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BF53 GZA

2003 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Sep 2026
Tests20 (12 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

124,751 mi
Last recorded124,751 miles
Recorded on19 Sep 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationBF53 GZA
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
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

12 pass 8 fail
Pass 19 Sep 2025 124,751 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2024 124,254 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2023 123,899 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2023 123,881 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2022 123,211 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2022 123,211 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 12 Jul 2021 121,876 miles
Pass 23 May 2020 120,994 miles
Fail 22 May 2020 120,994 miles

Brake performance not tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Axle swivel pins and bushes swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn (5.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) incorrectly mounted (1.1.13 (c)) DANGEROUS

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 14 Jun 2019 107,747 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2019 107,747 miles

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing play so excessive that directional control is impaired (5.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Fail 24 Aug 2010 90,128 miles

Offside Front Steering locking device missing (2.2.C.1g)

Pass 24 Aug 2010 90,128 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2010 90,117 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Oil leak

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

seepage from rear diff seal

Pass 21 Aug 2009 74,925 miles

Due to a change in regulations its possible that this vehicle will fall into CLASS 7 catagory next year

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

Offside Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 21 Aug 2009 74,919 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

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

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

Due to a change in regulations its possible that this vehicle will fall into CLASS 7 catagory next year

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

Offside Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 13 Aug 2008 61,044 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2007 47,464 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2007 47,464 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Pass 18 Aug 2006 37,065 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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BF53 GZA is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 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 BF53 GZA, 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 BF53 GZA?

You can check the full history of BF53 GZA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BF53 GZA registered?

BF53 GZA is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 September 2003.

Is BF53 GZA safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF53 GZA shows 20 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF53 GZA 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 BF53 GZA. 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.