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BU52 NJZ

2002 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Dec 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

131,006 mi
Last recorded131,006 miles
Recorded on25 Nov 2025
Typical for 2002 Land Rover Defender91,689 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBU52 NJZ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2002
ColourBlue
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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 25 Nov 2025 131,006 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

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

rear A frame ball joint dust cover deteriorated

steering drop arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated

Pass 9 Dec 2024 130,101 miles

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

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

Fail 9 Dec 2024 130,101 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 18 May 2023 129,791 miles

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

Pass 11 May 2022 128,254 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All Tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 4 May 2022 128,239 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All Tyres (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 15 Apr 2022 128,222 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device ineffective (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Brake servo inoperative (1.1.10 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Oct 2019 123,350 miles

Front tyres perished in the treads.

Oil leak from gear box area.

Oil leak from rear differential pinion area.

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 26 Sep 2019 123,275 miles

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front tyres perished in the treads.

Oil leak from gear box area.

Oil leak from rear differential pinion area.

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 27 Sep 2018 118,572 miles

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

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

temporary fuel cap fitted

Pass 5 Sep 2017 115,673 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2016 112,799 miles

engine has slight oil leak

Fail 6 Sep 2016 112,799 miles

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

engine has slight oil leak

Pass 2 Sep 2015 110,242 miles

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

Pass 28 Aug 2014 108,582 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 27 Aug 2013 107,340 miles

Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 29 Aug 2012 103,192 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2011 97,628 miles

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

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 26 Aug 2011 97,404 miles

Fuel tank leaking (7.2.3)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 17 Aug 2010 90,605 miles

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 17 Aug 2010 90,605 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 2 Sep 2009 84,217 miles

Brake pedal rubber worn.

Rear tyres perished and worn.

Pass 2 Sep 2008 79,461 miles

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

Pass 17 Aug 2007 69,522 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2006 54,540 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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BU52 NJZ is a 2002 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 2002 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.1% with a typical mileage of 91,689 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 BU52 NJZ, 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 24 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 BU52 NJZ?

You can check the full history of BU52 NJZ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BU52 NJZ registered?

BU52 NJZ is a 2002 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 September 2002.

Is BU52 NJZ safe to buy?

The MOT history for BU52 NJZ shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BU52 NJZ 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 BU52 NJZ. 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.