CarVerify

Free Car Check

W126 RCJ

2000 Land Rover Defender

Green Diesel 2495cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Feb 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

183,162 mi
Last recorded183,162 miles
Recorded on10 Feb 2026
Typical for 2000 Land Rover Defender100,520 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Land Rover
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationW126 RCJ
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2000
ColourGreen
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 8 fail
Pass 10 Feb 2026 183,162 miles

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

Pass 10 Feb 2025 181,198 miles

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

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

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

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 9 Feb 2024 180,032 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2023 178,782 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2022 176,600 miles

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

Pass 10 Feb 2021 174,068 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2020 171,812 miles
Pass 18 Feb 2019 169,467 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 16 Feb 2018 167,327 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2017 165,002 miles

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

Fail 17 Feb 2017 165,002 miles

Offside Front Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 18 Feb 2016 163,768 miles

Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade split on end

Offside Front Out rigger corroded, just outside prescribed area

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

Rear Cross member corroded

Rear TOWBAR REMOVED. off side rear chassis corroded

Fail 17 Feb 2016 163,768 miles

Offside Front Lower Axle swivel joint has excessive play (2.5.A.3b)

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

Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade split on end

Offside Front Out rigger corroded, just outside prescribed area

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Rear Cross member corroded

Pass 17 Feb 2015 160,135 miles

damp around steering box

Pass 20 Feb 2014 156,068 miles

Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Rear propshaft splines slightly worn

Fail 18 Feb 2014 156,068 miles

Nearside Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Front passenger door hinge deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.B.2)

Rear propshaft splines slightly worn

Pass 21 Mar 2013 152,192 miles
Fail 5 Mar 2013 152,192 miles

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber insecure (2.7.2b)

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

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

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

Pass 2 Mar 2012 146,839 miles
Fail 28 Feb 2012 146,839 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 2 Mar 2011 142,644 miles
Fail 22 Feb 2011 142,638 miles

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

Pass 12 Mar 2010 138,265 miles
Pass 21 May 2009 132,404 miles

brakes noisey

h/brake travel close to reserve end

n/s mirror missing

soiled underside

Fail 19 May 2009 123,393 miles

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

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

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) (2.2.A.1a)

h/brake travel close to reserve end

n/s mirror missing

soiled underside

Fail 19 May 2008 123,376 miles

Nearside Front brake caliper securing device missing (3.5.1j)

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

Pass 19 May 2008 123,376 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2007 109,984 miles
Pass 19 May 2006 95,762 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

W126 RCJ is a 2000 Land Rover Defender in Green with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.4%.

Across all 2000 Land Rover Defender models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 100,520 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 W126 RCJ, 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 26 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 W126 RCJ?

You can check the full history of W126 RCJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was W126 RCJ registered?

W126 RCJ is a 2000 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 25 July 2000.

Is W126 RCJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for W126 RCJ shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does W126 RCJ 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 W126 RCJ. 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.