CarVerify

Free Car Check

A5 RSL

1998 Land Rover Defender

Blue Petrol 3947cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Aug 2026
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

153,306 mi
Last recorded153,306 miles
Recorded on23 Jul 2025
Typical for 1998 Land Rover Defender110,057 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationA5 RSL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,947cc

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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 23 Jul 2025 153,306 miles
Fail 23 Jul 2025 153,306 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint insecure (2.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Jul 2024 150,536 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2023 147,599 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2022
Fail 4 Aug 2022

Headlamp aim too low both (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 16 Mar 2021 144,846 miles

Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 3 Mar 2021 144,831 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis at trailing arm mount point (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing significantly weakened (7.1.2 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Note! offside front and centre body mounting points are corroded and offside side step rear mounting point is corroded.

Pass 12 Mar 2020 144,546 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2020 144,546 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 8 Mar 2019 144,356 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Fail 8 Mar 2019 144,356 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 16 Mar 2018 143,350 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Fail 13 Mar 2018 143,350 miles

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

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

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

Braking system leaking Rear pipe to flexi hose! (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Brakes not tested due to fluid leak!

Pass 17 Mar 2017 137,435 miles
Fail 16 Mar 2017 137,432 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

registration plate fitted to the rear does not have black characters on a yellow background (6.3.2b)

registration plate fitted to the rear does not have black characters on a yellow background (6.3.2b)

Pass 16 Mar 2016 128,570 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2015 120,919 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 19 Mar 2014 113,420 miles

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

Pass 22 Jun 2012 99,637 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2011 93,036 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 4 May 2010 84,756 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2010 84,535 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Pass 18 Apr 2009 75,832 miles
Fail 16 Apr 2009 75,831 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Pass 17 Apr 2008 70,128 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

both rear tyres cracking

Pass 23 Apr 2007 64,040 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2006 58,934 miles

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

A5 RSL is a 1998 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 3,947cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

Across all 1998 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.3% with a typical mileage of 110,057 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 A5 RSL, 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 28 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 A5 RSL?

You can check the full history of A5 RSL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A5 RSL registered?

A5 RSL is a 1998 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is A5 RSL safe to buy?

The MOT history for A5 RSL shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A5 RSL 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 A5 RSL. 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.