1997 Land Rover Defender 2.5L Diesel · R257 BCV
1997 Land Rover Defender (2.5L, diesel). First registered 13/10/1997. Recorded mileage 191,597 miles. MOT valid until 16/03/2027.
- Make & Model
- LAND ROVER DEFENDER
- Year / Origin
- 1997 · Reading
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 16/03/2027
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 191,597 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Non-Compliant (Pre-Euro 6 Diesel)
- Fuel & Engine
- Diesel · 2.5L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
- Fuel Type
- Diesel
- Year
- 1997
- Engine
- 2495cc
R257 BCV Key Findings
- 5 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 17/03/2026
- 191,597 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 1 historical MOT failure
- 12 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring suspension items (13 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
MOT Roadworthiness: Good
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
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R257 BCV Mileage History
- 04/04/2022178,306 mi
- 28/02/2024181,250 mi+2,944 mi
- 03/03/2025186,910 mi+5,660 mi
- 04/03/2025186,910 mi
- 17/03/2026191,597 mi+4,687 mi
Average of roughly 3,363 miles per year across 5 recorded odometer readings.
R257 BCV MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
5 MOT tests are recorded for this 1997 Land Rover Defender (R257 BCV) between April 2022 and March 2026.
The record contains 4 passes and 1 failure.
The most recent test on 17 March 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 1 failure that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Suspension (13 issues), Bodywork (6 issues), Lighting (4 issues), Brakes (3 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 32 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Offside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a bod”; “Offside Front Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.1.3 (a) (i))”; “Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))”.
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