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G516 DEL

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Dec 2026
Tests21 (18 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85.7%

Mileage

184,202 mi
Last recorded184,202 miles
Recorded on25 Nov 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

RegistrationG516 DEL
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

18 pass 3 fail
Pass 25 Nov 2025 184,202 miles

Nearside Front Suspension sphere slightly leaking

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Pass 4 Dec 2024 184,176 miles

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 9 Nov 2023 183,947 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2022 182,366 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2021 178,388 miles

All tyres perished & have cuts in tread that are not deep enough to reach ply/cords

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases By gearbox (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt drop arm ball joint (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Steering damper lower bush slight play

Pass 26 Sep 2020 172,872 miles

Nearside rear shock upper Bush has slight play

Slight oil leak

Pass 6 Apr 2019 170,841 miles

front inner brake pads getting low

offside front track rod end slight play

oil leak

rear shocks damp with oil

Pass 27 Apr 2018 166,904 miles

oil leak

rear light lens deteriorated

Pass 25 Mar 2017 163,256 miles

slight oil leak

Pass 19 Mar 2016 158,527 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2015 151,848 miles

Offside Rear position lamp(s) slightly discoloured (1.1.A.3e)

Offside Stop lamp slightly discoloured (1.2.1e)

Oil leak

Pass 1 May 2014 145,778 miles

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

wipers in poor condition but still clearing the screen

Pass 14 Jun 2013 144,230 miles

Oil leak

differentials leaking oil

Pass 29 Jun 2012 142,829 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

off side front tyre outter wall cracking with age

two clean to be a landrover.90..:-)

Fail 29 Jun 2012 142,829 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

off side front tyre outter wall cracking with age

two clean to be a landrover.90..:-)

Pass 16 Apr 2011 141,361 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2010 138,896 miles
Fail 4 Dec 2007 138,879 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision worn smooth (3.3.A.1b)

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

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

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

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

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

Propshaft component defective

Pass 23 Oct 2006 138,280 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

front prop shaft front u/j badly worn and in a dangerouse condition.

Pass 11 Nov 2005 136,204 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2005 136,141 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

slight play at swivel joint on drop arm

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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G516 DEL is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85.7%.

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 G516 DEL, 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 G516 DEL?

You can check the full history of G516 DEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G516 DEL registered?

G516 DEL is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 20 November 1989.

Is G516 DEL safe to buy?

The MOT history for G516 DEL shows 21 tests with a 85.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G516 DEL 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 G516 DEL. 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.