CarVerify

Free Car Check

F498 DKH

1989 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Oct 2026
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

36,072 mi
Last recorded36,072 miles
Recorded on20 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationF498 DKH
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourWhite
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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 20 Oct 2025 36,072 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2024 33,541 miles

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

Fail 26 Oct 2024 33,530 miles

Driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen significantly affected by an obstruction (3.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

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

Pass 18 Oct 2023 30,496 miles

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

Rear Rear reflector obviously incorrectly positioned both rear reflectors not damaged but block by rubber guard (4.8.2 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Oct 2022 27,698 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2021 26,133 miles

All position lamps slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

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

Pass 24 Oct 2020 24,717 miles

Offside Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

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

Fail 24 Oct 2020 24,717 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 19 Oct 2019 22,467 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2019 22,460 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear fog lamp switch inoperative (4.5.3 (a) (ii))

Pass 13 Oct 2018 20,581 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Oct 2017 17,166 miles

Torque/reaction arm has slight play in a ball joint rear axle A-bar ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 5 Oct 2016 15,929 miles
Fail 5 Oct 2016 15,929 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 30 Sep 2015 15,706 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2014 15,242 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2013 14,579 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2010 14,519 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2009 14,448 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2008 11,480 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2007 9,905 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2006 9,073 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

F498 DKH is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

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 F498 DKH, 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 F498 DKH?

You can check the full history of F498 DKH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F498 DKH registered?

F498 DKH is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 13 February 1989.

Is F498 DKH safe to buy?

The MOT history for F498 DKH shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F498 DKH 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 F498 DKH. 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.