CarVerify

Free Car Check

M981 SBW

1994 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Jul 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

60,726 mi
Last recorded60,726 miles
Recorded on22 Jul 2026
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationM981 SBW
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1994
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

21 pass 8 fail
Pass 22 Jul 2026 60,726 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2024 56,570 miles

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive Power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 29 Nov 2024 56,563 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

Hazard warning tell-tale inoperative (4.9.1 (a) (i))

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive Power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 17 Nov 2023 52,708 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2022 49,750 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2021 43,201 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2020 41,919 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2019 39,890 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2019 39,125 miles
Pass 22 Jan 2018 37,660 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2017 36,270 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2016 36,068 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2015 33,898 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2014 32,396 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2013 31,285 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2012 29,907 miles

Centre Rear Torque/reaction arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Fail 6 Jun 2012 29,907 miles

Front Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

Nearside Drag link end loose (2.2.B.1d)

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

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

Centre Rear Torque/reaction arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Pass 15 Jun 2011 28,132 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Oil leak

Fail 15 Jun 2011 28,132 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Oil leak

Fail 15 Jun 2010 23,113 miles

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

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

Front bumper coroded

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Rear brake disc's scored

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

Pass 15 Jun 2010 23,113 miles

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

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

Front bumper coroded

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Rear brake disc's scored

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

Pass 5 Jun 2009 17,942 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

O/S/F swivel housing oil seal retaining ring corroded.

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

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

Slight damage to front No plate.

Fail 5 Jun 2009 17,942 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

O/S/F swivel housing oil seal retaining ring corroded.

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

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

Slight damage to front No plate.

Pass 9 Jun 2008 11,524 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Oil leak

Power steering ram(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Rear propshaft splines worn.

Rear seat belt anchorage bracket poor consruction

Several areas of corrosion rear chassis cross member.

Fail 9 Jun 2008 11,524 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Oil leak

Power steering ram(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Rear propshaft splines worn.

Rear seat belt anchorage bracket poor consruction

Several areas of corrosion rear chassis cross member.

Pass 4 Jun 2007 6,528 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Power steering ram(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

corrosion forming rear cross member and rear chassis.

Fail 4 Jun 2007 6,528 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose leaking (3.6.A.1)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 19 Jun 2006 2,445 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Unable to test front-rear metal brake pipe where routed above chassis.

Fail 19 Jun 2006 2,445 miles

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

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

M981 SBW is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.4%.

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 M981 SBW, 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 M981 SBW?

You can check the full history of M981 SBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M981 SBW registered?

M981 SBW is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 9 November 1994.

Is M981 SBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for M981 SBW shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M981 SBW 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 M981 SBW. 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.