CarVerify

Free Car Check

C981 BTA

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Jan 2027
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

149,946 mi
Last recorded149,946 miles
Recorded on22 Jan 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above 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

RegistrationC981 BTA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
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

15 pass 8 fail
Pass 22 Jan 2026 149,946 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 24 Jan 2025 149,068 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated a frame (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Dec 2022 149,060 miles
Fail 8 Dec 2022 149,053 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (7.1.2 (e))

Pass 21 Nov 2016 148,972 miles

Engine has oil leak

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

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

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 21 Nov 2016 148,972 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Engine has oil leak

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

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

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 2 Nov 2015 147,942 miles

Nearside Front corrosion appearing in floor pan not in prescribed area

Nearside Front wiper blade split on end

Pass 24 Nov 2014 145,745 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2014 145,745 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 28 Nov 2013 143,092 miles
Fail 27 Nov 2013 143,088 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Nearside Front Body or chassis is cracked, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Upper Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure (5.2.1a)

Nearside Rear Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Offside Front Upper Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure (5.2.1a)

Offside Rear Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Pass 3 Jul 2013 141,119 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Oil leak

Pass 10 Jul 2012 132,847 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

Prop-shaft flange bolt(s) loose/missing

wiring insecure centre of vehicle

Pass 16 Jun 2011 123,519 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2010 115,273 miles

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

Oil leak

offside drag link end balljoint boot split

rear propshaft,rear universal joint worn

Fail 25 Jun 2010 115,273 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Oil leak

offside drag link end balljoint boot split

rear propshaft,rear universal joint worn

Pass 19 Jun 2009 105,643 miles

Centre Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Oil leak

both wiper blades starting to split on ends

Fail 10 Jul 2008 97,463 miles

Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Oil leak

front propshaft, front universal joint worn

Pass 10 Jul 2008 97,463 miles

Oil leak

front propshaft, front universal joint worn

Fail 8 Jun 2007 87,360 miles

Lower Steering column movement between the shaft and steering wheel (2.1.2b)

Pass 8 Jun 2007 87,360 miles
Fail 6 Jun 2006 80,661 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 6 Jun 2006 80,661 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

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

C981 BTA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

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 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 C981 BTA, 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 C981 BTA?

You can check the full history of C981 BTA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C981 BTA registered?

C981 BTA is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 3 September 1985.

Is C981 BTA safe to buy?

The MOT history for C981 BTA shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C981 BTA 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 C981 BTA. 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.