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G681 RVJ

1989 Land Rover Defender

Yellow Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Jul 2026
Tests21 (12 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate57.1%

Mileage

153,424 mi
Last recorded153,424 miles
Recorded on15 Jul 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationG681 RVJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourYellow
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

12 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 Jul 2025 153,424 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2022 153,216 miles

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

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

Pass 21 May 2020 152,531 miles

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

Fail 13 Apr 2020 152,531 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring insecure not seated properly (5.3.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers damaged to the extent that it does not function (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear reflector missing (4.8.2 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear reflector missing (4.8.2 (a) (ii))

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Drop arm from steering box (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt front track arm (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

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

Pass 18 Dec 2018 151,342 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2018 151,342 miles

All direction indicators adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (4.4.3 (b))

Offside Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Central Rear Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting likely to become detached (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.1 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Fail 22 Oct 2018 151,342 miles

Hazard warning switch inoperative (4.4.2 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

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

Nearside Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Offside Front Upper Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced outrigger (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Intermediate drop arm insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 23 Sep 2017 150,423 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 20 Dec 2011 145,440 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2011 145,440 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 27 Oct 2010 142,278 miles

corrosion starting in rear chassis cross member

Pass 30 Oct 2009 140,325 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2009 140,325 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 4 Nov 2008 138,388 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2008 138,388 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 2 Nov 2007 136,606 miles
Fail 1 Nov 2007 136,606 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

Pass 19 Oct 2006 133,165 miles
Fail 18 Oct 2006 133,165 miles

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not in good working order (function impaired) (1.1.4a)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Rear Exhaust has a part missing (7.1.1a)

Pass 28 Oct 2005 129,302 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2005 129,302 miles

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

Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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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G681 RVJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Yellow with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.1%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 G681 RVJ, 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 G681 RVJ?

You can check the full history of G681 RVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G681 RVJ registered?

G681 RVJ is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 6 September 1989.

Is G681 RVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for G681 RVJ shows 21 tests with a 57.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G681 RVJ 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 G681 RVJ. 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.