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C38 DAT

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 May 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

169,048 mi
Last recorded169,048 miles
Recorded on29 Apr 2026
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC38 DAT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 29 Apr 2026 169,048 miles
Pass 7 May 2025 168,354 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin Both front inners (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All 4 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 3 Apr 2025 168,351 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Central Rear Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt A frame ball joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Axle king pin is loose in the axle beam (5.1.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn Front radius arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn Front radius arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Axle king pin so loose it is likely to affect directional stability (5.1.2 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 19 Mar 2024 167,628 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 19 Mar 2024 167,628 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Mar 2023 166,443 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2021 163,685 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Inner faces both sides (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 19 Oct 2021 163,685 miles

Offside Front Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Inner faces both sides (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 11 Sep 2020 160,799 miles
Fail 10 Sep 2020 160,799 miles

Offside Front Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

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

Pass 16 Aug 2019 156,161 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2018 152,209 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2017 147,897 miles

Nearside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 6 Sep 2016 142,567 miles

Nearside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 1 Sep 2015 138,264 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2014 132,348 miles

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

Pass 3 Sep 2013 127,422 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2013 127,422 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Sep 2012 121,682 miles

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 1 Sep 2011 117,324 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 14 Sep 2010 112,841 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2009 108,985 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2008 105,338 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2007 101,403 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 21 Sep 2007 101,403 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2006 97,567 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 16 Sep 2006 97,567 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 DAT is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 DAT, 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 DAT?

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

What year was C38 DAT registered?

C38 DAT is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 February 1986.

Is C38 DAT safe to buy?

The MOT history for C38 DAT shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C38 DAT 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 DAT. 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.