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C518 VUY

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Feb 2027
Tests19 (19 pass, 0 fail)
Pass rate100%

Mileage

238,211 mi
Last recorded238,211 miles
Recorded on19 Jan 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC518 VUY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
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

19 pass
Pass 19 Jan 2026 238,211 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2025 235,077 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2024 232,299 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2020 231,409 miles

Nearside Front Axle bump stop not fitted.

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm to axle. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Bump stop mount (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement A-frame to chassis. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm to axle. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement A-frame to chassis. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Towball/hitch not fitted at time of test

Pass 7 May 2019 229,831 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm to axle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement A frame to chassis (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm to axle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement A frame to chassis (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Towball/hitch not fitted at time of test

Pass 3 May 2018 227,675 miles

Oil leak

Pass 2 May 2017 224,203 miles

Central Front Oil leak Minor engine oil leak

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Offside Rear Axle bump stop adrift.

Pass 29 Apr 2016 218,832 miles

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

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

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

Oil seepage at rear of engine.

Oil seepage from front axle pinion seal.

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal Steering box sector shaft (2.3.3b)

Steering damper bushes deteriorated but not affecting security

Pass 23 Apr 2015 212,498 miles

Nearside rear driving member oil dampness but not contaminating braking components.

Offside front hub minor residual oil dampness but not contaminating brake components.

Oil leak

Tow ball/hitch not fitted at time of test

Pass 6 May 2014 206,560 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 13 May 2013 199,284 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

N/S gearbox mounting rubber cracked but secure.

N/S suspension bumpstop deficient.

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

O/S tracta joint (swivel housing) seal minor dampness.

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 1 May 2012 189,483 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Superficial leak from O/S/F swivel seal.

Pass 30 Apr 2011 182,025 miles
Pass 5 May 2010 174,974 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2009 168,148 miles
Pass 3 May 2008 162,418 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2007 154,928 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2006 148,136 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2005 141,827 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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C518 VUY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 100%.

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 C518 VUY, 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 C518 VUY?

You can check the full history of C518 VUY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C518 VUY registered?

C518 VUY is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 10 December 1985.

Is C518 VUY safe to buy?

The MOT history for C518 VUY shows 19 tests with a 100% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C518 VUY 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 C518 VUY. 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.