miles

Corrosion offside rear outrigger.

Oil leaks at engine.

Fail 13 Mar 2009 69,854 miles

Offside Rear Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Power steering pump leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

Corrosion evident-offside rear x/member.

Oil leaks at engine.

Some wear in rear of rear prop.u/j.

Pass 29 Apr 2008 67,459 miles

Exhaust fouling rear chassis.

Nearside front tyre cracking.

VEHICLE VERRY DIRTY BORDERING ON A REFUSAL TO TEST.

Fail 22 Apr 2008 67,400 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

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

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

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

rear brakes release unevenly (3.7.B.4)

Exhaust fouling rear chassis.

Nearside front tyre cracking.

P.S.fluid resovoir empty.

VEHICLE VERRY DIRTY BORDERING ON A REFUSAL TO TEST.

Pass 20 Apr 2007 64,770 miles

Rear tyres cracking.

Slight fluid loss at steering box.

Fail 20 Apr 2007 64,770 miles

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

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

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

Rear of rear prop. u/j broken up.

Rear tyres cracking.

Slight fluid loss at steering box.

Pass 21 Apr 2006 62,384 miles

Drivers seat damaged.

Oil leaks at engine.

Fail 12 Apr 2006 62,362 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Back of drivers seat damaged.

Oil leak evident at nearside rear hub cap.

Oil leaks at engine.

Slight wear in nearside rear wheel bearing.

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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C263 LAW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 C263 LAW, 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 C263 LAW?

You can check the full history of C263 LAW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C263 LAW registered?

C263 LAW is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 10 September 1985.

Is C263 LAW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C263 LAW shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C263 LAW 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 C263 LAW. 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.