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C501 XLM

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Sep 2027
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

153,185 mi
Last recorded153,185 miles
Recorded on26 Aug 2026
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

RegistrationC501 XLM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

19 pass 7 fail
Pass 26 Aug 2026 153,185 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2025 152,646 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2024 152,354 miles

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

Fail 25 Jul 2024 152,351 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

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

Pass 11 Aug 2023 152,338 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2022 141,580 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2022 151,706 miles

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play link arm (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Oct 2020 151,328 miles

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

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

Fail 9 Oct 2020 151,324 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Passenger's seat backrest cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.6 (a) (i))

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the offside (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid not visible (1.1.10 (d) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Driver's seat backrest cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.5 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Exhaust fumes causing a danger to health of persons on board (6.1.2 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 17 Sep 2019 150,779 miles
Fail 10 Sep 2019 150,779 miles

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

Pass 3 Jul 2018 149,538 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2018 149,538 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Pass 19 Jun 2017 148,177 miles
Fail 17 Jun 2017 148,177 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber detached (2.7.2b)

Pass 27 Jun 2016 147,417 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play rear track rod end (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive bulk head (3.6.C.3)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

advise attention to bonnet catches slightly week

corrosion on drivers floor advise attention

Pass 1 Apr 2015 145,270 miles
Pass 11 Apr 2014 143,795 miles
Fail 11 Apr 2014 143,795 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 10 Apr 2013 143,286 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2012 142,646 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2010 127,522 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2009 114,771 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2008 107,487 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Feb 2007 99,743 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2006 95,414 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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C501 XLM is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 C501 XLM, 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 C501 XLM?

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

What year was C501 XLM registered?

C501 XLM is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C501 XLM safe to buy?

The MOT history for C501 XLM shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C501 XLM 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 XLM. 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.