1987 Land Rover Defender 2.5L Diesel · D928 FDU

The Land Rover Defender presents as roadworthy with a stable maintenance trend. The most recent test on 28 March 2026 at 145,092 miles returned a pass with no defects recorded, matching the prior clean pass on 17 January 2025 at 144,972 miles. Two consecutive MOTs with zero advisories or failures indicate the vehicle has been kept to a sound standard over the past eighteen months. Recorded mileage sits at 145,092 against a 39 year lifespan, an average of roughly 3,720 miles per year. The odometer moved only 120 miles between the January 2025 and March 2026 tests. Such low annual use for a 1987 Defender suggests extended periods of standing rather than daily driving, which can mask dormant issues like seized brake components or perished rubber through lack of movement. A clean MOT history gives no statutory flag for suspension bushes, chassis corrosion, or brake binding, yet a vehicle of this age and layout demands physical inspection beyond the record. The buyer should examine the bulkhead, chassis rails, and outriggers for structural rust, check the swivel hubs and trailing arm bushes for play, and confirm the brake calipers are free after the long idle periods implied by the mileage. Given the sparse but clean record, previous keepers appear to have maintained basic legality without neglect showing in test data. The absence of advisories should not be read as a guarantee of condition; a pre-purchase inspection underneath remains essential on a 1987 ladder-frame Land Rover.