Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 (2004)
2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5
CarHunch analysed 141 real MOT records for the 2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 2004 Defender 90 TD5 has a first-time MOT pass rate of just 55.9%, significantly below the UK average of 80%, which means nearly half of these vehicles fail their test on the first attempt. The good news is that dangerous defects are absent from this dataset, so the failures are clustered around fixable mechanical issues rather than safety-critical problems.
These Defenders are averaging 128,177 miles—right in line with what you'd expect from a nearly 20-year-old workhorse—and they rack up 0.93 failures per test on average, suggesting cumulative wear rather than catastrophic design flaws. If you're considering one, budget for pre-purchase inspection by a Defender specialist and expect ongoing remedial work; this is not a low-maintenance proposition, but it's not a dangerous one either.
What to check before buying a 2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Land Rover Defender 90 Td5
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Mileage Distribution
Most 2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 vehicles fall between 97,809 and 140,338 miles.
2004 Land Rover Defender 90 Td5 — Still on the Road
65 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 76% of the peak remain.
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2017–2025.
MOT History Averages
Found a specific Land Rover Defender 90 Td5?
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