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T438 MEC

1999 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2500cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jul 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

181,647 mi
Last recorded181,647 miles
Recorded on29 Jul 2026
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationT438 MEC
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,500cc

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

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 29 Jul 2026 181,647 miles

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

Pass 13 Dec 2021 180,023 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2020 176,237 miles
Pass 28 May 2019 170,381 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2018 161,463 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2016 159,754 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2016 159,744 miles

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

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 8 Sep 2015 135,324 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Sep 2014 132,628 miles

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

Pass 5 Sep 2013 128,798 miles

Lower Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 5 Sep 2013 128,798 miles

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

Rear Upper Vehicle structure excessively corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

Lower Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 6 Sep 2012 123,367 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 6 Sep 2012 123,367 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Sep 2011 117,394 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2011 117,394 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 3 Sep 2010 112,984 miles

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

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

centre rear suspension arm ball joint slight play/wear

corrosion on brake pipes not all pipes visible at test

front suspension turrets corroded not holed at test

Fail 2 Sep 2010 112,983 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is fractured (5.2.6)

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

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

centre rear suspension arm ball joint slight play/wear

corrosion on brake pipes not all pipes visible at test

front suspension turrets corroded not holed at test

Pass 2 Sep 2009 107,299 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2009 107,299 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 27 Aug 2008 100,536 miles

Centre Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 27 Aug 2008 100,536 miles

Offside Stop lamp excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Centre Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 30 Aug 2007 94,397 miles
Fail 29 Aug 2007 94,323 miles

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

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 23 Aug 2006 88,620 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2005 80,472 miles

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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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.

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T438 MEC is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

Across all 1999 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 106,873 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 T438 MEC, 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 27 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 T438 MEC?

You can check the full history of T438 MEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was T438 MEC registered?

T438 MEC is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 1 March 1999.

Is T438 MEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for T438 MEC shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does T438 MEC 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 T438 MEC. 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.