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W978 RCU

2000 Land Rover Defender

White Diesel 2495cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 May 2027
Tests9 (8 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate88.9%

Mileage

162,166 mi
Last recorded162,166 miles
Recorded on19 May 2026
Typical for 2000 Land Rover Defender100,520 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationW978 RCU
MakeLand Rover
ModelDefender
Year2000
ColourWhite
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

8 pass 1 fail
Pass 19 May 2026 162,166 miles

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

Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords both sides (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play steering box drop arm joint (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Fail 7 May 2026 162,105 miles

Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit (8.2.2.2 (a))

Offside Rear Passenger's seat backrest cannot be secured in the upright position. bolt loose (6.2.6 (a) (i))

Rear Outer Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure both sides, sidewall badly perished 7.50 r16 (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords both sides (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play steering box drop arm joint (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Pass 22 May 2025 158,317 miles

Central Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Nail in tyre

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 20 May 2024 152,045 miles

Central Rear Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 9 May 2023 149,287 miles

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

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

Pass 16 May 2022 145,332 miles
Pass 27 May 2021 140,604 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2020 138,815 miles
Pass 31 May 2019 135,310 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

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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W978 RCU is a 2000 Land Rover Defender in White with a 2,495cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 88.9%.

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 W978 RCU, 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 W978 RCU?

You can check the full history of W978 RCU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was W978 RCU registered?

W978 RCU is a 2000 Land Rover Defender, first registered on 31 December 2000.

Is W978 RCU safe to buy?

The MOT history for W978 RCU shows 9 tests with a 88.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does W978 RCU 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 W978 RCU. 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.