CarVerify

Free Car Check

L33 XBB

1996 Land Rover Defender

Black Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Oct 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

31,628 mi
Last recorded31,628 miles
Recorded on14 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 Land Rover Defender122,435 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationL33 XBB
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1996
ColourBlack
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 8 fail
Pass 14 Oct 2025 31,628 miles

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

Fail 14 Oct 2025 31,628 miles

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

Steering box insecure all bolts slightly loose (2.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Sep 2024 31,439 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Inner face (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Inner face (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 3 Oct 2023 31,406 miles

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Oct 2022 31,361 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2022 31,350 miles

Nearside Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Pass 30 Sep 2021 31,222 miles

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 7 Sep 2020 31,020 miles

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

Rear Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced (4.2.3 (a) (i))

Rear Stop lamp(s) light intensity obviously reduced (4.3.3 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Sep 2019 30,785 miles
Fail 9 Sep 2019 30,785 miles

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii))

Pass 17 Sep 2018 30,696 miles

Rear Position lamp incorrect colour (4.2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Oct 2017 128,629 miles
Fail 18 Sep 2017 128,612 miles

Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a non-turbo charged engine (7.4.B.3b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour both (1.4.A.2f)

Rear position lamp(s) incorrect colour both (1.1.A.3e)

Stop lamp emits other than a steady red light both (1.2.1e)

Pass 14 Jan 2016
Pass 19 Jan 2015

n/s front tyre

rear lights [colour]

Fail 5 Jan 2015

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Side repeater missing (1.4.A.2b)

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

Offside Side repeater missing (1.4.A.2b)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

n/s front tyre

rear lights [colour]

Pass 4 Sep 2013

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 4 Sep 2013

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.4.A.2h)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 3 Jan 2012 174,198 miles
Pass 6 Mar 2010 117,256 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2009 161,489 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2008 146,423 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2007 136,781 miles
Fail 29 Jan 2007 136,781 miles

Offside Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 24 Jan 2006 123,880 miles
Fail 23 Jan 2006 123,865 miles

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

Offside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Steering retaining device missing (2.2.C.1g)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

L33 XBB is a 1996 Land Rover Defender in Black with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1996 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.0% with a typical mileage of 122,435 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 L33 XBB, 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 30 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 L33 XBB?

You can check the full history of L33 XBB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L33 XBB registered?

L33 XBB is a 1996 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 12 February 1996.

Is L33 XBB safe to buy?

The MOT history for L33 XBB shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L33 XBB 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 L33 XBB. 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.