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G85 GWO

1989 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Dec 2026
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

223,468 mi
Last recorded223,468 miles
Recorded on2 Dec 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationG85 GWO
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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Dec 2025 223,468 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2024 219,314 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Pass 6 Dec 2023 214,966 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2022 209,456 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2021 204,084 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2020 199,165 miles
Fail 14 Dec 2020 199,165 miles

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 19 Jun 2019 195,011 miles
Fail 19 Jun 2019 195,011 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 11 Jun 2018 193,281 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2017 191,851 miles

Front coil spring corroded Both. (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 22 Jun 2017 191,851 miles

Front coil spring corroded Both. (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid Both. (8.2.3)

Pass 24 Jun 2016 190,553 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2015 189,317 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2013 187,832 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2013 187,813 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Oil leak

Pass 20 Jul 2012 186,574 miles

Oil leak

Pass 20 Jul 2011 184,326 miles

Oil leak

Pass 16 Jul 2010 182,594 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2009 182,206 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2009 182,183 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

corrosion to n/s/f brake pipe

corrosion to n/s/r chassis rail

corrosion to o/s/r body mount

n/s/r bump stop missing

Pass 17 Jun 2008 181,843 miles

corrosion to both rear chassis rails and rear centre cross member

corrosion to front to rear brake pipe

n/s/r bump stop missing

Pass 18 Jul 2007 181,582 miles

corrosion to both rear brake pipes

corrosion to front to rear brake pipe

corrosion to rear chassis cross member

n/s/r bump stop missing

Pass 19 Jul 2006 180,153 miles

corrosion to front to rear brake pipes

corrosion to o\s of chassis cross member

n\s\r bump stop missing

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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G85 GWO is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

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 G85 GWO, 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 G85 GWO?

You can check the full history of G85 GWO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G85 GWO registered?

G85 GWO is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 November 1989.

Is G85 GWO safe to buy?

The MOT history for G85 GWO shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G85 GWO 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 G85 GWO. 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.