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MCP 4A

1985 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Mar 2027
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

212,989 mi
Last recorded212,989 miles
Recorded on5 Mar 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationMCP 4A
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 5 Mar 2026 212,989 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2024 210,998 miles

Drivers seat slightly insecure

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly damaged (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 5 Jun 2023 208,996 miles
Pass 26 May 2022 207,089 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened nearside and offside (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test ()

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened nearside and offside (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 28 Apr 2022 207,089 miles

Emission control equipment missing where fitted as standard silencer (8.2.2.1 (a))

Emissions not tested (8.2.2.2 (e))

Rear Seat belt missing (7.1.2 (a))

Rear Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 25 Mar 2021 206,225 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2019 205,943 miles

hazards not working (year of manufacture 1985)

Fail 16 Jul 2019 205,940 miles

Bonnet primary retaining device ineffective (3.1 (c))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Nearside Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Prop shaft securing bolt loose (6.1.7 (a) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp switch missing (4.5.3 (a) (ii))

hazards not working (year of manufacture 1985)

Pass 23 May 2018 203,756 miles
Pass 24 May 2017 198,006 miles
Pass 19 May 2016 197,565 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

all 4 tyre cracking

chassis well undersealed at time test

front hub seals leaking

parking brake only just met requirements

rear diff leaking

Pass 17 Jul 2015 194,549 miles

Front diff has slight oil leak

Nearside Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Body has slight displacement of the body relative to the chassis (6.1.B.1a)

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

Offside Body has slight displacement of the body relative to the chassis (6.1.B.1a)

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

Offside Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 15 Jul 2015 194,832 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Front diff has slight oil leak

Nearside Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Body has slight displacement of the body relative to the chassis (6.1.B.1a)

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

Offside Body has slight displacement of the body relative to the chassis (6.1.B.1a)

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

Offside Front Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 16 Jul 2014 189,832 miles

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

Pass 26 Jul 2013 183,291 miles

Nearside Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Pass 17 Jul 2012 177,077 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Pass 22 Jul 2011 173,352 miles

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

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

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

Offside Upper Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Pass 21 Jul 2010 166,623 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

Nearside Front Lower Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Pass 24 Jul 2009 160,403 miles

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Fail 23 Jul 2009 160,403 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Pass 16 Jul 2008 253,426 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2007 146,185 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2007 146,082 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b) DANGEROUS

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 10 Jul 2006 139,797 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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MCP 4A is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

Across all 1985 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.3% with a typical mileage of 122,807 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 MCP 4A, 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 41 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 MCP 4A?

You can check the full history of MCP 4A by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MCP 4A registered?

MCP 4A is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 11 April 1985.

Is MCP 4A safe to buy?

The MOT history for MCP 4A shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MCP 4A 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 MCP 4A. 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.