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R657 BDU

1997 Land Rover Discovery

White Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Feb 2027
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

258,158 mi
Last recorded258,158 miles
Recorded on18 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Land Rover Discovery124,978 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR657 BDU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDiscovery
Year1997
ColourWhite
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 9 fail
Pass 18 Feb 2026 258,158 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2025 257,704 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2024 256,804 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2022 256,511 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2021 256,166 miles
Fail 10 Dec 2021 256,166 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Pass 16 Dec 2020 254,527 miles
Pass 7 Dec 2019 251,628 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2018 244,462 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin front and rear pads low (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front passenger door catch deteriorated so the door cannot be readily opened or closed (6.2.3 (c) (i))

Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Fail 13 Dec 2018 244,460 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine (8.2.2.2 (b))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn stabeliser bush split (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Brake pad(s) wearing thin front and rear pads low (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front passenger door catch deteriorated so the door cannot be readily opened or closed (6.2.3 (c) (i))

Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 18 Dec 2017 273,939 miles

Drive shaft uj which forms part of the suspension has slight play in a universal joint rear drive coupling showing signs of age and deteriation (2.4.G.4b)

rear parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.6b)

Pass 10 Dec 2016 236,313 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2015 234,302 miles
Fail 16 Dec 2015 234,301 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings inner flitchs and wheel arches not welded to mot standard (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings inner sill holed and corroded (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings body mounting not welded to mot standard (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings inner wheel arches not welded to mot standard (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Upper Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings boot floor corroded (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings inner flitches and wheel arches not welded to mot standard (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Inner Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings wheel arches not welded to mot standard (6.1.B.2)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 17 Nov 2014 259,771 miles
Fail 17 Nov 2014 259,771 miles

Centre Obligatory mirror missing (8.1.1)

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

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

Nearside Inner Fluid suspension leaking (2.4.D.2)

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

Offside Front Driver's door hinge deteriorated so the door cannot be readily opened or closed (6.2.B.2)

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

Pass 11 Nov 2013 232,844 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2013 232,844 miles

Obligatory mirror missing (8.1.1)

Offside Power steering ram(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

n/s/f hub seal has slight leak

Pass 19 Nov 2012 204,895 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2012 204,895 miles

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

Offside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 Oct 2011 197,997 miles
Fail 19 Oct 2011 197,997 miles

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

Pass 18 Oct 2010 185,802 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2010 185,802 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 13 Oct 2009 177,891 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2008 176,395 miles

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

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

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

Pass 21 Dec 2007 175,059 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 4 Jan 2007 169,252 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2006 160,257 miles
Fail 13 Feb 2006 160,158 miles

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

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

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

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

How Reliable is the Land Rover Discovery?

Based on 4,388,972 MOT tests across 325,470 vehicles.

72.7%
Pass Rate
6,904
Miles/Year
36
Year Lifespan
325,470
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 153,632
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 141,712
Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings 136,366
position lamp(s) not working 91,214
Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush 88,089
Full Land Rover Discovery reliability report

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R657 BDU is a 1997 Land Rover Discovery in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1997 Land Rover Discovery models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.7% with a typical mileage of 124,978 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Land Rover Discovery fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 153,632 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R657 BDU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Land Rover Discovery typically stays on UK roads for around 36 years. At 29 years old, this Land Rover Discovery is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R657 BDU?

You can check the full history of R657 BDU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R657 BDU registered?

R657 BDU is a 1997 Land Rover Discovery, first registered on 11 November 1997.

Is R657 BDU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R657 BDU shows 30 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R657 BDU 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 R657 BDU. 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.