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439 VPK

1997 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Nov 2026
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

270,426 mi
Last recorded270,426 miles
Recorded on14 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

Registration439 VPK
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 14 Nov 2025 270,426 miles
Pass 19 Nov 2024 269,886 miles

Offside Front Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn axle mounting bush next to steering box (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 6 Nov 2023 268,706 miles
Pass 3 Nov 2022 266,692 miles

Offside Steering linkage ball joint has slight play steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Nov 2021 264,439 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2020 262,885 miles

Nearside head lamp has a poor beam pattern

Pass 15 Nov 2019 262,193 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2018 256,216 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2017 248,436 miles

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

Pass 23 Jul 2016 243,013 miles

Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (3.6.C.3)

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

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

Pass 19 Feb 2015 232,050 miles

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

Fail 18 Feb 2015 232,049 miles

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Pass 20 Feb 2014 220,104 miles
Fail 12 Feb 2014 220,101 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Trailer electrical socket insecure (1.9.3a)

Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test

Pass 24 Mar 2010 202,133 miles

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

nearside front door damaged

Fail 19 Mar 2010 202,129 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

nearside front door damaged

Pass 23 Feb 2009 185,544 miles

Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

offside drag link end joint cover split

Pass 29 Feb 2008 168,125 miles
Fail 27 Feb 2008 168,083 miles

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

Pass 27 Feb 2007 153,516 miles
Fail 22 Feb 2007 153,491 miles

Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 13 Jan 2006 142,412 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2006 142,412 miles

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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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439 VPK is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

Across all 1997 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.5% with a typical mileage of 117,879 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 439 VPK, 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 29 years old, this Land Rover Defender is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 439 VPK?

You can check the full history of 439 VPK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 439 VPK registered?

439 VPK is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 15 December 1997.

Is 439 VPK safe to buy?

The MOT history for 439 VPK shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 439 VPK 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 439 VPK. 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.