CarVerify

Free Car Check

BF53 URU

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Nov 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

107,570 mi
Last recorded107,570 miles
Recorded on24 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationBF53 URU
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 6 fail
Pass 24 Oct 2025 107,570 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2024 102,573 miles

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 28 Oct 2024 102,564 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 30 Oct 2023 95,059 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 25 Oct 2022 91,192 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2022 91,192 miles

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 25 Oct 2021 90,180 miles

Engine cover fitted at time of test

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 4 Nov 2020 88,510 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2019 86,945 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 25 Sep 2018 83,129 miles

Offside swivel weeping oil

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material brake pipe nut onto flexi hose corroded (1.1.11 (c))

engine oil leak

Pass 28 Sep 2017 81,510 miles

Central Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 20 Sep 2016 79,056 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2015 75,982 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2015 75,980 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 11 Sep 2014 74,074 miles

Oil leak

general corrosion on under side of vehicle

Pass 24 Sep 2013 70,926 miles
Fail 19 Sep 2013 70,923 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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)

Offside Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Steering box has a significant oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

Pass 21 Sep 2012 65,081 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 16 Sep 2011 59,259 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2011 592,593 miles

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 23 Sep 2010 53,033 miles
Fail 22 Sep 2010 53,030 miles

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

Pass 18 Sep 2009 46,164 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2008 39,439 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2007 30,914 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2006 23,867 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

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

BF53 URU is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 URU, 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 URU?

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

What year was BF53 URU registered?

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

Is BF53 URU safe to buy?

The MOT history for BF53 URU shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BF53 URU 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 URU. 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.