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C542 UNV

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jan 2027
Tests20 (19 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate95%

Mileage

217,049 mi
Last recorded217,049 miles
Recorded on23 Jan 2026
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC542 UNV
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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50+ data points
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MOT History

19 pass 1 fail
Pass 23 Jan 2026 217,049 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2025 217,049 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2023 217,049 miles

General Body Corrosion

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

Rear Prop shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated Shaft Seal (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Pass 20 Dec 2022
Pass 23 Dec 2021
Pass 10 Dec 2020 217,045 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2019 213,721 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2018 207,644 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2017 202,566 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2016 200,582 miles

Offside Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt drop arm (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 19 Dec 2015 198,126 miles

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

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

slight play in all wheel bearings

Pass 20 Dec 2014 196,979 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2013 187,515 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2012 166,686 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2011 148,970 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2010 148,189 miles
Fail 6 Jun 2009 148,130 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 6 Jun 2009 148,130 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2008 144,403 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2006 142,458 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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C542 UNV is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 95%.

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 C542 UNV, 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 C542 UNV?

You can check the full history of C542 UNV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C542 UNV registered?

C542 UNV is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C542 UNV safe to buy?

The MOT history for C542 UNV shows 20 tests with a 95% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C542 UNV 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 C542 UNV. 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.