CarVerify

Free Car Check

AU05 XCJ

2005 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Sep 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

96,117 mi
Last recorded96,117 miles
Recorded on8 Sep 2025
Typical for 2005 Land Rover Defender76,444 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

RegistrationAU05 XCJ
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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 8 Sep 2025 96,117 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2024 94,124 miles

General corrosion

Pass 8 Sep 2023 94,067 miles

Coolant reservoir tank empty

Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view Damage in the remainder of the windscreen’s swept area more than 40mm in diameter (3.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective Headlight lens slightly cloudy (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective Headlight lens slightly cloudy (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 16 Sep 2022 91,364 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2021 86,873 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2020 83,621 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2020 83,621 miles

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

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

Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Nov 2019 77,985 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front of a frame bush wearing slight play on shaker plates (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened face pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front of a frame bush wearing slight play on shaker plates (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Nov 2019 77,985 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Brake pipe excessively corroded brake pipe from flexi to calliper, along the axle corroded, also not supported in clip. (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Upper Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded upper ferrule corroded at rigid pipe connection, flexi sheath swollen due to rust underneath. (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively blade deteriorated not clearing screen (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Upper Brake pipe at imminent risk of failure or fracture pipe from flexi pipe to under inner wing marked yellow chalk (1.1.11 (a)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front of a frame bush wearing slight play on shaker plates (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened face pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front of a frame bush wearing slight play on shaker plates (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Dec 2018 72,658 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2017 66,467 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2016 58,573 miles

Engine oily at rear

Nearside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

front axle differential pinion oily

Fail 17 Dec 2016 58,573 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Engine oily at rear

Nearside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

front axle differential pinion oily

Pass 22 Dec 2015 50,568 miles

Front Advise both front tyres perishing on outer sidewall.

Rear Advise condition of both rear brake disc inner surfaces.

Fail 12 Dec 2015 50,545 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

surface corrosion on front and rear discs

Pass 13 Dec 2014 48,997 miles

oil on both rear brake hoses.

towing socket hanging free.

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Non obligatory mirror damaged

O/S STEP, SERIOUSLY CORRODED.

O/S/R OUTER BRAKE PAD ON MINIMUM LIMIT.

both front tyre sidewalls scuffed, both rears perishing.

both rear brake discs, inner faces corroded.

Pass 23 Nov 2013 47,373 miles

Non obligatory mirror damaged

O/S STEP, SERIOUSLY CORRODED.

O/S/R OUTER BRAKE PAD ON MINIMUM LIMIT

both rear brake discs, inner faces corroded.

n/s/f tyre outer sidewall damaged.

Fail 23 Nov 2013 47,373 miles

Nearside Outer Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

Non obligatory mirror damaged

O/S STEP, SERIOUSLY CORRODED.

O/S/R OUTER BRAKE PAD ON MINIMUM LIMIT

both rear brake discs, inner faces corroded.

n/s/f tyre outer sidewall damaged.

Pass 19 Nov 2012 44,062 miles

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

rear brake discs rustey

Fail 16 Nov 2012 44,062 miles

Front An item not tested (Manual)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

rear brake discs rustey

Pass 10 Sep 2011 40,900 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2010 38,609 miles
Fail 1 Apr 2010 38,609 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 31 Mar 2009 35,168 miles
Fail 31 Mar 2009 35,168 miles

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

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 29 Mar 2008 34,117 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

AU05 XCJ is a 2005 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 AU05 XCJ, 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 AU05 XCJ?

You can check the full history of AU05 XCJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AU05 XCJ registered?

AU05 XCJ is a 2005 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 20 March 2005.

Is AU05 XCJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for AU05 XCJ shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AU05 XCJ 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 AU05 XCJ. 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.