CarVerify

Free Car Check

MAC 897E

1989 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 May 2027
Tests20 (16 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

144,369 mi
Last recorded144,369 miles
Recorded on20 Apr 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Above 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

RegistrationMAC 897E
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBlack
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

16 pass 4 fail
Pass 20 Apr 2026 144,369 miles
Pass 17 May 2025 144,343 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2024 144,222 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2020 144,161 miles
Fail 25 Nov 2020 144,129 miles

Bonnet primary retaining device insecure missing (3.1 (c))

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Pass 19 Nov 2019 143,229 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement forward/axle bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement forward/axle bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 3 Dec 2018 142,979 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Fail 23 Nov 2018 142,966 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements not vertical (0.1 (d))

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 8 Nov 2016 129,015 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2015 125,166 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2014 119,095 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2013 116,602 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2013 116,592 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Mar 2012 127,171 miles
Pass 26 Nov 2010 121,449 miles
Pass 18 Nov 2009 118,282 miles
Pass 3 Dec 2008 104,732 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2007 99,718 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2006 99,718 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2006 99,718 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Rear Exhaust has a part missing (7.1.1a)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

MAC 897E is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 MAC 897E, 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 MAC 897E?

You can check the full history of MAC 897E by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MAC 897E registered?

MAC 897E is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1989.

Is MAC 897E safe to buy?

The MOT history for MAC 897E shows 20 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MAC 897E 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 MAC 897E. 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.