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L179 SWU

1993 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Aug 2026
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

116,122 mi
Last recorded116,122 miles
Recorded on22 Aug 2025
Typical for 1993 Land Rover Defender118,574 mi

Below or 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

RegistrationL179 SWU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1993
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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 22 Aug 2025 116,122 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2025 116,120 miles

Central Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Outer Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 25 Apr 2024 114,574 miles

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

Fail 18 Dec 2023 114,566 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear Exhaust silencer insecure (8.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 21 Dec 2022 113,616 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front outerskin on footwell corroded

Fail 21 Nov 2022 113,616 miles

Nearside Front Cab or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a cab mounting footwell (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Cab or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a cab mounting footwell (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 1 Nov 2021 111,758 miles

Rear crossmember corroded

Pass 16 Nov 2020 109,900 miles

Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Front Swivel seal damp

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Engine and transmission leaks (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear crossmember slightly corroded

Pass 26 Nov 2019 109,512 miles

Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Rear crossmember slightly corroded

Surface rust/corrosion to rear section of chassis

Fail 25 Nov 2019 109,512 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases centre and rear sections (6.1.2 (a))

Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Rear crossmember slightly corroded

Surface rust/corrosion to rear section of chassis

Pass 28 Nov 2018 108,404 miles

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

Rear x member slightly corroded

Pass 7 Nov 2018 108,404 miles

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

Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced both outriggers slightly corroded (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front both dip beam have a poor pattern

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

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

Pass 9 Oct 2017 106,266 miles

Front Oil leak

Rear Body has slight corrosion crossmember (6.1.B.2)

Fail 5 Oct 2017 106,250 miles

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

Rear Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint a frame to axle (2.4.G.2)

Front Oil leak

Rear Body has slight corrosion crossmember (6.1.B.2)

Pass 3 Nov 2016 104,123 miles

oil leak

Fail 3 Nov 2016 104,123 miles

Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings floor pan (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front brake disc contaminated by oil (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

oil leak

power steering pipes have a slight misting of fluid

Pass 6 Nov 2015 102,127 miles

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

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

park brake warning lamp not illuminating

Pass 29 Oct 2014 99,925 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2013 98,862 miles

Oil leak

Fail 28 Oct 2013 98,861 miles

Bonnet retaining device ineffective (8.4.2)

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Rear registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak

Pass 8 Nov 2012 96,916 miles

minor oil leak

Fail 7 Nov 2012 96,916 miles

Nearside Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

minor oil leak

wiper blades have a slight smear

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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L179 SWU is a 1993 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

Across all 1993 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.8% with a typical mileage of 118,574 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 L179 SWU, 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 33 years old, this Land Rover Defender is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of L179 SWU?

You can check the full history of L179 SWU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L179 SWU registered?

L179 SWU is a 1993 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1993.

Is L179 SWU safe to buy?

The MOT history for L179 SWU shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L179 SWU 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 L179 SWU. 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.