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F981 SFS

1989 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Sep 2027
Tests22 (19 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate86.4%

Mileage

59,096 mi
Last recorded59,096 miles
Recorded on11 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

RegistrationF981 SFS
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourRed
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

19 pass 3 fail
Pass 11 Sep 2026 59,096 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2025 58,734 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2024 58,032 miles
Pass 31 Aug 2023 57,219 miles
Pass 26 Aug 2022 56,071 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2021 55,277 miles

Central Rear Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Pass 21 Sep 2020 54,281 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2019 53,366 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2018 52,926 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2018 52,926 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Jul 2017 52,128 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2016 50,885 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2015 49,768 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2014 48,632 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2013 47,076 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2012 45,638 miles
Fail 27 Jul 2012 45,592 miles

Bonnet retaining device ineffective (8.4.2)

Nearside Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Fuel hose insecure (7.2.1)

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

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

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

Tie bar/rod locating pin locking device missing (2.4.G.3b)

Ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

bonnet stay cable tied to bonnet

offside dip beam image poor

slight dampness steerng box top

steering damper casing corroded

Pass 30 Jul 2011 45,065 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2010 149,374 miles

Nearside Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Fail 13 May 2009 147,126 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

UNDERSIDE OF VEICHLE HAS BEEN UNDERSEALED SEEM OK AT TIME OF TEST

Pass 13 May 2009 147,126 miles

Oil leak

UNDERSIDE OF VEICHLE HAS BEEN UNDERSEALED SEEM OK AT TIME OF TEST

Pass 2 Nov 2006 144,084 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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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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F981 SFS is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.4%.

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 F981 SFS, 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 F981 SFS?

You can check the full history of F981 SFS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F981 SFS registered?

F981 SFS is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 3 February 1989.

Is F981 SFS safe to buy?

The MOT history for F981 SFS shows 22 tests with a 86.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F981 SFS 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 F981 SFS. 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.