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C789 NJR

1986 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2500cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires13 May 2026
Tests22 (13 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate59.1%

Mileage

20,440 mi
Last recorded20,440 miles
Recorded on14 May 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 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

RegistrationC789 NJR
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,500cc

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

13 pass 9 fail
Pass 14 May 2025 20,440 miles
Fail 5 Nov 2021 20,424 miles

Central Brake pipe likely to become detached or damaged main feed (1.1.11 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength rear mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting chassis (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded and seriously weakened on axle (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength shocker mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe likely to become detached or damaged (1.1.11 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting central chassis (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength rear mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Axle king pin is loose in the axle beam (5.1.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting chassis (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded and seriously weakened on axle (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength shocker mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure is so weakened by corrosion within 30cm of a towbar mounting, the towbar is likely to become detached (6.1.6 (i) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Vehicle structure is so weakened by corrosion within 30cm of a towbar mounting, the towbar is likely to become detached (6.1.6 (i) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Nov 2020 19,867 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2020 19,861 miles

Central Towbar excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Nearside Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 3 May 2019 18,752 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2019 18,743 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp insecure (4.1.1 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength shocker mount on chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 2 May 2018 17,456 miles

Ball joint has slight play on drop arm (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 23 Apr 2018 17,438 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has an unsatisfactory modification, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Ball joint has slight play on drop arm (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 27 Apr 2017 14,962 miles
Fail 20 Apr 2017 14,908 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases box (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded inner chassis marked yellow (2.4.A.3)

Pass 22 Apr 2016 11,689 miles
Fail 19 Apr 2016 11,656 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Pass 28 Apr 2015 7,891 miles

Oil leak

Pass 1 May 2014 4,738 miles

Oil leak

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Pass 22 Apr 2013 2,829 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2012 307 miles

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 4 May 2011 87,362 miles
Fail 4 May 2011 87,362 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 19 Jan 2011 87,054 miles

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

Fail 17 Jan 2011 87,054 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

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

Pass 29 Jan 2010 78,906 miles
Fail 26 Jan 2010 78,899 miles

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Front Brake lining(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Front Brake lining(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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C789 NJR is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.1%.

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 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 C789 NJR, 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 C789 NJR?

You can check the full history of C789 NJR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C789 NJR registered?

C789 NJR is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 January 1986.

Is C789 NJR safe to buy?

The MOT history for C789 NJR shows 22 tests with a 59.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C789 NJR 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 C789 NJR. 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.