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C281 OVW

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Dec 2026
Tests15 (11 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate73.3%

Mileage

229,262 mi
Last recorded229,262 miles
Recorded on15 Dec 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC281 OVW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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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 229,262 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2025 229,258 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Pass 29 Nov 2024 219,861 miles

Offside Front slight weep osf hub oil seal may develop and reach brake disc advise inspection

steering box slight oil leak

Pass 27 Dec 2023 204,940 miles

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

Offside Front wheel diffrent type

Fail 15 Dec 2023 204,841 miles

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c)) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Front wheel diffrent type

Pass 4 Aug 2022 204,541 miles

Front Lower Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Front Upper Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Fail 4 Aug 2022 204,541 miles

Front Lower Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Front Upper Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 6 Mar 2021 253,508 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2020 197,666 miles
Fail 27 Feb 2020 197,550 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed in center of tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 13 Nov 2018 193,491 miles

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

Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated rear axle upper ball joint cover (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 3 Nov 2017 191,847 miles

Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

Pass 14 Nov 2016 189,026 miles

Oil leak engine ()

Oil leak gearbox ()

Oil leak power steering box ()

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 13 Nov 2015 176,588 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both corroded. (3.5.1i)

Pass 22 Apr 2014 175,394 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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C281 OVW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.3%.

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 C281 OVW, 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 C281 OVW?

You can check the full history of C281 OVW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C281 OVW registered?

C281 OVW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C281 OVW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C281 OVW 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 C281 OVW 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 C281 OVW. 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.