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B497 JEJ

1985 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Oct 2026
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

44,384 mi
Last recorded44,384 miles
Recorded on22 Oct 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationB497 JEJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 22 Oct 2025 44,384 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2024 43,131 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2024 43,131 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 23 Aug 2023 40,948 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2022 39,490 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2021 36,608 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2020 29,950 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2019 25,850 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2018 22,301 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2017 22,162 miles
Pass 14 Jul 2016 18,712 miles

Offside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Pass 13 Jul 2015 14,283 miles

Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

Fail 9 Jul 2015 14,277 miles

Nearside Front Panhard rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Panhard rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Steering column universal joint has slight play (2.1.5)

Pass 11 Jul 2014 9,773 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 10 Jul 2014 9,767 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

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

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Upper Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 18 Jul 2013 5,068 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 12 Jul 2012 1,328 miles

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

Nearside Rear Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded but its strength is not seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting corroded but its strength is not seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

Offside Track rod end slightly corroded but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Pass 8 Jul 2011 38,027 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2010 34,628 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Oil leak

Pass 26 May 2009 31,321 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2008 28,256 miles
Pass 16 May 2007 24,836 miles

Nearside Inner Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 16 May 2006 20,082 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

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B497 JEJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

Across all 1985 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.3% with a typical mileage of 122,807 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 B497 JEJ, 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 41 years old, this Land Rover Defender is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of B497 JEJ?

You can check the full history of B497 JEJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B497 JEJ registered?

B497 JEJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 27 March 1985.

Is B497 JEJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for B497 JEJ shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B497 JEJ 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 B497 JEJ. 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.