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BF53 OWJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Aug 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

80,907 mi
Last recorded80,907 miles
Recorded on13 Aug 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationBF53 OWJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 13 Aug 2025 80,907 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2025 80,897 miles

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c)) DANGEROUS

Pass 20 Aug 2024 80,158 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2024 80,158 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Pass 22 Aug 2023 79,412 miles

Nearside Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security in front of rear wheel arch (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security in front of rear wheel arch (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 7 Apr 2022 78,731 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2021 75,895 miles

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

Pass 26 Mar 2020 73,907 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2020 73,907 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Fuel pipe leaking excessively or a risk of fire (6.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 26 Feb 2019 70,901 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 9 Mar 2018 66,535 miles

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 9 Mar 2018 66,535 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 3 Mar 2017 62,841 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2016 59,135 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 4 Feb 2015 54,612 miles

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

Pass 18 Feb 2014 50,491 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2013 45,623 miles

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

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

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

both wiper blades torn at ends

nearside rear door seal catching latch

Pass 1 Feb 2012 40,503 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2011 36,290 miles

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

Pass 5 Feb 2010 31,548 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2009 27,675 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2008 23,315 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2007 22,331 miles
Fail 30 Oct 2006 19,088 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 30 Oct 2006 19,088 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 OWJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 BF53 OWJ, 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 OWJ?

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

What year was BF53 OWJ registered?

BF53 OWJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 7 October 2003.

Is BF53 OWJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF53 OWJ shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF53 OWJ 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 OWJ. 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.