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C85 CYV

1986 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Oct 2026
Tests19 (15 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate78.9%

Mileage

165,860 mi
Last recorded165,860 miles
Recorded on10 Oct 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC85 CYV
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,498cc

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

15 pass 4 fail
Pass 10 Oct 2025 165,860 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2024 162,325 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Oct 2023 159,503 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material N/S and O/S (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning 50% (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Wheel bearing has slight play O/S/F & O/S/R (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Sep 2022 155,537 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

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

Pass 1 Oct 2021 151,507 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2020 148,209 miles
Pass 4 May 2019 142,007 miles

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

rear exhaust section heavily corroded

slight lift in rear diff ball joint

slight play in offside rear shock absorber bushes

Pass 18 May 2018 137,724 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 15 May 2018 137,723 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator flashing less than 60 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 6 May 2017 132,801 miles

Panhard rod rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 22 Apr 2017 132,797 miles

Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

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

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' OFFSIDE WIPER BLADE (8.3.1e)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

All tyres perished

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Panhard rod rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 5 Jun 2014 132,006 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Pass 29 May 2013 129,993 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 2 May 2012 127,137 miles

Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Stop lamp slightly discoloured (1.2.1e)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 18 Apr 2011 122,417 miles
Fail 18 Apr 2011 122,404 miles

Indicator switch insecure (1.4.A.1)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Pass 1 Apr 2010 116,532 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2010 116,532 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

Nearside Headlamp flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.2.4c)

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

Pass 21 Jun 2006 107,380 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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C85 CYV is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,498cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.9%.

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 C85 CYV, 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 C85 CYV?

You can check the full history of C85 CYV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C85 CYV registered?

C85 CYV is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 4 April 1986.

Is C85 CYV safe to buy?

The MOT history for C85 CYV shows 19 tests with a 78.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C85 CYV 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 C85 CYV. 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.