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F278 LOD

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Oct 2026
Tests7 (6 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate85.7%

Mileage

136,727 mi
Last recorded136,727 miles
Recorded on23 Oct 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF278 LOD
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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

6 pass 1 fail
Pass 23 Oct 2025 136,727 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Oct 2024 135,288 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2023 133,614 miles

Brake pipe inadequately clipped or supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Front Wheel bearing has slight play both (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 21 Oct 2022 132,020 miles

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

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose slightly damaged (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Rear Brake pipe clips or supports missing, pipe adequately supported (1.1.11 (d) (i))

Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Oct 2021 131,279 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear axle oil seal leaking

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

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

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

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

Pass 27 Oct 2020 131,034 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

slight oil leak from both front hubs

Fail 14 Oct 2020 131,034 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))

Nearside Front Cab or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a cab mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside 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))

Offside Front Cab or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a cab mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Hydraulic brake cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid (1.1.16 (b) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Steering locking device ineffective (2.1.3 (d))

Offside 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))

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

Steering locking device ineffective steering box (2.1.3 (d))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

handbrake travel

slight oil leak from both front hubs

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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F278 LOD is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 7 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85.7%.

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 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 F278 LOD, 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 F278 LOD?

You can check the full history of F278 LOD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F278 LOD registered?

F278 LOD is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 March 1989.

Is F278 LOD safe to buy?

The MOT history for F278 LOD shows 7 tests with a 85.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F278 LOD 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 F278 LOD. 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.