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V978 LOB

1999 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2500cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jun 2027
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

222,066 mi
Last recorded222,066 miles
Recorded on29 Jun 2026
Typical for 1999 Land Rover Defender106,873 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationV978 LOB
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year1999
ColourWhite
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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 29 Jun 2026 222,066 miles

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 21 May 2025 215,528 miles

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

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt all (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Steering linkage ball joint has slight play From steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 20 May 2025 215,528 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt all (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Steering linkage ball joint has slight play From steering box (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Dec 2023 212,599 miles
Pass 13 May 2021 212,581 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2016 212,477 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

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

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

Pass 9 Jan 2015 203,132 miles

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

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

Pass 11 Jan 2014 194,255 miles

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

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Fail 7 Jan 2014 194,255 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

Offside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

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

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Pass 9 Jan 2013 181,040 miles

Exhaust has parts of system corroded

Oil leak

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

Pass 14 Dec 2011 169,844 miles

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

Fail 13 Dec 2011 169,844 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 10 Jan 2011 160,009 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2010 148,710 miles
Fail 4 Jan 2010 148,710 miles

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 5 Jan 2009 134,744 miles

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

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

Fail 5 Jan 2009 134,744 miles

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 7 Jan 2008 117,052 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2008 117,052 miles

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

Pass 18 Dec 2006 100,344 miles

rear "A"frame ball joint worn.

Fail 15 Dec 2006 100,344 miles

Centre Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Pass 16 Dec 2005 83,573 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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V978 LOB is a 1999 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,500cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 V978 LOB, 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 V978 LOB?

You can check the full history of V978 LOB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was V978 LOB registered?

V978 LOB is a 1999 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 7 December 1999.

Is V978 LOB safe to buy?

The MOT history for V978 LOB 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 V978 LOB 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 V978 LOB. 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.