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C38 ATS

1986 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Nov 2026
Tests19 (17 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate89.5%

Mileage

174,827 mi
Last recorded174,827 miles
Recorded on6 Nov 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 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

RegistrationC38 ATS
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourBlack
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 2 fail
Pass 6 Nov 2025 174,827 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2024 169,632 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Steering linkage ball joint has slight play Drop arm from steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Nov 2023 165,543 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

both front headlamp aims becoming hazy

both front wheel bearings have slight play

Pass 8 Nov 2022 155,029 miles

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

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 9 Nov 2021 148,632 miles

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

Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 22 Aug 2020 141,312 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2019 139,931 miles

Offside Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt Steering arm (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

Pass 2 Jun 2018 135,195 miles

Nearside Front Oil leak, but not excessive slight hub oil seal leek nsf (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive slight on engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 27 May 2017 131,700 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Steering column shaft has slight end float (2.1.3)

Pass 17 Jul 2015 122,644 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2014 110,515 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 30 Jul 2013 100,650 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2012 97,296 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2011 94,059 miles
Fail 6 Jul 2011 94,047 miles

Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 11 Jun 2009 91,505 miles

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Fail 28 May 2009 91,501 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Offside Front Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Pass 21 Sep 2007
Pass 5 Apr 2005 96,868 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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C38 ATS is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 89.5%.

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 C38 ATS, 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 C38 ATS?

You can check the full history of C38 ATS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C38 ATS registered?

C38 ATS is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 4 February 1986.

Is C38 ATS safe to buy?

The MOT history for C38 ATS shows 19 tests with a 89.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C38 ATS 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 C38 ATS. 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.