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F897 EEC

1989 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jun 2027
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

164,944 mi
Last recorded164,944 miles
Recorded on2 Jun 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationF897 EEC
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourRed
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 7 fail
Pass 2 Jun 2026 164,944 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive trailing arm (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Pass 6 Jun 2025 164,061 miles

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Pass 31 May 2024 162,519 miles
Pass 25 May 2023 160,922 miles
Pass 6 May 2022 157,960 miles

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

Pass 12 Apr 2021 153,457 miles
Fail 30 Oct 2014 153,407 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

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

Offside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Steering box has a significant oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1) DANGEROUS

Rear Additional braking device component damaged (3.6.I.1) DANGEROUS

Front bumper insecure

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Offside Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Oil leak

Prop-shaft universal joint worn

oil leak front diff

oil leak offside rear hub

Pass 7 Jun 2013 152,917 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Oil leak

Prop-shaft universal joint worn

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

oil leak nearside rear hub

Fail 28 May 2013 152,917 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (8.4.1)

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

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

Electrical wiring inadequately supported (1.9.2a)

Front passenger door hinge insecure (6.2.B.2)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Offside Front Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Rear Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

Prop-shaft universal joint worn

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

oil leak nearside rear hub

Pass 18 Nov 2011 152,156 miles

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

oil leak steering box

Fail 7 Nov 2011 152,138 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Offside Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

oil leak steering box

Pass 18 Oct 2010 147,171 miles

Oil leak

Fail 5 Oct 2010 147,171 miles

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

Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

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

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

rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Oil leak

Pass 2 Mar 2009 139,619 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2009 139,616 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Oct 2007 133,973 miles

Oil leak

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 3 Oct 2007 133,970 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Oil leak

Pass 26 Sep 2006 126,893 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2006 126,883 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Steering column movement between the shaft and steering wheel (2.1.2b)

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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F897 EEC is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

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 F897 EEC, 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 F897 EEC?

You can check the full history of F897 EEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F897 EEC registered?

F897 EEC is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 February 1989.

Is F897 EEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for F897 EEC shows 19 tests with a 63.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F897 EEC 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 F897 EEC. 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.