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C985 JAT

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2499cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Aug 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

151,561 mi
Last recorded151,561 miles
Recorded on25 Aug 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

RegistrationC985 JAT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,499cc

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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 25 Aug 2026 151,561 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 17 Feb 2025 151,092 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2025 151,083 miles

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting x member holed (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt drop arm (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive front and rear diffs (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Jan 2024 150,700 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 10 Feb 2023 150,352 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 9 Feb 2023 150,352 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 7 Feb 2022 149,865 miles

Coil spring corroded All (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 17 Feb 2021 148,897 miles

Coil spring corroded All (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 8 Feb 2021 148,887 miles

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

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Drop arm (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake lever inoperative (1.1.6 (d))

Stop lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.3.3 (b))

Coil spring corroded All (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 11 Feb 2020 146,288 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Indicator switch insecure (4.4.2 (a) (i))

wiper switch insecure on columb

Fail 4 Feb 2020 146,288 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at drop arm ball joint rubber cover (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Rear reflector missing (4.8.2 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Power steering component leaking at power steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Speedometer cannot be illuminated (7.8 (c) (ii))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Indicator switch insecure (4.4.2 (a) (i))

wiper switch insecure on columb

Pass 25 Jan 2019 145,740 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive Engine, gearbox and rear dif. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Jan 2018 144,704 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2017 143,972 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2016 142,592 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 20 Jan 2015 138,943 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2015 138,943 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 16 Nov 2013 138,836 miles
Pass 14 May 2012 139,556 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 23 May 2011 133,774 miles

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

Pass 28 Jan 2010 133,642 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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C985 JAT is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,499cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

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 C985 JAT, 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 C985 JAT?

You can check the full history of C985 JAT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C985 JAT registered?

C985 JAT is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C985 JAT safe to buy?

The MOT history for C985 JAT shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C985 JAT 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 C985 JAT. 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.