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F48 VRL

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 May 2026
Tests4 (2 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

120,672 mi
Last recorded120,672 miles
Recorded on12 May 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF48 VRL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,494cc

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50+ data points
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MOT History

2 pass 2 fail
Pass 12 May 2025 120,672 miles

Front slight engine oil leak

nsf and osf metal brake pipes slightly corroded

Fail 12 May 2025 120,672 miles

Front slight engine oil leak

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

nsf and osf metal brake pipes slightly corroded

Pass 28 Mar 2022 113,431 miles
Fail 14 Mar 2022 113,407 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Body mounting fixings insecure bolts missing (6.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced floor loose (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Body mounting fixings missing (6.2.2 (c) (i))

Steering box sector shaft has excessive movement joint from upper to box (2.1.1 (d) (i))

Steering wheel has movement relative to the column indicating looseness (2.2.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering inner floor bulk head (6.1.1 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake hose damaged and likely to fail poorly mounted hitting spring when turning (1.1.12 (a)) DANGEROUS

Steering box has excessive movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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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F48 VRL is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,494cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 4 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 F48 VRL, 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 F48 VRL?

You can check the full history of F48 VRL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F48 VRL registered?

F48 VRL is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 10 February 1989.

Is F48 VRL safe to buy?

The MOT history for F48 VRL shows 4 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F48 VRL 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 F48 VRL. 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.