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C56 DAT

1985 Land Rover Defender

Silver Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Nov 2026
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

96,801 mi
Last recorded96,801 miles
Recorded on26 Nov 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC56 DAT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourSilver
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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 4 fail
Pass 26 Nov 2025 96,801 miles
Pass 18 Nov 2024 96,599 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2023 96,254 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2022 96,076 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2021 95,603 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2020 95,057 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2019 94,598 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2018 94,105 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2017 93,422 miles
Pass 27 Feb 2016 93,365 miles

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

Pass 3 Sep 2014 93,004 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2014 93,004 miles

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

Nearside Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Pass 30 Aug 2013 92,285 miles

slight oil leak from engine

Fail 28 Aug 2013 92,285 miles

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Front Steering lock stop insecurely locked (2.2.D.2c)

Nearside Front Steering lock stop insecurely locked (2.2.D.2c)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Steering lock stop insecurely locked (2.2.D.2c)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

slight oil leak from engine

Pass 17 Aug 2012 91,449 miles

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 22 Mar 2011 90,061 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2010 86,429 miles

Nearside Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 31 Jan 2009 82,324 miles

Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 3 Apr 2007 81,939 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2007 81,939 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 9 Mar 2006 78,013 miles
Fail 2 Mar 2006 78,013 miles

Front Lower Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

oil leak

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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C56 DAT is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Silver with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

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 C56 DAT, 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 C56 DAT?

You can check the full history of C56 DAT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C56 DAT registered?

C56 DAT is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 December 1985.

Is C56 DAT safe to buy?

The MOT history for C56 DAT shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C56 DAT 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 C56 DAT. 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.