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J88 GEY

1998 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Oct 2026
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

173,933 mi
Last recorded173,933 miles
Recorded on31 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 Land Rover Defender110,057 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ88 GEY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1998
ColourGrey
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

14 pass 4 fail
Pass 31 Oct 2025 173,933 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2019 53,965 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both rear lower bushes (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 27 Sep 2018 43,861 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 21 Sep 2017 21,773 miles
Pass 5 Mar 2016 19,515 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2014 9,777 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2014 94,608 miles

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

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

Brake operation has insufficient reserve pressure/vacuum to provide assistance for at least two more brake applications after the warning lamp or other device has operated (3.3.E.5b) DANGEROUS

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Towbar component insecure (6.6.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Rear Towbar component insecure (6.6.1) DANGEROUS

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

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

Fail 25 Jan 2013 90,467 miles

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Pass 25 Jan 2013 90,467 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2012 86,247 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2011 74,381 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2010 69,987 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2010 69,984 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incomplete (1.5.A1b)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Steering damper damaged and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

n/s/r tyre soft

slight oil leak from steering box

Pass 27 Nov 2008 65,118 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2007 62,557 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 14 Nov 2006 55,927 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 29 Oct 2005 48,745 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2005 48,745 miles

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorber insecure (2.7.2b)

Offside Rear Lower Shock absorber has an excessively 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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J88 GEY is a 1998 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1998 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.3% with a typical mileage of 110,057 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 J88 GEY, 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 28 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 J88 GEY?

You can check the full history of J88 GEY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J88 GEY registered?

J88 GEY is a 1998 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is J88 GEY safe to buy?

The MOT history for J88 GEY shows 18 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J88 GEY 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 J88 GEY. 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.