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YLZ 1291

1989 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Nov 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

225,621 mi
Last recorded225,621 miles
Recorded on3 Nov 2025
Typical for 1989 Land Rover Defender127,912 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationYLZ 1291
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1989
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 3 Nov 2025 225,621 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2024 221,789 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2023 217,575 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2022 212,729 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2021 207,372 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2020 203,559 miles

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

Rear Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated (6.1.7 (d) (i))

Pass 21 Oct 2019 201,631 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2018 200,754 miles

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play ball and socket joint at the end of the axle (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Fail 5 Nov 2018 200,754 miles

Nearside Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play ball and socket joint at the end of the axle (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Seat belt buckle slightly damaged (7.1.2 (d))

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 6 Nov 2017 199,671 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 31 Oct 2016 195,694 miles

Nearside Front Outer slight oil leak from hub seal

Pass 12 Nov 2015 193,373 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2015 193,370 miles

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (3.6.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded shock absorber mounting (2.4.A.3)

Fail 15 Oct 2015 193,367 miles

Brake pedal has no servo assistance (3.3.B.2)

Centre Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Both engine mount brackets only partially welded

Both front tyres valve stems deteriorating

Engine oil leak

Front and rear brake discs pitted/ corroded

Near side and offside front axles main swivels have slight seepage of fluid

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

Pass 20 Mar 2014 186,768 miles

Offside Front Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Oil leak

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

Pass 1 Mar 2013 179,690 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

steering;; slight leak from drop arm seal

steering;; slight lift in drop arm ball joint

Fail 21 Feb 2013 179,533 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

steering;; slight leak from drop arm seal

steering;; slight lift in drop arm ball joint

Pass 28 Mar 2012 173,218 miles

Oil leak

Fail 28 Mar 2012 173,218 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Oil leak

Pass 29 Mar 2011 168,885 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2010 153,125 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Electrical wiring damaged/contaminated

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

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

Propshaft component defective

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

Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 13 Feb 2009 147,668 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2008 137,498 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2007 133,996 miles

slight play in o/s swivel assembly

Fail 31 Mar 2007 133,996 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

brake fluid low

Pass 18 Apr 2006 126,066 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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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.

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YLZ 1291 is a 1989 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 YLZ 1291, 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 YLZ 1291?

You can check the full history of YLZ 1291 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was YLZ 1291 registered?

YLZ 1291 is a 1989 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 18 May 1989.

Is YLZ 1291 safe to buy?

The MOT history for YLZ 1291 shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does YLZ 1291 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 YLZ 1291. 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.