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G38 OTA

1989 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Oct 2026
Tests13 (9 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

248,164 mi
Last recorded248,164 miles
Recorded on4 Oct 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationG38 OTA
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

9 pass 4 fail
Pass 4 Oct 2025 248,164 miles

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

various surface corrosion

Pass 31 Dec 2013 246,588 miles
Pass 2 Jan 2013 246,005 miles
Fail 28 Dec 2012 245,998 miles

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

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Power steering fluid level below minimum (2.3.1)

Power steering inoperative (2.3.3a)

Pass 29 Dec 2011 245,467 miles

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 4 Jan 2011 245,129 miles

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

under side of battery box has rusted through

Fail 4 Jan 2011 245,125 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

under side of battery box has rusted through

Pass 6 Jan 2010 244,554 miles
Pass 24 Dec 2008 243,858 miles
Fail 24 Dec 2008 243,858 miles

Front registration plate letter/figure incomplete (6.3.1c)

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Offside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Power steering pump leaking from a failed component (2.3.3b)

Steering component is not secure to the vehicle structure (2.2.B.1a)

Pass 7 Feb 2007 243,020 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2006 242,275 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2006 242,275 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Rear Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

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

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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G38 OTA is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 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 G38 OTA, 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 G38 OTA?

You can check the full history of G38 OTA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G38 OTA registered?

G38 OTA is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1989.

Is G38 OTA safe to buy?

The MOT history for G38 OTA shows 13 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G38 OTA 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 G38 OTA. 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.