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BG53 RJY

2003 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Sep 2026
Tests20 (19 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate95%

Mileage

157,362 mi
Last recorded157,362 miles
Recorded on8 Sep 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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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBG53 RJY
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

19 pass 1 fail
Pass 8 Sep 2025 157,362 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all 4 discs (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all 4 corners (1.1.11 (c))

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

Central Rear Lower Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Central Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all 4 lightly cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 4 Sep 2024 156,216 miles

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

front swivels leaking

Pass 1 Nov 2021 156,178 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

Fail 1 Nov 2021 156,178 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 27 Oct 2020 155,315 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material ALL in places (1.1.11 (c))

Power steering ram has slight seepage from a joint (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 24 Oct 2019 153,413 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All in places (1.1.11 (c))

Steering dampener damp

Pass 25 Oct 2018 151,699 miles

Steering dampener damp

Pass 2 Nov 2017 150,614 miles

Oil leak gearbox ()

Pass 13 Oct 2016 149,183 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2015 144,854 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2015 138,537 miles

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

slight diesel leak rear of engine

Pass 18 Mar 2014 125,869 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2013 112,753 miles

both rear shock absorber top rubbers poor

o/s door card missing

Pass 19 Mar 2012 101,341 miles

drivers door card missing

n/s door mirror glass cracked

Pass 15 Mar 2011 90,094 miles

front suspension arm bushes worn

rear shockabsorber bushes worn

rear trailing arm bushes worn

Pass 19 Mar 2010 78,751 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2009 67,349 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2008 56,723 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Apr 2007 45,374 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2006 45,249 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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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.

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BG53 RJY is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 95%.

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 BG53 RJY, 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 BG53 RJY?

You can check the full history of BG53 RJY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BG53 RJY registered?

BG53 RJY is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 October 2003.

Is BG53 RJY safe to buy?

The MOT history for BG53 RJY shows 20 tests with a 95% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BG53 RJY 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 BG53 RJY. 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.