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C97 ARW

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Feb 2027
Tests15 (13 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate86.7%

Mileage

161,251 mi
Last recorded161,251 miles
Recorded on25 Feb 2026
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC97 ARW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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 2 fail
Pass 25 Feb 2026 161,251 miles

Central Oil leak, but not excessive transfer box (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material also rear (1.1.11 (c))

Front Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

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 Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Pass 20 Jan 2025 159,293 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material ALL BRAKE PIPES SLIGHTLY CORRODED/COVERED IN GREASE/PAINT (1.1.11 (c))

SEVERAL WELDED REPAIRS CARRIED OUT ON O/S AND N/S CHASSIS RAILS

STEERING BOX AND FRONT DIFF HOUSING ARE WET WITH OIL

Pass 6 Jan 2023 159,259 miles

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL IS WET WITH OIL

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

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

SLIGHT PLAY IN O/S AND N/S STEERING SPHERES

STEERING BOX WET WITH OIL

Pass 17 Aug 2017 158,300 miles

all four tyres perished

slight corrosion to floor pan

slight corrosion to floor pan

slight play in front tractor joints

slight play in rear wheel bearings

Pass 8 Jul 2015 156,247 miles
Pass 30 May 2014 155,889 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2013 155,480 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly damaged (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Stop lamp deteriorated, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

nearside washer weak

offside rear underbody corrosion

Pass 1 Jun 2012 155,101 miles
Pass 13 May 2011 154,844 miles

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 4 Jun 2010 154,325 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2009 152,326 miles

both front tractor seals leaking slightly

Fail 5 Jun 2009 152,323 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Nearside Front Steering system has a road wheel fouling a part of the vehicle (2.2.D.2a)

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

Offside Front Steering system has a road wheel fouling a part of the vehicle (2.2.D.2a)

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

both front tractor seals leaking slightly

Pass 2 Jun 2008 150,663 miles
Pass 16 May 2007 147,860 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Oil leak on rear axle.

Slight fuel leak from engine.

Fail 2 May 2007 147,827 miles

Front Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Nearside Stop lamp excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Rear axle leaking oil.

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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C97 ARW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.7%.

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 C97 ARW, 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 C97 ARW?

You can check the full history of C97 ARW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C97 ARW registered?

C97 ARW is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 June 1986.

Is C97 ARW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C97 ARW shows 15 tests with a 86.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C97 ARW 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 C97 ARW. 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.