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C297 HSE

1986 Land Rover Defender

Blue Petrol 3528cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Apr 2026
Tests24 (18 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

99,140 mi
Last recorded99,140 miles
Recorded on11 Apr 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

RegistrationC297 HSE
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,528cc

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

18 pass 6 fail
Pass 11 Apr 2025 99,140 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2024 98,806 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2023 98,617 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2021 98,352 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2021 98,352 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively chafed (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

Pass 9 Sep 2020 98,150 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2019 97,870 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2018 97,362 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2018 97,362 miles

Nearside Lower Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 12 Sep 2017 96,129 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2016 95,424 miles
Fail 15 Jul 2016 95,424 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Nearside Rear Radius arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded and its strength is seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded shocker mount (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

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

Pass 23 Jun 2015 94,630 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2014 91,937 miles

Offside Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 9 Apr 2014 91,810 miles

Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Brake hose stretched (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Front Brake pipe fouled by moving parts (3.6.B.2a)

Offside Front Electrical wiring insecure (1.9.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Offside Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

all door locks and handles stiff in operation, but operate at this time

Pass 9 Apr 2013 91,615 miles
Pass 6 Apr 2012 90,881 miles
Fail 6 Mar 2012 90,881 miles

Nearside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Nearside Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front brake caliper securing device loose (3.5.1j)

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Pass 16 Mar 2011 88,773 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2009 85,375 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2008 83,289 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2008 83,281 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure is damaged, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure is damaged, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 25 Jul 2007 82,429 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2006 79,376 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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C297 HSE is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 3,528cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 C297 HSE, 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 C297 HSE?

You can check the full history of C297 HSE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C297 HSE registered?

C297 HSE is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 19 March 1986.

Is C297 HSE safe to buy?

The MOT history for C297 HSE shows 24 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C297 HSE 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 C297 HSE. 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.