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J1 MXX

1997 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Mar 2027
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

142,724 mi
Last recorded142,724 miles
Recorded on4 Mar 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

RegistrationJ1 MXX
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1997
ColourRed
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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 4 Mar 2026 142,724 miles
Pass 19 Feb 2025 128,713 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2025 128,713 miles

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 12 Feb 2024 123,261 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2023 118,469 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2022 113,467 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2021 107,477 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2020 104,979 miles

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

Pass 12 Sep 2018 102,080 miles

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

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

Fail 12 Sep 2018 102,080 miles

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

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

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps x2 bulbs (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 24 Jul 2017 99,078 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2016 97,330 miles
Fail 6 Jul 2016 97,325 miles

Nearside Front Panhard rod has excessive play in a pin/bush rubber bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Track rod end loose (2.2.B.1d)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Rear Brake pad(s) has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded cross member (2.4.A.3)

Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 11 Nov 2014 95,527 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2013 92,768 miles

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

rear tyres deteriorating

Fail 10 Apr 2013 92,762 miles

Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

rear tyres deteriorating

Pass 15 Mar 2012 90,865 miles

Centre Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 15 Mar 2012 90,865 miles

Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 17 May 2010 65,707 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Fail 12 May 2010 65,700 miles

Indicator switch faulty (1.4.A.1)

Nearside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Offside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 23 Jan 2009 83,651 miles

some play steering box

some play track rod ends

Pass 8 Jun 2007 79,103 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)

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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J1 MXX is a 1997 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

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 MXX, 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 MXX?

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

What year was J1 MXX registered?

J1 MXX is a 1997 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is J1 MXX safe to buy?

The MOT history for J1 MXX shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J1 MXX 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 MXX. 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.