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D818 XJL

1986 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Nov 2026
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

165,148 mi
Last recorded165,148 miles
Recorded on31 Oct 2025
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

RegistrationD818 XJL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourGrey
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

12 pass 7 fail
Pass 31 Oct 2025 165,148 miles

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Oct 2025 165,146 miles

Dipswitch does not operate immediately when selected on dipped beam (4.1.3 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake disc contaminated OIL LEAK (1.1.14 (b))

Offside Front Wheel bearing play so excessive it is likely to break up (5.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

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

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Nov 2024 164,984 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Lower Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 21 Apr 2023 164,643 miles

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

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

Nearside front strengthen plate slight corroded

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Mar 2023 164,643 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (4.4.1 (e))

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

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

Offside Front Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leaking excessively from transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 8 Sep 2021 163,614 miles

Nearside Rear hub oil seal leaking

Offside Front tractor joint leaking

Fail 8 Sep 2021 163,614 miles

Nearside Rear hub oil seal leaking

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front tractor joint leaking

Pass 17 Sep 2020 160,193 miles
Fail 17 Sep 2020 160,193 miles

Offside Front Intermediate drop arm likely to become detached (2.1.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 16 May 2013 154,024 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Fail 14 May 2013 153,972 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 3 May 2012 144,537 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Nearside Rear All position lamps slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Pass 18 Apr 2011 140,942 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

nearside rear bump stop missing

Fail 12 Apr 2010 130,754 miles

Front registration plate has a feature which changes the appearance or legibility of the characters (6.3.4c)

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

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

brake pedle has long travel

Pass 12 Apr 2010 130,754 miles

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

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

brake pedle has long travel

Pass 12 Feb 2009 115,791 miles
Pass 12 Jan 2008 113,694 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) slightly discoloured (1.1.A.3e)

Pass 12 Jan 2007 113,642 miles
Fail 11 Dec 2006 113,618 miles

Front Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Front Steering damper fractured and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Rear Track rod end damaged and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

all chassis getting weak and rusting

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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D818 XJL is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

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 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 D818 XJL, 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 D818 XJL?

You can check the full history of D818 XJL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D818 XJL registered?

D818 XJL is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 September 1986.

Is D818 XJL safe to buy?

The MOT history for D818 XJL shows 19 tests with a 63.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D818 XJL 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 D818 XJL. 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.