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C485 YJA

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Mar 2027
Tests18 (11 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate61.1%

Mileage

87,717 mi
Last recorded87,717 miles
Recorded on3 Mar 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC485 YJA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
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

11 pass 7 fail
Pass 3 Mar 2026 87,717 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Jan 2025 87,319 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 30 Jan 2025 87,313 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 14 Dec 2023 86,531 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2022 85,278 miles

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Jun 2019 85,272 miles

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

Fail 18 Jun 2019 85,272 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 19 Jun 2018 85,272 miles

Bulhead/battery carrier corroded.

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

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Fail 18 Jun 2018 85,272 miles

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Bulhead/battery carrier corroded.

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

Offside Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 16 Jun 2017 85,272 miles

Battery carrier corroded

Central Rear a frame ball joint slightly worn

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

Rear Propshaft universal joint worn ()

Fail 13 Jun 2017 85,272 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

Battery carrier corroded

Brake pipe slightly corroded main (3.6.B.2c)

Central Rear a frame ball joint slightly worn

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Propshaft universal joint worn ()

Pass 9 Dec 2009 85,274 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Nearside Front front brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Front front brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Fail 1 Dec 2009 85,272 miles

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

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

Offside Front Upper Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (3.6.C.3)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Nearside Front front brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Front front brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Pass 26 Nov 2008 82,562 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

bump stop missing at off/side front

rear propshaft universall joint has slight play and rusty traces on one bearing cup

steering box draglink end cover split

Fail 26 Nov 2008 82,562 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

bump stop missing at off/side front

rear propshaft universall joint has slight play and rusty traces on one bearing cup

steering box draglink end cover split

Pass 15 Feb 2007 81,449 miles
Fail 12 Feb 2007 81,447 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Offside inner track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 31 Jan 2006 81,447 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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C485 YJA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.1%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 C485 YJA, 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 C485 YJA?

You can check the full history of C485 YJA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C485 YJA registered?

C485 YJA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 27 September 1985.

Is C485 YJA safe to buy?

The MOT history for C485 YJA shows 18 tests with a 61.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C485 YJA 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 C485 YJA. 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.