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L478 VSM

1994 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Sep 2026
Tests18 (15 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

68,941 mi
Last recorded68,941 miles
Recorded on15 Sep 2025
Typical for 1994 Land Rover Defender120,267 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

RegistrationL478 VSM
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1994
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

15 pass 3 fail
Pass 15 Sep 2025 68,941 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2024 68,817 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2023 68,388 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2022 68,204 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2021 65,272 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2020 55,782 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Fail 31 Jan 2020 55,782 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 25 Jul 2016 55,765 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2016 55,782 miles

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

Pass 22 Aug 2013 46,652 miles
Pass 31 Aug 2012 34,505 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2011 27,554 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2010 17,913 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2009 16,651 miles

All 4 tyre perrished on sidewalls

Ball joint on rear diff stabilizer bar, gaitor split

Corrosion on/around neasrside front door on A pillar

Rear seats not fitted at time of test

Fail 6 Jul 2009 16,651 miles

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

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

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

All 4 tyre perrished on sidewalls

Ball joint on rear diff stabilizer bar, gaitor split

Corrosion on/around neasrside front door on A pillar

Rear seats not fitted at time of test

Pass 18 Jan 2008 15,943 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2007 14,161 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2006 13,324 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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L478 VSM is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 1994 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 120,267 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 L478 VSM, 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 32 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 L478 VSM?

You can check the full history of L478 VSM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L478 VSM registered?

L478 VSM is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 January 1994.

Is L478 VSM safe to buy?

The MOT history for L478 VSM shows 18 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L478 VSM 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 L478 VSM. 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.