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C863 JAF

1985 Land Rover Defender

Yellow Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Jul 2027
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

60,678 mi
Last recorded60,678 miles
Recorded on11 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC863 JAF
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourYellow
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

19 pass 7 fail
Pass 11 Jul 2026 60,678 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2026 60,678 miles

Offside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 28 Apr 2026 60,674 miles

Exhaust system insecure Rear clamp is adrift (6.1.2 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded Axle (1.1.11 (c))

Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Rear cross (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 29 Apr 2025 59,650 miles

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both rears corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 29 Apr 2025 59,650 miles

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

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both rears corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 1 May 2024 58,258 miles

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 1 May 2024 58,258 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 26 Apr 2023 56,919 miles

Central Oil leak, but not excessive From transmission box and front differential (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 4 May 2022 53,780 miles
Fail 4 May 2022 53,780 miles

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

Pass 13 May 2021 48,838 miles
Fail 13 May 2021 48,838 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Jun 2020 46,050 miles
Pass 3 May 2018 45,634 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)

Pass 16 May 2016 45,581 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)

nearside front bump stop broken

Pass 15 May 2015 45,285 miles

Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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 15 May 2014 44,551 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 16 May 2013 43,970 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 16 May 2013 43,970 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)

Pass 17 May 2012 42,885 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 13 May 2011 41,714 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 6 May 2010 40,353 miles
Pass 15 May 2009 38,593 miles
Pass 15 May 2008 36,732 miles
Pass 16 May 2007 34,628 miles
Pass 10 May 2006 33,251 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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C863 JAF is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Yellow with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 C863 JAF, 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 C863 JAF?

You can check the full history of C863 JAF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C863 JAF registered?

C863 JAF is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 7 October 1985.

Is C863 JAF safe to buy?

The MOT history for C863 JAF shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C863 JAF 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 C863 JAF. 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.