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F8 VJB

1997 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jan 2027
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

141,894 mi
Last recorded141,894 miles
Recorded on23 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 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

RegistrationF8 VJB
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 3 fail
Pass 23 Jan 2026 141,894 miles

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

Pass 27 Jan 2025 137,601 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2025 137,601 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 2 Jan 2024 133,242 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2023 133,189 miles

Fuel system component leaking around lift pump on engine (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 3 Jan 2023 128,666 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2021 123,871 miles
Pass 23 Dec 2020 119,399 miles

Offside Rear Jacking point corroded

Offside Rear Towbar slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting Chassis starting to corrode (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Rear Towbar slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting Cross member (6.1.6 (i) (i))

Pass 18 Jun 2019 114,009 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Jun 2018 110,460 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2017 105,886 miles

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

Pass 20 Jun 2016 101,259 miles

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

Fail 16 Jun 2016 101,246 miles

Headlamp aim too high Both (1.8)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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

Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting Rear crossmember corroded, lower and rear faces (6.6.6)

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

Pass 24 Sep 2015 100,387 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2014 99,576 miles

various parts of chassis corroded

Pass 19 Sep 2013 99,103 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2012 97,934 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2011 97,329 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2010 96,147 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2009 94,729 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2008 93,414 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2007 91,862 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2006 89,818 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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F8 VJB is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

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 F8 VJB, 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 F8 VJB?

You can check the full history of F8 VJB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F8 VJB registered?

F8 VJB is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 April 1997.

Is F8 VJB safe to buy?

The MOT history for F8 VJB shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F8 VJB 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 F8 VJB. 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.