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F501 XSD

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Nov 2026
Tests20 (12 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

190,467 mi
Last recorded190,467 miles
Recorded on8 Nov 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationF501 XSD
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourGreen
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

12 pass 8 fail
Pass 8 Nov 2025 190,467 miles

Front Windscreen wiper blade defective both side (3.4 (b) (i))

car is covered with underseal paint

Pass 1 Dec 2023 189,265 miles

Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn 2x front (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 30 Nov 2022 188,132 miles

covered in underseal

Pass 5 Feb 2020 186,466 miles

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 21 Apr 2017 186,455 miles
Fail 5 Apr 2017 186,454 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired front of rear (2.4.A.3)

Fail 12 Nov 2013 186,450 miles

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

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

all four tyre walls are slightly perished

Pass 13 Nov 2012 184,838 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2012 184,838 miles

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

Upper Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 4 Nov 2011 182,829 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Fail 3 Nov 2011 182,828 miles

Brake pedal spongy (3.3.B.1b)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

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

Pass 11 Nov 2010 181,071 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2010 181,070 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Pass 7 May 2009 171,159 miles
Fail 4 May 2009 17,115 miles

Brake pedal creeps down when held under pressure (3.3.B.1a)

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the offside (3.7.C.2)

Pass 15 May 2008 161,825 miles
Fail 15 May 2008 161,817 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 15 May 2007 152,818 miles

Exhaust rear silencer rubber hanger missing.

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Slight leak of oil from steering box seal.

Pass 16 May 2006 145,547 miles
Fail 16 May 2006

Offside Inner Front Upper Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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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F501 XSD is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 F501 XSD, 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 F501 XSD?

You can check the full history of F501 XSD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F501 XSD registered?

F501 XSD is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 April 1989.

Is F501 XSD safe to buy?

The MOT history for F501 XSD shows 20 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F501 XSD 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 F501 XSD. 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.