Used car guide

2005 Mazda Bongo petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Mazda Bongo first registered in 2005 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 735 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

735MOTs of 2005 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
70%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 57%)
4,400typical miles a year
4.1×the usual rate for rear fog light

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Rear fog light4.1× usual
    Mazda Bongo
    5.3% All 2005 cars
    1.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.3%, against 1.2% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Tread depth: 5% here, against 20.7% of all 2005 cars. Brake discs: 5.6% here, against 13.8% of all 2005 cars.

Common 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    26% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    21% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    16% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    14% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    10% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the rear fog light? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the 2005 Mazda Bongo petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mazda Bongo?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Mazda Bongo compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2021157Lights and electrics 31%
2020352Lights and electrics 31%
2019361Lights and electrics 36%
2018476Lights and electrics 34%
2017674Suspension 38%
20161,065Suspension 40%
20151,159Suspension 40%
20141,185Suspension 46%
2013993Suspension 45%
2012858Suspension 47%
20111,005Suspension 50%
20101,177Suspension 49%
20091,061Suspension 52%
20081,416Suspension 53%
20071,825Suspension 50%
20061,793Suspension 51%
20041,638Suspension 39%
20031,125Suspension 34%
20021,534Suspension 33%
20011,394Lights and electrics 38%
20001,310Suspension 36%
19991,306Suspension 40%
1998874Suspension 47%
19971,313Suspension 52%
19961,397Suspension 53%
19951,131Suspension 54%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Mazda Bongo cars first registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score