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R197 GJL

1998 Mazda Bongo

White Diesel 2490cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Jan 2027
Tests30 (19 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate63.3%

Mileage

150,151 mi
Last recorded150,151 miles
Recorded on16 Jan 2026
Typical for 1998 Mazda Bongo125,789 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR197 GJL
MakeMazda
ModelBongo
Year1998
ColourWhite
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,490cc

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

19 pass 11 fail
Pass 16 Jan 2026 150,151 miles

Nearside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 15 Jan 2026 150,145 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 16 Jan 2025 146,798 miles

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement D-bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 13 Jan 2025 146,782 miles

Emissions unable to be completed Due to major leak (8.2.2.2 (e))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Flexi (6.1.2 (a))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement D-bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Jan 2024 141,835 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 18 Dec 2023 141,829 miles

Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Inner and outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Inner and outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 12 Dec 2022 137,793 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge o/s and n/s (5.2.3 (e))

o/s inner sill,o/s rear inner quarter panel and o/s and n/s front bottom arms are slightly corroded.

Pass 4 Jan 2022 132,923 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 4 Jan 2022 132,918 miles

Brake performance not tested (1.2.1 (g))

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Jan 2021 126,289 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2019 118,148 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 7 Jun 2019 117,750 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 26 Jun 2018 112,013 miles

Nearside Front Battery got slight movement in clamp

Nearside Front Slight corrosion round drain hole in sill

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake binding slightly

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

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

Offside Rear brake binding slightly

Rear fog lamp lens defective which has no effect on emitted light (4.5.1 (b) (i))

Pass 28 Jun 2017 105,906 miles

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 27 Jun 2016 101,005 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a nail in it

Pass 19 Jun 2015 92,366 miles
Fail 19 Jun 2015 92,366 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 11 Jun 2014 89,969 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2014 89,969 miles

Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 10 Jun 2013 87,933 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 10 Jun 2013 87,933 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 2 Jul 2012 85,412 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2011 81,441 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2010 77,453 miles
Fail 21 Jun 2010 77,453 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Fail 2 Jul 2008 69,593 miles

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

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

Pass 2 Jul 2008 69,593 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2007 62,546 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2007 76,392 miles
Fail 10 Jan 2007 76,392 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

How Reliable is the Mazda Bongo?

Based on 251,584 MOT tests across 14,362 vehicles.

67.3%
Pass Rate
5,064
Miles/Year
31
Year Lifespan
14,362
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

fog lamp not working 6,854
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 6,786
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 6,443
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 5,607
Registration plate lamp not working 3,890
Full Mazda Bongo reliability report

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R197 GJL is a 1998 Mazda Bongo in White with a 2,490cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.3%.

Across all 1998 Mazda Bongo models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 125,789 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Mazda Bongo fails its MOT is fog lamp not working, accounting for 6,854 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R197 GJL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mazda Bongo typically stays on UK roads for around 31 years. At 28 years old, this Mazda Bongo is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R197 GJL?

You can check the full history of R197 GJL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R197 GJL registered?

R197 GJL is a 1998 Mazda Bongo, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R197 GJL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R197 GJL shows 30 tests with a 63.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R197 GJL 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 R197 GJL. 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.