CarVerify

Free Car Check

G501 XDG

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires7 May 2026
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

134,728 mi
Last recorded134,728 miles
Recorded on8 May 2025
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

RegistrationG501 XDG
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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 8 May 2025 134,728 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective BOLT MISSING FROM FIRST CLAMP ON BOX (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 24 Apr 2024 133,701 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2024 133,685 miles

Brake performance unable to be tested ENGINE OIL OVER FULL (1.2.1 (g))

Emissions unable to be completed ENGINE OIL OVER FULL (8.2.2.2 (e))

Pass 4 Apr 2023 133,063 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2023 133,063 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective slightly split (3.4 (b) (i))

Rear reverse light not working

Pass 7 Apr 2022 132,579 miles

Indicator switch insecure (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Feb 2021 132,232 miles

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

Pass 2 Mar 2020 132,064 miles

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

Pass 5 Feb 2019 131,884 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2018 131,019 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 23 Jan 2017 130,346 miles

Both front swivel hubs leaking.

Nearside Rear Bump stop missing

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 23 Jan 2017 130,346 miles

Both front swivel hubs leaking.

Nearside Rear Bump stop missing

Nearside Rear Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 25 Jan 2016 129,813 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2015 129,529 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 20 Feb 2015 129,529 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 11 Feb 2014 129,423 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2013 128,399 miles
Fail 12 Feb 2013 128,399 miles

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

Pass 26 Jan 2012 126,324 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2011 125,649 miles
Fail 11 Feb 2011 125,647 miles

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Pass 10 Feb 2010 123,674 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2009 122,889 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2008 121,659 miles
Fail 28 Jan 2008 121,659 miles

Centre Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 7 Feb 2007 117,415 miles

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

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

there is a slight misting of oil around stearing box

Pass 3 Feb 2006 113,501 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 25 Jan 2006 113,501 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

G501 XDG is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 G501 XDG, 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 G501 XDG?

You can check the full history of G501 XDG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G501 XDG registered?

G501 XDG is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1989.

Is G501 XDG safe to buy?

The MOT history for G501 XDG shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G501 XDG 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 G501 XDG. 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.