CarVerify

Free Car Check

C818 TSS

1985 Land Rover Defender

Brown Petrol 3500cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jul 2027
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

107,082 mi
Last recorded107,082 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 2026
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

RegistrationC818 TSS
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBrown
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,500cc

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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2026 107,082 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated above rear diff (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 27 Jul 2026 107,076 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside side repeater not working - pre 01/1986

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated above rear diff (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 16 Jul 2025 105,560 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 12 Jul 2024 104,722 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 12 Jul 2024 104,722 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 13 Jul 2023 103,361 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2022 101,424 miles

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

Pass 6 May 2021 99,546 miles
Pass 12 May 2020 97,879 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2019 95,008 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Fail 11 Feb 2019 95,008 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements Both (0.1 (d))

Pass 6 Feb 2018 92,281 miles

Oil leak

Pass 11 Jan 2017 90,789 miles

Offside Front Hub leaking

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 10 Dec 2015 88,664 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2015 87,926 miles

Offside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Pass 5 Jan 2015 87,926 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2014 86,535 miles

o/s/f hub oil seal leaking

Pass 10 Jan 2013 80,895 miles

exhaust front pipe deteriating

Pass 15 Dec 2011 77,696 miles
Pass 22 Dec 2010 74,374 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2010 71,809 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2009 67,119 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2008 67,109 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2006 65,854 miles
Fail 5 Oct 2006 65,854 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 6 Oct 2005 63,291 miles

both rear tie bar bushes worn and very weak

chassis very rusty

exhaust very rusty and weak

front number plate in poor condition

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

C818 TSS is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Brown with a 3,500cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 C818 TSS, 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 C818 TSS?

You can check the full history of C818 TSS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C818 TSS registered?

C818 TSS is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 25 October 1985.

Is C818 TSS safe to buy?

The MOT history for C818 TSS shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C818 TSS 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 C818 TSS. 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.