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NIJ 1816

1981 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2900cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires30 Mar 2026
Tests18 (13 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate72.2%

Mileage

155,522 mi
Last recorded155,522 miles
Recorded on27 Mar 2025
Typical for 1981 Land Rover Defender59,707 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationNIJ 1816
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1981
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,900cc

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

13 pass 5 fail
Pass 27 Mar 2025 155,522 miles

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

Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 13 Mar 2024 153,063 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2024 153,063 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Mar 2023 152,241 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2022 149,064 miles

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

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

Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Fail 4 Mar 2022 148,930 miles

Bonnet primary retaining device insecure (3.1 (c))

Brake performance not tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively twisted (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (5.2.3 (f))

Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt rear arm (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (5.2.3 (f))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

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

Pass 26 Mar 2021 145,910 miles
Fail 19 Mar 2021 145,899 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake disc contaminated fluid leak (1.1.14 (b))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Rear Brake disc contaminated fluid leak (1.1.14 (b))

Power steering inoperative (2.1.5 (c) (i))

Service brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.2.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 Mar 2020 143,313 miles
Pass 27 Feb 2019 140,886 miles

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

Pass 14 Mar 2018 137,891 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2017 135,182 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases centre section. (7.1.2)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 2 Mar 2017 135,164 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases centre section. (7.1.2)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 19 Mar 2016 132,414 miles

Front Front wheel bearing has slight play both (2.5.A.3c)

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

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

Rear Shock absorber has slight external damage to the casing (2.7.2a)

corrosion to vehicle structure and components

isuzu engine fitted

oil leaks

rear hub seals damp

throttle not operaing to maximum

Pass 19 Mar 2016 132,415 miles

isuzu engine fitted

Fail 5 Mar 2016 132,415 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam both (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front brake caliper leaking (3.6.A.1)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Service brake is causing the vehicle to swerve to the offside (3.7.C.2)

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

Drag link end ball joint has slight play under steering box (2.2.B.1f)

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

Front wheel bearing has slight play both (2.5.A.3c)

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

Rear Shock absorber has slight external damage to the casing (2.7.2a)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (3.5.1i)

corrosion to vehicle components

rear hub seals damp

various oil leaks

Pass 17 Jul 2014 132,415 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2013 123,426 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Oil leak

n/s/f + o/s/f outter cv joints gators slight deteriated

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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NIJ 1816 is a 1981 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,900cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.2%.

Across all 1981 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 59,707 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 NIJ 1816, 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 45 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 NIJ 1816?

You can check the full history of NIJ 1816 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was NIJ 1816 registered?

NIJ 1816 is a 1981 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1981.

Is NIJ 1816 safe to buy?

The MOT history for NIJ 1816 shows 18 tests with a 72.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does NIJ 1816 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 NIJ 1816. 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.