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VU53 FWY

2003 Land Rover Defender

Blue Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Sep 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

91,534 mi
Last recorded91,534 miles
Recorded on19 Sep 2025
Typical for 2003 Land Rover Defender86,068 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationVU53 FWY
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,495cc

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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 4 fail
Pass 19 Sep 2025 91,534 miles

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 20 Sep 2024 89,624 miles

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

n/s/f wheel bearing slight play

Pass 11 Aug 2023 87,596 miles

Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front brake has slight bind

Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 20 Aug 2022 85,530 miles

Direction indicator slightly discoloured O/S/R (4.4.3 (a))

Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread REAR (0.1 (b))

Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 20 Aug 2021 83,885 miles

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Wheel bearing has slight play BOTH FRONTS AND O/S/R (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Aug 2020 78,691 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2019 73,014 miles
Fail 22 Aug 2019 73,014 miles

Road wheel fixings not compatible BOTH REARS (5.2.2 (d))

Pass 22 Aug 2018 67,551 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2017 62,033 miles
Pass 18 Aug 2016 56,632 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2015 51,341 miles

Track rod end ball joint has slight play N/S/F (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 19 Aug 2014 46,255 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2013 40,490 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2013 40,483 miles

Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 21 Aug 2012 35,132 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2011 29,894 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2011 29,894 miles

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 Aug 2010 24,089 miles
Fail 17 Aug 2010 24,059 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Aug 2009 18,290 miles

Nail in rear tyre

Pass 2 Oct 2008 8,380 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2007 2,708 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2006 2,049 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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VU53 FWY is a 2003 Land Rover Defender in Blue with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 2003 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.7% with a typical mileage of 86,068 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 VU53 FWY, 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 23 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 VU53 FWY?

You can check the full history of VU53 FWY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was VU53 FWY registered?

VU53 FWY is a 2003 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 24 October 2003.

Is VU53 FWY safe to buy?

The MOT history for VU53 FWY shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does VU53 FWY 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 VU53 FWY. 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.