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C603 LEJ

1985 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2496cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Oct 2026
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

157,327 mi
Last recorded157,327 miles
Recorded on20 Oct 2025
Typical for 1985 Land Rover Defender122,807 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC603 LEJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1985
ColourWhite
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,496cc

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

15 pass 8 fail
Pass 20 Oct 2025 157,327 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2024 156,507 miles
Pass 20 Oct 2023 155,713 miles
Fail 20 Oct 2023 155,713 miles

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

Pass 1 Nov 2022 154,940 miles
Fail 1 Nov 2022 154,939 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

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

Offside Front Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Rear fog lamp switch inoperative (4.5.3 (a))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 3 Nov 2021 153,964 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2021 153,964 miles

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

Pass 10 Nov 2020 151,774 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2020 151,773 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc contaminated (1.1.14 (b))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Hub oil leak

Pass 21 Nov 2019 150,674 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2019 150,674 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc contaminated axle swivel leaking oil (1.1.14 (b))

Offside Front Steering locking device ineffective steering component locking nut (2.1.3 (d))

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

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 9 Nov 2018 149,555 miles

Various oil leaks

Pass 9 Nov 2017 147,501 miles

Coolant leak ()

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

Pass 15 Dec 2016 147,045 miles

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

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

Offside Rear splitting in sidewall

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

fuel tank bracket corroded

Pass 20 Jul 2015 145,826 miles

bulkhead repair untidy

oil leak

Fail 20 Jul 2015 145,826 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer missing (7.2.4c)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

bulkhead repair untidy

oil leak

Pass 12 Mar 2014 143,015 miles

Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak

Pass 24 Jan 2013 142,477 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

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

clutch hydralic pipe kinked

clutch slave cylinder leaking

Pass 30 Jan 2012 139,180 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2012 139,180 miles

Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 1 Feb 2006 138,133 miles
Fail 31 Jan 2006 138,133 miles

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

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired (3.6.C.3)

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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C603 LEJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,496cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

Across all 1985 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.3% with a typical mileage of 122,807 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 C603 LEJ, 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 41 years old, this Land Rover Defender is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C603 LEJ?

You can check the full history of C603 LEJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C603 LEJ registered?

C603 LEJ is a 1985 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 7 November 1985.

Is C603 LEJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for C603 LEJ shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C603 LEJ 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 C603 LEJ. 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.