CarVerify

Free Car Check

J17 RBF

1997 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Nov 2024
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

176,558 mi
Last recorded176,558 miles
Recorded on20 Nov 2023
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Defender117,879 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ17 RBF
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
ColourWhite
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 5 fail
Pass 20 Nov 2023 176,558 miles

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

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

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 17 Nov 2023 176,558 miles

Power steering pipe/hose leaking (2.1.5 (a))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

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

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 15 Nov 2022 175,066 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2021 172,950 miles

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

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

oil leaks

Pass 24 May 2019 171,615 miles
Fail 17 May 2019 171,599 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Fail 17 May 2019 171,588 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Towbar is so weakened by corrosion within 30cm of a towbar mounting, the towbar is likely to become detached chassis (6.1.6 (i) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 18 May 2018 168,385 miles
Fail 15 May 2018 168,383 miles

Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Pass 5 May 2017 164,683 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2016 159,769 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2015 154,881 miles

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

Pass 3 Apr 2014 150,783 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2014 150,782 miles

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 15 Feb 2013 144,643 miles

Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 4 Jan 2012 136,735 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 5 Jan 2011 122,501 miles
Pass 13 May 2010 119,154 miles
Pass 6 May 2009 110,670 miles

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

Pass 2 May 2008 103,859 miles
Pass 11 May 2007 95,884 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 18 May 2006 86,134 miles
Pass 18 May 2006 86,134 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

J17 RBF is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 J17 RBF, 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 J17 RBF?

You can check the full history of J17 RBF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J17 RBF registered?

J17 RBF is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is J17 RBF safe to buy?

The MOT history for J17 RBF shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J17 RBF 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 J17 RBF. 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.