CarVerify

Free Car Check

F59 GWE

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2395cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Apr 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

174,697 mi
Last recorded174,697 miles
Recorded on30 Mar 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above 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

RegistrationF59 GWE
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,395cc

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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 30 Mar 2026 174,697 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened strong (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Fail 26 Mar 2026 174,652 miles

Emissions unable to be completed (8.2.2.2 (e))

Fuel pipe leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened strong (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Pass 4 Apr 2025 173,232 miles

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

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

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

corrosion in vehicle

Pass 5 Apr 2024 171,940 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Too rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Underside of vehicle slightly corroded

Pass 4 Feb 2023 171,466 miles

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

underside showing signs of corrosion

Pass 14 Jul 2021 165,272 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2020 162,708 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2019 154,301 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2018 143,634 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2017 136,309 miles
Fail 7 Feb 2017 136,309 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush A frame bush worn (2.4.G.2)

Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings Near side and off side middle outriggers corroded (6.1.B.2)

Pass 10 Feb 2016 128,064 miles

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Underside of the vehicle showing signs of corrosion

Fail 2 Feb 2016 128,053 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis next to trailing arm (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement going to the axle x2 (2.4.G.2)

Underside of the vehicle showing signs of corrosion

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 15 Jan 2015 126,736 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

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

battery box is corroded

front propshaft front u/j is worn

front sections of chassis are corroding

n/s and o/s centre outriggers are corroded

Fail 15 Jan 2015 126,736 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Axle swivel joint has slight play (2.5.A.3b)

Nearside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

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

battery box is corroded

front propshaft front u/j is worn

front sections of chassis are corroding

n/s and o/s centre outriggers are corroded

Pass 14 Jan 2014 389,528 miles
Fail 14 Jan 2014 389,528 miles

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

Pass 25 Jan 2013 122,880 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2012 120,794 miles
Fail 23 Jan 2012 120,794 miles

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

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

Pass 25 Jan 2011 117,141 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2010 114,130 miles

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

drop arm joint cover perished

Pass 4 Feb 2009 111,809 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2009 111,809 miles

Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 30 Jan 2008 109,208 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2007 106,048 miles
Fail 15 Jan 2007 106,048 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

1. handbrake not resting in off position fully when released.

Pass 1 Feb 2006 103,251 miles

Front Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1e)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

F59 GWE is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,395cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 F59 GWE, 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 F59 GWE?

You can check the full history of F59 GWE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F59 GWE registered?

F59 GWE is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 July 1989.

Is F59 GWE safe to buy?

The MOT history for F59 GWE shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F59 GWE 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 F59 GWE. 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.