CarVerify

Free Car Check

C501 FHB

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Apr 2026
Tests14 (11 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate78.6%

Mileage

52,121 mi
Last recorded52,121 miles
Recorded on24 Mar 2025
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationC501 FHB
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 3 fail
Pass 24 Mar 2025 52,121 miles

Both front inner brake pads wearing low

Both front tyres slightly cracked and perished

Both rear tyres cracked and perished

Various slight oil weeps

Pass 21 Mar 2024 52,113 miles

Underside of vehicle dirty/muddy

Various oil weeps

Pass 6 Apr 2023 52,102 miles

All Coil springs corroded

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

Pass 20 Apr 2022 52,100 miles
Pass 10 Mar 2018 52,098 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2017 52,098 miles

Slight play in nearside front wheel bearing

Fail 13 Oct 2011 196,720 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer missing (7.2.4c)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

Nearside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak

Pass 21 Aug 2010 192,584 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2009 192,502 miles

engine coolant hose split

front number plate loose

nearside and offside rear chasis corroded

nearside front brake pipe corroded

some play in steering box

Fail 16 Jun 2008 192,490 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

both front axle seals weeping

both front brake pads low

both front discs nearing wear limit

both rear chassis legs near corrosion limit

corrosion on both front metal brake pipes

exhaust has slight blow from centre section

offside front trailing arm, front bush, nearing wear limit

rear crossmember corroded near tow bar

slight play in nearside rear bearing

smoke test near limit

Pass 16 Jun 2008 192,490 miles

both front axle seals weeping

both front brake pads low

both front discs nearing wear limit

both rear chassis legs near corrosion limit

corrosion on both front metal brake pipes

exhaust has slight blow from centre section

offside front trailing arm, front bush, nearing wear limit

rear crossmember corroded near tow bar

slight play in nearside rear bearing

smoke test near limit

Pass 2 Jul 2007 192,213 miles

near side rear axle bump stop missing

slight corrosion on both rear chassis legs

wear in nearside front king pins

Pass 19 May 2006 191,554 miles
Fail 16 May 2006 191,554 miles

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

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

front sidelights are bright

slight wear in nearside front kingpin

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

C501 FHB is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.6%.

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 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 C501 FHB, 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 C501 FHB?

You can check the full history of C501 FHB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C501 FHB registered?

C501 FHB is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 11 October 1985.

Is C501 FHB safe to buy?

The MOT history for C501 FHB shows 14 tests with a 78.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C501 FHB 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 C501 FHB. 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.