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F403 MBM

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Oct 2026
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

186,879 mi
Last recorded186,879 miles
Recorded on29 Sep 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationF403 MBM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
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

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 29 Sep 2025 186,879 miles

Central Body mounting fixing insecure, but overall security not significantly reduced (6.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Sep 2024 176,875 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin Offside Front (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 15 Sep 2023 166,753 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin Offside front (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 14 Sep 2023 166,751 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin Offside front (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 7 Oct 2022 159,437 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 engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Sep 2021 151,077 miles

Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Offside rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive axle (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))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 30 Sep 2020 143,833 miles

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

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 3 Oct 2019 137,787 miles

Offside Front Upper Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 26 Sep 2018 135,584 miles

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

Nearside Non obligatory mirror damaged ()

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front underbody floor is corroded

Power steering pump has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 28 Sep 2017 135,207 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak ()

Pass 28 Sep 2016 134,812 miles

Oil leak ()

Pass 7 Oct 2015 133,958 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2015 133,958 miles

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Pass 26 Sep 2014 132,480 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2013 131,997 miles

Diesel injection pump is damp

Pass 18 Sep 2012 128,918 miles

Injection pump is damp

Pass 28 Sep 2011 126,738 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Oil leak

Pass 30 Sep 2010 124,875 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2009 123,400 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2008 122,191 miles

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

Pass 1 Oct 2007 120,897 miles

Offside front wheel bearing has slight play

Pass 2 Oct 2006 119,454 miles

Front brake pipes and brake hoses have corrosion

Pass 29 Sep 2005 117,901 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2005 117,899 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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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F403 MBM is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

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 F403 MBM, 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 F403 MBM?

You can check the full history of F403 MBM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F403 MBM registered?

F403 MBM is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 28 March 1989.

Is F403 MBM safe to buy?

The MOT history for F403 MBM shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F403 MBM 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 F403 MBM. 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.