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D173 XCT

1987 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Jul 2027
Tests28 (18 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

250,196 mi
Last recorded250,196 miles
Recorded on11 Jul 2026
Typical for 1987 Land Rover Defender131,673 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationD173 XCT
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1987
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,494cc

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

18 pass 10 fail
Pass 11 Jul 2026 250,196 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2026 250,191 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 3 Jul 2025 248,751 miles

Offside Rear cut in tyre

Fail 30 Jun 2025 248,750 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear one of track rod ends (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Prop shaft joint excessively worn rear joint of rear propshaft (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Offside Rear cut in tyre

Pass 29 May 2024 245,779 miles

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

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

Pass 18 May 2023 245,124 miles

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

cut to o/s/r tyre , in tread area

Fail 17 May 2023 245,124 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Power steering component leaking box (2.1.5 (a))

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

cut to o/s/r tyre , in tread area

Pass 18 Jun 2022 244,561 miles

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 14 Jun 2022 244,560 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect head lamp lense not straight (4.1.2 (c))

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

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn front pan hard rod (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 4 Aug 2020 243,940 miles
Fail 30 Jul 2020 243,927 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Prop shaft securing bolt loose front prop shaft rear flange bolts loose (6.1.7 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Jun 2019 240,605 miles

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

slight oil leak nearside rear outer hub seal

Pass 20 Jun 2018 239,720 miles

surface cut to offside rear tyre tread shoulder area

Fail 18 Jun 2018 239,715 miles

Offside Rear Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

surface cut to offside rear tyre tread shoulder area

Pass 31 May 2017 238,812 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2016 237,475 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2016 237,475 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Pass 9 Jun 2015 236,375 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2015 236,373 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 26 Jun 2014 235,059 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2014 235,057 miles

Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

Nearside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Nearside Front Front suspension retaining device ineffective (2.5.A.4)

Nearside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

Nearside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Offside Front Front suspension retaining device ineffective (2.5.A.4)

Offside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

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

Pass 17 Nov 2011 233,170 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.2b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.2b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

corrosion to o/s rear chassis rail

Pass 23 Nov 2010 227,515 miles

slight play in steering box / general corrosion to underside /

Pass 15 Sep 2009 222,396 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2009 222,396 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 2 Sep 2008 216,747 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2007 215,160 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2006 211,593 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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D173 XCT is a 1987 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,494cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1987 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 131,673 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 D173 XCT, 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 39 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 D173 XCT?

You can check the full history of D173 XCT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D173 XCT registered?

D173 XCT is a 1987 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 5 February 1987.

Is D173 XCT safe to buy?

The MOT history for D173 XCT shows 28 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D173 XCT 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 D173 XCT. 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.