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CJ53 CPJ

2003 Land Rover Defender

Silver Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Jan 2027
Tests29 (22 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75.9%

Mileage

206,341 mi
Last recorded206,341 miles
Recorded on9 Jan 2026
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

RegistrationCJ53 CPJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourSilver
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

22 pass 7 fail
Pass 9 Jan 2026 206,341 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Jan 2025 197,207 miles

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

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

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

Pass 19 Dec 2023 187,900 miles

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

Pass 12 Jan 2023 180,755 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2022 180,382 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

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

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

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

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

Fail 19 Oct 2022 180,365 miles

Exhaust emissions test not completed because smoke levels are significantly in excess of the specified limit values 1.93 (8.2.2.2 (f))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Inner Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

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

Steering system slightly rough (2.1.1 (a))

Pass 20 Oct 2021 172,411 miles

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

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

unable to check underside vehicle fully due to underseal

Fail 20 Oct 2021 172,408 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system brake pipe to caliper (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

unable to check underside vehicle fully due to underseal

Pass 8 Jun 2021 168,296 miles

underbody coated in waxoil

Pass 7 Jul 2020 166,699 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2019 164,022 miles
Pass 9 May 2018 159,836 miles
Pass 24 May 2017 150,569 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2016 148,347 miles

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

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

Pass 11 Feb 2015 143,755 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2014 139,387 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Fail 10 Feb 2014 139,384 miles

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Pass 19 Feb 2013 134,062 miles
Pass 2 May 2012 131,126 miles
Fail 2 May 2012 131,124 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Position lamp switch does not illuminate the front and rear position lamps with a single operation (1.1.A.2)

Pass 3 May 2011 117,394 miles

Chip in offside windscreen.

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 28 Apr 2011 117,279 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged sufficient to significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Chip in offside windscreen.

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 7 May 2010 106,008 miles

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

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

Fail 7 May 2010 106,007 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Pass 24 Feb 2009 88,871 miles

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

Pass 2 Oct 2008 84,995 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2008 84,993 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Pass 5 Oct 2007 81,428 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2006 76,045 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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CJ53 CPJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Silver with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75.9%.

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 CJ53 CPJ, 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 CJ53 CPJ?

You can check the full history of CJ53 CPJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was CJ53 CPJ registered?

CJ53 CPJ is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 23 September 2003.

Is CJ53 CPJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for CJ53 CPJ shows 29 tests with a 75.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does CJ53 CPJ 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 CJ53 CPJ. 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.