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GSM 18S

1986 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Feb 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

105,589 mi
Last recorded105,589 miles
Recorded on28 Jan 2026
Typical for 1986 Land Rover Defender124,952 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationGSM 18S
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1986
ColourBlue
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 6 fail
Pass 28 Jan 2026 105,589 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Jan 2025 104,616 miles

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

Pass 5 Feb 2024 103,565 miles

Oil leak

Fail 23 Jan 2024 103,555 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Oil leak

Pass 18 Jan 2023 102,822 miles

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

Fail 18 Jan 2023 102,822 miles

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 12 Jan 2022 101,131 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2021 99,755 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2020 99,017 miles
Fail 15 Jan 2020 99,017 miles

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

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

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play front at steering box arm (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Fuel system component leaking excessively or a risk of fire (6.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) incorrectly mounted (1.1.13 (c)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play front at hub (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 17 Jan 2019 95,711 miles

Offside and nearside rear chassis is corroded but not weakened.

rear exhaust is missing.

rear x member corroded

tow bar has been removed

Fail 15 Jan 2019 95,711 miles

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength at chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside and nearside rear chassis is corroded but not weakened.

rear exhaust is missing.

rear x member corroded

tow bar has been removed

Pass 23 Jan 2018 92,957 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2017 90,348 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2015 87,836 miles
Fail 30 Nov 2015 87,836 miles

Nearside Rear registration plate character(s) not correctly formed (6.3.4b)

registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Pass 29 Nov 2014 85,953 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

exhaust system deteriorated

Pass 2 Dec 2013 85,204 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2012 84,483 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 31 Oct 2012 84,427 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 16 Aug 2011 83,979 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 14 Jul 2010 82,126 miles

Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Steering system slightly rough (2.2.D.1)

both front tyres cracking on side walls but no cords showing

no steering damper fitted although evidence there may have been one fitted in the past ???

underside of vehicle covered in oily underseal not enableing full inspection

Pass 17 Jul 2009 80,549 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2008 73,891 miles

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Pass 16 Jul 2007 66,140 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 20 Jul 2006 64,426 miles

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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GSM 18S is a 1986 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 1986 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.7% with a typical mileage of 124,952 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 GSM 18S, 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 40 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 GSM 18S?

You can check the full history of GSM 18S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was GSM 18S registered?

GSM 18S is a 1986 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1986.

Is GSM 18S safe to buy?

The MOT history for GSM 18S shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does GSM 18S 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 GSM 18S. 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.