1988 Land Rover Defender 2.5L Diesel · F978 BYD
1988 Land Rover Defender (2.5L, diesel). First registered 04 Aug 1988. Recorded mileage 136,318 miles. MOT expired on 19 Jan 2026.
- Make & Model
- LAND ROVER DEFENDER
- Year / Origin
- 1988 · Nottingham
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Expired on 19 Jan 2026
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 136,318 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Non-Compliant (Pre-Euro 6 Diesel)
- Fuel & Engine
- Diesel · 2.5L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
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F978 BYD Key Findings
- 5 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT failed on 15/04/2026
- 136,318 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 3 historical MOT failures
- 22 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring lighting items (7 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
F978 BYD MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
5 MOT tests are recorded for this 1988 Land Rover Defender (F978 BYD) between January 2022 and April 2026.
The record contains 2 passes and 3 failures.
The most recent test on 15 April 2026 was a fail; the vehicle has not passed its last recorded MOT.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Lighting (7 issues), Brakes (7 issues), Tyres (4 issues), Windscreen (3 issues), Bodywork (3 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 20 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Steering linkage likely to become detached pitman arm (2.1.3 (a) (ii))”; “Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit 0.74 (8.2.2.2 (a))”; “Offside Cab steps so insecure it is likely to cause injury (6.2.8 (a) (ii))”.
F978 BYD Mileage History
- 05/01/2022136,318 mi
- 05/05/2023136,318 mi
- 08/01/2025136,318 mi
- 20/01/2025136,318 mi
- 15/04/2026136,318 mi
Average of roughly 0 miles per year across 5 recorded odometer readings.
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MOT Roadworthiness: Poor
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
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