CarVerify

Free Car Check

F785 LBW

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Nov 2026
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

178,022 mi
Last recorded178,022 miles
Recorded on6 Nov 2025
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

RegistrationF785 LBW
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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 6 Nov 2025 178,022 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2024 176,032 miles
Pass 1 Mar 2023 173,085 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2022 169,476 miles
Fail 2 Mar 2022 169,476 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 26 Feb 2021 167,960 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2020 167,111 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2018 164,974 miles
Pass 5 May 2017 162,989 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2016 161,495 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2015 159,958 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2015 159,958 miles

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 7 Feb 2014 157,503 miles

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 31 Jan 2013 154,820 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Nearside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Offside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Pass 31 Jan 2013 154,820 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Offside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Pass 6 Jan 2012 152,277 miles

Offside Front Panhard rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 15 Dec 2010 148,721 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 15 Dec 2010 148,721 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2009 145,266 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

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

Pass 4 Nov 2008 143,048 miles

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

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Pass 18 Oct 2007 139,098 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Seat belt flexible stalk deteriorated but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

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

Pass 5 Oct 2006 135,237 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt flexible stalk corroded but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Nearside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

n/s/f wheel bearing slightplay

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

F785 LBW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green 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 F785 LBW, 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 F785 LBW?

You can check the full history of F785 LBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F785 LBW registered?

F785 LBW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 15 March 1989.

Is F785 LBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F785 LBW 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 F785 LBW 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 F785 LBW. 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.