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J1 ESB

1997 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 May 2027
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

188,198 mi
Last recorded188,198 miles
Recorded on21 Apr 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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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ1 ESB
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

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 21 Apr 2026 188,198 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 14 Apr 2025 185,335 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive spring mount (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Apr 2024 181,361 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front floor corroding

Pass 25 Apr 2023 175,787 miles

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

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

Fail 25 Apr 2023 175,786 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis/ near shock absorber (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis near shock absorber (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 3 May 2022 170,586 miles
Pass 21 Apr 2021 164,468 miles
Pass 22 Apr 2020 160,034 miles

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

all tyres splitting

Pass 17 Apr 2019 154,527 miles

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

Pass 30 Apr 2018 149,576 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2018 149,576 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis (2.4.A.3)

Pass 11 Apr 2017 145,160 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2016 139,923 miles

large amount of surface rust on chassis and body mountings

Fail 21 Apr 2016 139,923 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded inner wheel arch (5.2.6)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded floor (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded inner wheel arch (5.2.6)

large amount of surface rust on chassis and body mountings

nearside and offside sill corroded in a non prescribed area

Pass 8 Apr 2015 133,656 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 14 Apr 2014 127,476 miles

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

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

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

condensation in o/s/f headlamp

Pass 23 Apr 2013 121,244 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Apr 2012 114,779 miles

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

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

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

Pass 26 Apr 2011 107,159 miles

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

Pass 19 Apr 2010 99,265 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2009 92,185 miles

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

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

o/s drag linkend to steering box boot split

Pass 18 Apr 2008 87,387 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2007 79,519 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2006 73,021 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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J1 ESB is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

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 J1 ESB, 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 J1 ESB?

You can check the full history of J1 ESB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J1 ESB registered?

J1 ESB is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 April 1997.

Is J1 ESB safe to buy?

The MOT history for J1 ESB shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J1 ESB 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 J1 ESB. 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.