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F897 LYJ

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 May 2027
Tests13 (10 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

134,571 mi
Last recorded134,571 miles
Recorded on9 May 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

RegistrationF897 LYJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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

10 pass 3 fail
Pass 9 May 2026 134,571 miles

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

Front Coil spring corroded BOTH SIDES (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Rear Coil spring corroded BOTH SIDES (5.3.1 (b) (i))

UNDERNEATH VEHICLE SURFACE COVERED WITH SEALANT

Pass 9 May 2025 119,704 miles

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

all brake lines corroded and undersealed over

all coil springs corroding

surface corrosion to front brake discs

Fail 7 May 2025 119,696 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.1.6 (i) (i))

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

all brake lines corroded and undersealed over

all coil springs corroding

surface corrosion to front brake discs

Pass 21 Sep 2019 118,675 miles

Nearside Front hub seal leaking

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

Pass 20 Sep 2017 117,123 miles

Oil leak ()

Pass 7 Apr 2016 114,997 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2016 114,988 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

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

Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

engine has oil leak

Pass 3 Mar 2011 109,377 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Oil leak

Pass 17 Jul 2009 101,771 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2009 101,756 miles

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

Pass 13 Jun 2008 95,297 miles
Pass 19 May 2007 90,219 miles
Pass 8 May 2006 85,785 miles

both rear top shock bushes worn

oil leak

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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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.

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F897 LYJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 13 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 F897 LYJ, 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 LYJ?

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

What year was F897 LYJ registered?

F897 LYJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 9 May 1989.

Is F897 LYJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for F897 LYJ shows 13 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 F897 LYJ 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 LYJ. 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.