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MVJ 20

1989 Land Rover Defender

Beige Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Apr 2027
Tests27 (18 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

134,608 mi
Last recorded134,608 miles
Recorded on28 Apr 2026
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationMVJ 20
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourBeige
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

18 pass 9 fail
Pass 28 Apr 2026 134,608 miles

Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 24 Apr 2026 134,591 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Nearside Front mud flap very loose

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 28 Apr 2025 133,200 miles

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

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

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

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

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all tyres perished (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 24 Apr 2025 133,185 miles

Position lamp switch does not operate in accordance with the requirements (4.2.2 (a))

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

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

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

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

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

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all tyres perished (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 17 Apr 2024 132,210 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Front stub axle cover missing

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

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

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

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 17 Apr 2024 132,210 miles

All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Front Position lamp not working both front (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Rear Position lamp not working both rear (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Front stub axle cover missing

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

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

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

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 30 Dec 2022 130,675 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Dec 2021 129,674 miles

Nearside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush slightly worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 1 Dec 2020 128,783 miles
Pass 28 May 2019 126,931 miles
Fail 28 May 2019 126,931 miles

Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) drop arm loose (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Apr 2018 124,354 miles
Fail 11 Apr 2018 124,354 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings box drop arm (2.2.B.1h)

Pass 7 Mar 2017 121,266 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2016 120,361 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2016 120,361 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Pass 18 Mar 2015 118,646 miles

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

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

n/s/f sivel joint has side play

n/s/r hub seal slightly leaking

slight coolant leak

slight gearbox oil leak

slight oil leak

Pass 18 Mar 2014 116,923 miles

Oil leak at nearside rear hub

Pass 12 Feb 2013 115,775 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 18 Dec 2012 115,763 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Nearside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Nearside Front Upper Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering (2.5.A.3a)

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber insecure (2.7.2b)

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Offside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Upper Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering (2.5.A.3a)

Offside Rear Shock absorber insecure (2.7.2b)

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

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

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front propshaft, both universal joints worn

offside front door hinges worn

rear wiper blade damaged

signs of nearside rear hubseal leaking

steering damper bushes excessively worn

Fail 8 Nov 2011 111,494 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Pass 8 Nov 2011 111,494 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2010 105,496 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2010 105,496 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 17 Jul 2009 101,132 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2007 87,195 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2006 80,955 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak

slight leak to o/side front hub seal

slight play in steering link arms

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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MVJ 20 is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Beige with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 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 MVJ 20, 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 MVJ 20?

You can check the full history of MVJ 20 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MVJ 20 registered?

MVJ 20 is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 21 December 1989.

Is MVJ 20 safe to buy?

The MOT history for MVJ 20 shows 27 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MVJ 20 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 MVJ 20. 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.