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V185 GAJ

1999 Land Rover Defender

Red Diesel 2500cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Oct 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

140,144 mi
Last recorded140,144 miles
Recorded on13 Oct 2025
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationV185 GAJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourRed
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 13 Oct 2025 140,144 miles

Front Prop shaft joint worn, but not excessively Front Prop shaft both joints minor play (6.1.7 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Sep 2024 138,660 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Sep 2023 136,889 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Aug 2022 133,240 miles

Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users (8.2.2.2 (c))

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Play in steering damper bush

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Sep 2021 129,885 miles

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

Nearside Front Slight free play in hub assembly

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Sep 2020 126,854 miles

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

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

Slight play in steering box drop arm

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2019 123,121 miles

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 31 Aug 2018 119,166 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Underside of vehicle covered in underseal

Pass 31 Aug 2017 115,864 miles
Fail 29 Aug 2017 115,852 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe seriously damaged (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

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

Pass 6 Sep 2016 112,932 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2016 112,932 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Pass 27 Aug 2015 110,358 miles

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

oil leak

Fail 25 Aug 2015 110,358 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded hockey stick (2.4.A.3)

Vehicle structure slightly corroded within 30cm of towbar mounting (6.6.6)

oil leak

Pass 26 Aug 2014 107,842 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Fail 26 Aug 2014 107,842 miles

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

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 21 Aug 2013 104,722 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2013 104,687 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 14 Sep 2012 102,427 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

both front road springs rusty

nearside rear bumpstop missing

offside front body support rusty

Pass 6 Sep 2011 100,240 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 12 Aug 2010 94,258 miles

Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 23 Jul 2009 91,125 miles

Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Fail 21 Jul 2009 91,117 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 21 Jun 2008 85,871 miles
Pass 30 May 2007 84,555 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2006 82,184 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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V185 GAJ is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in Red with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 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 V185 GAJ, 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 V185 GAJ?

You can check the full history of V185 GAJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was V185 GAJ registered?

V185 GAJ is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 29 September 1999.

Is V185 GAJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for V185 GAJ shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does V185 GAJ 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 V185 GAJ. 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.