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F289 RLX

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Dec 2026
Tests13 (10 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

75,281 mi
Last recorded75,281 miles
Recorded on9 Dec 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

RegistrationF289 RLX
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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

10 pass 3 fail
Pass 9 Dec 2025 75,281 miles

Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play steering box link (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 9 Dec 2025 75,281 miles

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

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

Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play steering box link (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 29 Dec 2020 75,209 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2019 74,701 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Fail 28 Jan 2019 74,701 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 22 Jan 2018 71,643 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases advise front pipe small leak /centre box slight leak (7.1.2)

Pass 5 Dec 2016 70,627 miles

advise n/s/r shocker sweat

Pass 23 Oct 2015 69,440 miles

Front Fuel pipe slightly chafed back of pump (7.2.2)

Nearside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 12 Sep 2014 67,382 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 1 Oct 2013 65,412 miles
Fail 27 Sep 2013 65,401 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 1 Oct 2012 61,514 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2008 117,139 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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F289 RLX is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 F289 RLX, 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 F289 RLX?

You can check the full history of F289 RLX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F289 RLX registered?

F289 RLX is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 10 May 1989.

Is F289 RLX safe to buy?

The MOT history for F289 RLX shows 13 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F289 RLX 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 F289 RLX. 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.