CarVerify

Free Car Check

M297 WSL

1994 Land Rover Defender

Grey Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Oct 2026
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

173,863 mi
Last recorded173,863 miles
Recorded on14 Oct 2025
Typical for 1994 Land Rover Defender120,267 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationM297 WSL
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1994
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 8 fail
Pass 14 Oct 2025 173,863 miles

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

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

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

Pass 9 Oct 2024 172,425 miles

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

Fail 9 Oct 2024 172,425 miles

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

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment nut loose (2.1.3 (b) (ii))

Fail 22 Mar 2024 172,407 miles

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn Panard bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 28 Mar 2023 171,469 miles
Fail 21 Mar 2023 171,454 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

Pass 28 Mar 2022 169,475 miles

Rear Electrical wiring inadequately secured chassis wiring grommet missing (4.11 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Mar 2021 165,817 miles
Fail 10 Mar 2021 165,811 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Steering box has excessive movement between sector shaft and the drop arm Pitman arm excess movement (2.1.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 Mar 2020 162,348 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2019 156,577 miles

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch All Tyres (5.2.3 (f))

Pass 7 Mar 2018 152,897 miles
Fail 7 Mar 2018 152,897 miles

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 1 Apr 2017 146,306 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2010 145,761 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 15 Jan 2009 144,448 miles

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

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

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

Fail 13 Jan 2009 144,448 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 14 Dec 2007 138,121 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 12 Dec 2007 138,121 miles

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

Pass 1 Dec 2006 131,153 miles
Pass 7 Dec 2005 120,330 miles
Fail 28 Nov 2005 120,330 miles

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Front Steering arm deformed and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d) DANGEROUS

Front Steering component deformed and unserviceable (2.2.C.1d) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Offside Rear 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

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

M297 WSL is a 1994 Land Rover Defender in Grey with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

Across all 1994 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 120,267 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 M297 WSL, 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 32 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 M297 WSL?

You can check the full history of M297 WSL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M297 WSL registered?

M297 WSL is a 1994 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 14 December 1994.

Is M297 WSL safe to buy?

The MOT history for M297 WSL shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M297 WSL 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 M297 WSL. 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.