CarVerify

Free Car Check

F979 MAA

1989 Land Rover Defender

Blue Petrol 3528cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Feb 2027
Tests20 (16 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

7,427 mi
Last recorded7,427 miles
Recorded on26 Jan 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
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

RegistrationF979 MAA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,528cc

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

16 pass 4 fail
Pass 26 Jan 2026 7,427 miles

Oil filter slight leak

Rear diff slight leak

Pass 24 Jan 2025 6,363 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive Engine/ transfer box/ diff (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Feb 2024 5,292 miles

Central Oil leak transfer box

Offside Rear Hub seal weeping

Rear Oil leak diff

Pass 26 Jan 2023 4,188 miles

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

Fail 26 Jan 2023 4,188 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 27 Jan 2022 3,122 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2021 1,850 miles

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

Service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Jan 2020 705 miles
Pass 22 Jan 2019 100,403 miles
Pass 21 Feb 2018 99,172 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2014 98,655 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2013 97,531 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

general corrosion too lower chassis

o/s front too rear brake pipe(surface corrosion)

rear seats not in use t time of test(in lockdown position)

slight exhaust blow

slight oilleak

Fail 6 Dec 2013 92,521 miles

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

Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

general corrosion too lower chassis

o/s front too rear brake pipe(surface corrosion)

rear seats not in use t time of test(in lockdown position)

slight exhaust blow

slight oilleak

Pass 22 Dec 2012 96,314 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 Dec 2011 95,060 miles

Off side front bulkhead corroded

Fail 23 Dec 2011 95,030 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Rear registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Off side front bulkhead corroded

Pass 23 Feb 2011 92,618 miles

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

Pass 21 May 2008 85,851 miles
Fail 12 May 2008 85,833 miles

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 18 Apr 2006 81,583 miles

nearside front brake binding on slightly

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

F979 MAA is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 3,528cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 F979 MAA, 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 F979 MAA?

You can check the full history of F979 MAA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F979 MAA registered?

F979 MAA is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 20 February 1989.

Is F979 MAA safe to buy?

The MOT history for F979 MAA shows 20 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F979 MAA 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 F979 MAA. 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.