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R197 PDL

1997 Mazda Bongo

White Petrol 2498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Apr 2027
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

191,430 mi
Last recorded191,430 miles
Recorded on1 May 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda Bongo131,832 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR197 PDL
MakeMazda
ModelBongo
Year1997
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,498cc

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

9 pass 6 fail
Pass 1 May 2026 191,430 miles
Fail 27 Apr 2026 191,425 miles

Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 16 Apr 2025 181,012 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2024 170,663 miles

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

Pass 18 Apr 2023 161,521 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2022 152,196 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre wearing uneven.

Fail 19 Apr 2022 152,123 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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))

Pass 22 Apr 2021 143,788 miles

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Fail 22 Apr 2021 143,689 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Fail 1 Apr 2021 143,668 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 23 Mar 2020 136,321 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2020 136,263 miles

Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Front Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Rear fog lamp does not emit a steady red light (4.5.4 (a))

Pass 25 Mar 2019 126,807 miles
Fail 25 Mar 2019 126,807 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 14 May 2018 126,652 miles

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 PDL is a 1997 Mazda Bongo in White with a 2,498cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1997 Mazda Bongo models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.3% with a typical mileage of 131,832 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 PDL, 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 29 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 PDL?

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

What year was R197 PDL registered?

R197 PDL is a 1997 Mazda Bongo, first registered on 1 September 1997.

Is R197 PDL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R197 PDL shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R197 PDL 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 PDL. 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.