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BD53 MUD

2003 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Nov 2026
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

138,867 mi
Last recorded138,867 miles
Recorded on28 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBD53 MUD
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourRed
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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 28 Oct 2025 138,867 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2024 138,046 miles
Pass 10 Nov 2023 137,090 miles

All direction indicators slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Rear bump stop missing

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

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 26 Oct 2022 133,773 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2021 129,935 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2020 125,952 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin x4 pads (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.5.4 (b))

Fail 5 Nov 2020 125,952 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin x4 pads (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.5.4 (b))

Pass 12 Oct 2018 123,335 miles

DECAT pipe sat in vehicle

Pass 8 Jun 2017 122,875 miles
Pass 18 May 2016 121,139 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2015 118,846 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2013 113,505 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2012 100,239 miles

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

Pass 26 Aug 2011 88,966 miles

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

n/s wiper blade deteriorating

Fail 19 Aug 2011 88,966 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

n/s wiper blade deteriorating

sreering damper play in o/s bush

Pass 28 May 2010 743,022 miles
Fail 20 May 2010 74,135 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Temporary fuel cap fitted

Pass 19 May 2009 60,846 miles

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 19 May 2009 60,846 miles

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 31 Mar 2008 44,047 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

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

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

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

Fail 31 Mar 2008 44,047 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

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

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

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

Pass 19 Mar 2007 36,124 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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BD53 MUD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

Across all 2003 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.7% with a typical mileage of 86,068 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 BD53 MUD, 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 23 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 BD53 MUD?

You can check the full history of BD53 MUD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BD53 MUD registered?

BD53 MUD is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 28 November 2003.

Is BD53 MUD safe to buy?

The MOT history for BD53 MUD shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BD53 MUD 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 BD53 MUD. 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.