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52 VTU

2005 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Jun 2027
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

123,811 mi
Last recorded123,811 miles
Recorded on16 Jun 2026
Typical for 2005 Land Rover Defender76,444 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

Registration52 VTU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2005
ColourBlack
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

8 pass 5 fail
Pass 16 Jun 2026 123,811 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2026 123,808 miles

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values (8.2.2.2 (f))

Hazard warning switch inoperative (4.4.2 (a) (ii))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment (2.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 6 Jun 2025 118,817 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 3 Jun 2024 112,066 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2023 106,304 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2022 101,696 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material under side of vehicle covered in under sill so unable to inspect brake pipes properly (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 26 Apr 2022 101,688 miles

Front Fuel system component leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt drop arm ball joint (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material under side of vehicle covered in under sill so unable to inspect brake pipes properly (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Apr 2021 91,392 miles

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

Fail 21 Apr 2021 91,384 miles

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values (8.2.2.2 (f))

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

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

Pass 9 Jun 2020 56,178 miles
Fail 9 Jun 2020 56,178 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers missing (5.3.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Shock absorbers missing (5.3.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 18 Sep 2018 80,422 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material FRONT TO REAR (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 5 Sep 2018 80,408 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases CENTER BOX BROKEN (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. LHD FITTMENT (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded CALIPER (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. LHD FITTMENT (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear fog lamp obviously incorrectly positioned (4.5.4 (a))

Registration plate missing both (0.1 (a))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material FRONT TO REAR (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources o/s not working (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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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52 VTU is a 2005 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

Across all 2005 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.3% with a typical mileage of 76,444 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 52 VTU, 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 21 years old, this Land Rover Defender is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 52 VTU?

You can check the full history of 52 VTU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 52 VTU registered?

52 VTU is a 2005 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 16 March 2005.

Is 52 VTU safe to buy?

The MOT history for 52 VTU shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 52 VTU 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 52 VTU. 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.