CarVerify

Free Car Check

C703 JBV

1985 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2286cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires16 Jul 2026
Tests12 (7 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

85,556 mi
Last recorded85,556 miles
Recorded on17 Jul 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

RegistrationC703 JBV
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,286cc

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

7 pass 5 fail
Pass 17 Jul 2025 85,556 miles

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

Fail 7 Jul 2025 85,554 miles

Emissions unable to be completed Didn't rev up correctly and emitted to much smoke risk of damage to emission (8.2.2.2 (e))

Nearside Front Coil spring insecure not seated correctly (5.3.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced behind seat (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (1.1.21 (e) (i))

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

Pass 23 Oct 2023 84,895 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive back of seat (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 11 Oct 2023 84,893 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive back of seat (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 13 Oct 2022 82,685 miles

hazard warning lights inop

Fail 4 Oct 2022 82,685 miles

Fuel system component leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside 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))

Offside 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))

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

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a))

hazard warning lights inop

Pass 29 Sep 2021 79,056 miles
Fail 15 Sep 2021 79,054 miles

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

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

Trailer electrical socket wiring insulation damaged or deteriorated and likely to cause a short-circuit (4.10 (b) (ii))

both front springs not seated right

Pass 7 Feb 2018 78,777 miles

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

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

Fail 6 Feb 2018 78,777 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

Pass 9 Feb 2017 77,801 miles

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

p/seat missing

Pass 12 Jun 2014 77,677 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

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

C703 JBV is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,286cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 C703 JBV, 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 C703 JBV?

You can check the full history of C703 JBV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C703 JBV registered?

C703 JBV is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 November 1985.

Is C703 JBV safe to buy?

The MOT history for C703 JBV shows 12 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C703 JBV 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 C703 JBV. 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.