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C5 NRC

1997 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Feb 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

239,080 mi
Last recorded239,080 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC5 NRC
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
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 6 Feb 2026 239,080 miles
Pass 8 Feb 2025 230,665 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Fail 7 Feb 2025 230,632 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 8 Feb 2024 222,330 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2023 215,426 miles

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

Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush Both rear, upper bushes (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 5 Feb 2022 211,193 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2021 202,348 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2020 194,866 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Jan 2020 194,864 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Tail pipe (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 8 Feb 2019 190,515 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive Front and rear crankshaft seal (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively Rear shaft rear joint (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Pass 29 Jan 2018 188,304 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Jan 2017 185,228 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 30 Jan 2017 185,228 miles

Stop lamp not working Both sides (1.2.1b)

Oil leak ()

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 20 Jan 2016 181,552 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 27 Jan 2015 177,648 miles

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

Pass 31 Jan 2014 172,213 miles
Fail 31 Jan 2014 173,313 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 16 Jun 2012 166,618 miles

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 8 Jun 2012 166,561 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Radius arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 3 Jun 2011 159,069 miles

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

nearside drag link ball joint cover split

Pass 17 Jun 2010 153,525 miles
Fail 17 Jun 2010 153,525 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 5 Mar 2009 146,784 miles

Oil leak

Rear Rear position lamp(s) not in a clean condition but function not impaired (1.1.4a)

Pass 7 Feb 2008 143,297 miles

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 27 Feb 2007 134,797 miles

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 23 Feb 2006 128,260 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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C5 NRC is a 1997 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 1997 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.5% with a typical mileage of 117,879 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 C5 NRC, 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 29 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 C5 NRC?

You can check the full history of C5 NRC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C5 NRC registered?

C5 NRC is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 8 February 1997.

Is C5 NRC safe to buy?

The MOT history for C5 NRC 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 C5 NRC 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 C5 NRC. 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.