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F448 DFK

1989 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Feb 2027
Tests20 (13 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate65%

Mileage

162,862 mi
Last recorded162,862 miles
Recorded on12 Feb 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationF448 DFK
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlack
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

13 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 Feb 2026 162,862 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2025 162,737 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2024 159,149 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2022 158,948 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2014 148,322 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

rear tyres perished

Fail 27 Jun 2014 148,239 miles

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

Nearside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

rear tyres perished

Pass 28 Jun 2013 140,360 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

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

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Steering system slightly tight (2.2.D.1)

n/s/f hub seal leaking - not affecting disc yet.

Fail 21 Jun 2013 140,360 miles

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

Nearside Front Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Nearside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear Lower Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

Offside Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Offside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Rear Lower Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Offside Stop lamp emits other than a steady red light (1.2.1e)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Trailer electrical socket insecure (1.9.3a)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

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

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Steering system slightly tight (2.2.D.1)

n/s/f hub seal leaking - not affecting disc yet.

Pass 1 Jun 2012 135,461 miles

Lower Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Steering system slightly rough (2.2.D.1)

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

n/s/r bump stop rubber missing

Fail 1 Jun 2012 135,461 miles

Lower Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Steering system slightly rough (2.2.D.1)

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

n/s/r bump stop rubber missing

Pass 31 Mar 2011 133,220 miles
Fail 25 Mar 2011 133,180 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.D.2c)

Offside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

front discs inner faces corroded

Pass 26 Mar 2010 130,376 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2010 130,337 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.D.2c)

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Power steering pump leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Nearside Front brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

Pass 6 Mar 2009 124,009 miles
Fail 4 Mar 2009 124,009 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 26 Feb 2008 119,303 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Oil leak

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 20 Feb 2007 112,104 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2006 109,848 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Feb 2006 109,848 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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F448 DFK is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65%.

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 F448 DFK, 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 F448 DFK?

You can check the full history of F448 DFK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F448 DFK registered?

F448 DFK is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 February 1989.

Is F448 DFK safe to buy?

The MOT history for F448 DFK shows 20 tests with a 65% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F448 DFK 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 F448 DFK. 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.