CarVerify

Free Car Check

G257 NKJ

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Jan 2027
Tests19 (13 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate68.4%

Mileage

146,873 mi
Last recorded146,873 miles
Recorded on14 Jan 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above 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

RegistrationG257 NKJ
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

13 pass 6 fail
Pass 14 Jan 2026 146,873 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2025 145,241 miles

Nearside Front Lower Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Radius arm bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Sill to tub stay bar bracket

Rear chassis corrosion

Pass 25 May 2019 144,504 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Jan 2017 142,497 miles

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

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

all 4 tyres cut but not exposing cords

Pass 14 Jan 2016 140,571 miles

Nearside Front Door Poor Closing

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Fail 14 Jan 2016 140,571 miles

All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Coil spring not correctly located (2.4.C.2)

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

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Front poor closing

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

foot brake travel

Pass 7 Oct 2013 137,825 miles
Fail 24 Sep 2013 137,796 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

Pass 9 Oct 2012 134,385 miles
Fail 26 Sep 2012 134,370 miles

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

Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

Offside Front Trailing arm locating pin insecure (2.4.G.3a)

Offside Rear Trailing arm locating pin insecure (2.4.G.3a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 4 Oct 2011 119,586 miles
Fail 11 Aug 2011 119,575 miles

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

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

Pass 14 May 2010 119,489 miles
Pass 12 May 2009 119,198 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2008 118,327 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2007 117,845 miles
Fail 28 Jun 2007 117,823 miles

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

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

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

Pass 10 Mar 2006 115,450 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

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

Fail 10 Mar 2006 115,450 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Nearside Steering lock stop incorrectly adjusted (2.2.D.2c)

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

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

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Steering lock stop incorrectly adjusted (2.2.D.2c)

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

G257 NKJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.4%.

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 G257 NKJ, 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 G257 NKJ?

You can check the full history of G257 NKJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G257 NKJ registered?

G257 NKJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 August 1989.

Is G257 NKJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for G257 NKJ shows 19 tests with a 68.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G257 NKJ 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 G257 NKJ. 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.