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D521 GWU

1986 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Dec 2026
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

22,412 mi
Last recorded22,412 miles
Recorded on10 Dec 2025
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationD521 GWU
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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 10 Dec 2025 22,412 miles

Nearside Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Fail 9 Dec 2025 22,405 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Pass 12 Dec 2024 19,742 miles

head gasket leaking

Pass 4 Dec 2023 16,482 miles
Fail 29 Nov 2023 16,468 miles

Nearside Hazard warning lamps inoperative front and rear (4.4.1 (e))

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt drop arm on steering box (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play drop arm on steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Nov 2022 13,777 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2021 9,915 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Pass 24 Nov 2020 7,987 miles
Pass 31 May 2019 4,946 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2018 5 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

drive belt deteriorated

Pass 26 May 2017 169,014 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2016 165,501 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2015 159,063 miles

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

Fail 16 Jun 2015 159,063 miles

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

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

Pass 2 Jul 2014 156,302 miles

advise rear axel brake pies twisted n/s and o/s

advise various wiring along chassi and gear box likley to rub through

Fail 1 Jul 2014 156,302 miles

Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

advise rear axel brake pies twisted n/s and o/s

advise various wiring along chassi and gear box likley to rub through

Pass 16 Oct 2012 153,183 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2012 153,085 miles

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

Nearside Front Panhard rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Offside Front Panhard rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 26 Oct 2011 146,162 miles
Fail 20 Oct 2011 146,161 miles

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres fitted to all steerable axle are not of the same structure (4.1.A.2c)

Offside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Position lamp switch faulty (1.1.A.1)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

Pass 16 Apr 2009 135,555 miles
Fail 23 Feb 2009 135,544 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Temporary fuel cap fitted

long foot & hand brake travel

o/s rear shockabsorber leaking slightly

o/s wiper blade split

play in front radius arm bushes

reg plates marked

slight play in o/s front tie bar bush

slight play in steering wheel

temp. repair on rear exhaust mounting

Pass 29 Aug 2007 127,115 miles

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

Oil leak

o/s wiper arm loose

play in steering box

slight play in rear wheel bearings

slight play in steering idler

wipers don't self park

Pass 18 Aug 2006 121,392 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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D521 GWU is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

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 D521 GWU, 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 D521 GWU?

You can check the full history of D521 GWU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D521 GWU registered?

D521 GWU is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1986.

Is D521 GWU safe to buy?

The MOT history for D521 GWU shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D521 GWU 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 D521 GWU. 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.