CarVerify

Free Car Check

F156 MBW

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2496cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Sep 2027
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

76,149 mi
Last recorded76,149 miles
Recorded on25 Sep 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Below or 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationF156 MBW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
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

9 pass 5 fail
Pass 25 Sep 2026 76,149 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2024 76,079 miles

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

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

Fail 15 Nov 2024 76,079 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 6 Sep 2023 76,065 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2023 76,065 miles

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

Offside Windscreen wiper blade missing (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 23 Dec 2021 75,988 miles

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

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

Fail 23 Dec 2021 75,988 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 21 Dec 2020 75,914 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2019 75,802 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2018 75,794 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2017 75,774 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2017 75,774 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 6 Oct 2005 72,002 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2005 72,000 miles

Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

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

fluid leak from steering box

play in offside and nearside swivel housings

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

F156 MBW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1989 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.8% with a typical mileage of 127,912 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 F156 MBW, 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 37 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 F156 MBW?

You can check the full history of F156 MBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F156 MBW registered?

F156 MBW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 May 1989.

Is F156 MBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F156 MBW shows 14 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 F156 MBW 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 F156 MBW. 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.