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C489 AUM

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Apr 2027
Tests28 (18 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

109,894 mi
Last recorded109,894 miles
Recorded on24 Apr 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

RegistrationC489 AUM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,494cc

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 10 fail
Pass 24 Apr 2026 109,894 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2025 106,867 miles

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

Fail 9 Apr 2025 106,867 miles

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

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

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

Pass 3 Apr 2024 103,300 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2023 100,888 miles

Offside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Fail 24 Mar 2023 100,888 miles

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

Offside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Feb 2022 99,057 miles

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 12 Jan 2021 96,313 miles

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively joint of front prop (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Fail 12 Jan 2021 96,313 miles

Front Prop shaft securing bolt loose fixing of rear prop (6.1.7 (a) (i))

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively joint of front prop (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Pass 23 Jan 2020 94,703 miles
Fail 23 Jan 2020 94,703 miles

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

Pass 13 Jun 2018 92,443 miles

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 12 Jun 2018 92,443 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 24 Mar 2017 91,378 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded all metal brake pipes various areas of light rust (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 14 Feb 2017 91,378 miles

Front Steering damper leaking oil (2.2.C.1f)

Offside Front Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement at axle end (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Brake pipe slightly corroded all metal brake pipes various areas of light rust (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 8 Jan 2015 90,201 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2013 89,478 miles

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

Pass 16 Jul 2012 88,419 miles

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

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Fail 13 Jul 2012 88,419 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 1 Jun 2011 86,856 miles

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

Fail 25 May 2011 86,856 miles

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

Inner Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

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

Pass 20 May 2010 85,013 miles

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

Fail 7 May 2010 84,997 miles

Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 5 Feb 2009 82,519 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2009 82,517 miles

Nearside Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

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

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

Off side rear bump stop missing.

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Pass 22 Nov 2007 81,039 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2006 70,466 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2005 60,650 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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C489 AUM is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,494cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

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 C489 AUM, 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 C489 AUM?

You can check the full history of C489 AUM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C489 AUM registered?

C489 AUM is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 20 August 1985.

Is C489 AUM safe to buy?

The MOT history for C489 AUM shows 28 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C489 AUM 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 C489 AUM. 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.