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C296 JFM

1985 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Feb 2027
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

124,287 mi
Last recorded124,287 miles
Recorded on19 Feb 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 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

RegistrationC296 JFM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourGrey
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 19 Feb 2026 124,287 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2026 124,276 miles

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn appears bolt is loose (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Steering column universal joint insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 31 Jan 2025 123,983 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive Steering box (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Fail 31 Jan 2025 123,975 miles

All direction indicators adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.4.3 (b))

Headlamp aim unable to be tested Both not working (4.1.2 (b))

Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Fluid leak, but not excessive Steering box (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 19 Feb 2024 123,068 miles

Nearside Front Upper Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 8 Mar 2021 118,984 miles

Offside Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

cross support boot floor corroded

Pass 4 Mar 2020 116,098 miles

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

steering damper has slightly worn bush

Fail 4 Mar 2020 116,097 miles

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

Drag link end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Steering linkage likely to become detached steering arm attachment to drag link from box (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

steering damper has slightly worn bush

Pass 21 Mar 2019 106,418 miles

Nearside Non obligatory mirror damaged ()

Fail 19 Mar 2019 106,361 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

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

Steering box insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Non obligatory mirror damaged ()

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 12 Mar 2018 98,275 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator has a product on the lens but not adversely affecting light output (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Front Direction indicator has a product on the lens but not adversely affecting light output (1.4.A.2e)

Oil leak ()

Fail 12 Mar 2018 98,275 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator has a product on the lens but not adversely affecting light output (1.4.A.2e)

Offside Front Direction indicator has a product on the lens but not adversely affecting light output (1.4.A.2e)

Oil leak ()

Pass 14 Mar 2017 92,949 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2016 90,748 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2015 88,876 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2014 86,438 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2013 84,935 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2012 82,398 miles
Fail 16 Mar 2012 82,384 miles

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Pass 15 Mar 2011 79,999 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2010 77,056 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2009 73,994 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2008 71,645 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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C296 JFM is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 C296 JFM, 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 C296 JFM?

You can check the full history of C296 JFM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C296 JFM registered?

C296 JFM is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 30 October 1985.

Is C296 JFM safe to buy?

The MOT history for C296 JFM shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C296 JFM 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 C296 JFM. 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.