CarVerify

Free Car Check

B603 BTU

1985 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Mar 2027
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

209,387 mi
Last recorded209,387 miles
Recorded on11 Mar 2026
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationB603 BTU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
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

14 pass 5 fail
Pass 11 Mar 2026 209,387 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2019 207,189 miles

Front Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

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

Rear Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively (6.1.7 (c) (i))

both front hub seals leaking

Pass 19 Sep 2018 203,879 miles

Central chassis corroded

Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 11 Sep 2017 195,785 miles

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

Offside centre chassis damaged

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive chassis nearside and offside (2.4.A.3)

Pass 22 Aug 2016 190,744 miles

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

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

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

Offside centre chassis damaged

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 11 Aug 2016 190,698 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting chassis (6.6.6) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting chassis (6.6.6) DANGEROUS

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

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

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

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

Offside centre chassis damaged

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 31 Jul 2015 188,648 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch

Pass 10 Feb 2014 184,494 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

battery tray corroding

tyres protruding from wheel arches

xhaust fouling on crosmember

Pass 29 Oct 2012 178,174 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure slightly damaged within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

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

Steering damper modified, but not inappropriately (2.2.C.1e)

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

Wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch

Pass 20 Oct 2011 169,500 miles

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

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 20 Sep 2010 164,196 miles

Offside Front Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

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

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 11 Sep 2009 153,257 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2009 153,257 miles

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

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Lower Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Nearside Front Steering system has a tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (2.2.D.2a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Offside Front Steering system has a tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (2.2.D.2a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Non obligatory mirror damaged

Pass 10 Sep 2008 149,134 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2008 149,133 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 7 Dec 2006 148,010 miles
Fail 1 Dec 2006 148,000 miles

Parking brake lever, pawl mechanism pivots or their associated mountings are insecure (3.1.4b)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

near side front inner hub seal leaking.

off side front door hard to open from inside.

off side front inner hub seal leaking.

Fail 29 Oct 2005 146,958 miles

Nearside Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated but can function as intended (2.4.F.3)

Offside Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated but can function as intended (2.4.F.3)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

vehicle in general poor condition.

Pass 29 Oct 2005 146,958 miles

Nearside Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated but can function as intended (2.4.F.3)

Offside Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated but can function as intended (2.4.F.3)

vehicle in general poor condition.

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

B603 BTU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

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 B603 BTU, 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 B603 BTU?

You can check the full history of B603 BTU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B603 BTU registered?

B603 BTU is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 January 1985.

Is B603 BTU safe to buy?

The MOT history for B603 BTU shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B603 BTU 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 B603 BTU. 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.