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F78 STW

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Sep 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

127,806 mi
Last recorded127,806 miles
Recorded on15 Sep 2026
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF78 STW
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 15 Sep 2026 127,806 miles

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

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing nsf and osf (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play ball joint on steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 7 Sep 2026 127,805 miles

Offside Front Fuel system component leaking fuel pump (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing nsf and osf (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play ball joint on steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Sep 2025 126,190 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Fail 12 May 2025 126,138 miles

Front Fuel system component leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting out rigger (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing significantly weakened cut from edge greater than 2mm (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Pass 26 Oct 2023 124,591 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 25 Oct 2022 123,545 miles

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

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 3 Nov 2021 122,567 miles

corrosion to rear cross member

Pass 4 Nov 2020 121,078 miles

corrosion to chassis offside rear

Pass 21 Oct 2019 119,702 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

corrosion to rear chassis cross member

Pass 19 Oct 2018 118,482 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2017 116,871 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2016 114,803 miles

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

Pass 23 Oct 2015 112,172 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

corrosion to rear chassis beam

Pass 24 Oct 2014 109,653 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

slight play in rear prop shaft joint

Fail 22 Oct 2014 109,653 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

slight play in rear prop shaft joint

Pass 23 Oct 2013 107,223 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2012 102,611 miles

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Fail 25 Oct 2012 102,611 miles

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

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 28 Oct 2011 98,678 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2011 98,678 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 26 Oct 2010 95,009 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

play in nearside front tractor joint

Pass 27 Oct 2009 90,979 miles

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

Fail 27 Oct 2009 90,979 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 26 Sep 2008 86,973 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2007 82,944 miles
Pass 22 May 2006 77,489 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

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F78 STW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 F78 STW, 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 F78 STW?

You can check the full history of F78 STW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F78 STW registered?

F78 STW is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 8 May 1989.

Is F78 STW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F78 STW shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F78 STW 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 F78 STW. 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.