The Mazda Bongo Friendee is the people carrier that turned into a cult camper. Eight seats, a roof that lifts to make a bed upstairs and a price that leaves money over for a summer of trips have made it a favourite here. Lots of them came over years ago, and buyers still bring fresh ones in from Japan. Every Friendee is now well over 10 years old, which keeps the route to UK plates simple.
- Built
- 1995 to 2005
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Typical journey
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Test
- MOT, as all are over 10 years old
Choosing a Friendee
The Friendee was built for the Japanese market and is right-hand drive from the factory, as Japan drives on the left like we do. Most are automatic. The choices that matter most are the roof, the drivetrain and the engine.
| Feature | V6 petrol | Turbodiesel |
|---|---|---|
| In brief | Smooth and quiet, thirstier on fuel | Better economy, more of a working engine |
| Watch for | Overheating and the state of the cooling system | Overheating, head gasket health and smoke |
| Clean air zones | Needs Euro 4 evidence, which is hard to find at this age | Not Euro 6, so it will be charged |
| UK test | MOT | MOT |
The Auto Free Top roof
The Auto Free Top, often shortened to AFT, is the electric rising roof that gives you an extra sleeping area above the cabin. It is the version most people want, and it changes the value of the van a lot. Run it up and down before you buy if you can, or ask for a video. Look at the canvas for tears, mould and water marks, and check the motor runs smoothly without help.
2WD or 4WD
A 4WD Friendee is the pick for wet campsites and snowy roads. A 2WD one is simpler and there is less to go wrong. Either way, check the auction sheet so you know which you are buying, as the two look much the same from the outside.
What to check before you buy
Rust and overheating are the two big ones. A Friendee is now at least 21 years old, and many were used in snowy parts of Japan where the roads are salted. Cooling problems can lead to expensive engine damage, so a van with a clear history of a healthy cooling system is worth paying more for.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 10 done
Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and checking the mileage on an imported car covers the history checks worth doing. The Japanese export certificate guide covers the one document every vehicle from Japan needs.
The test is an MOT
GOV.UK exempts vehicles over 10 years old from vehicle approval, so a Friendee takes an MOT instead of an IVA test. None are old enough yet for the 40-year MOT exemption.
| Age of the vehicle | What it needs |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years | An IVA test, and a speedometer reading in mph |
| 10 to 40 years | An MOT, with a rear fog light if one is not fitted |
| Over 40 years | No MOT needed, as long as it has not been substantially changed |
Every Friendee sits in the middle row. Our guide to the MOT for imported cars explains what the tester looks at.
Import tax
A Friendee from Japan pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. A vehicle over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty instead. For the Friendee, that means the early ones built before October 1996.
Looking at an early Friendee? Check the build date with us before you buy. A few months either side of October 1996 changes the tax you pay. Our guide to the 5% VAT rules explains what counts.
If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the Friendee for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers, and our cost of importing from Japan guide works through a full example.
ULEZ and clean air zones
London's ULEZ and the charging Clean Air Zones want Euro 4 on a petrol and Euro 6 on a diesel. A Friendee diesel was never built to Euro 6, so it will be charged. A petrol one needs evidence of Euro 4, and at this age, with no Euro standard on record, that can be hard to show. If you live or drive in one of these zones, factor the charge in. Our guide to ULEZ and imported cars explains how it works.
Registering it as a motorhome
Many Friendees have been fitted out for camping, and the AFT roof gives you a head start. If yours has proper living space, it may be registered as a motor caravan rather than a plain people carrier. The DVSA expects seats and a table, somewhere to sleep, cooking facilities and storage, so a bed in the roof on its own is not enough. Our guide to importing a van explains what is expected.
Insurance
Plenty of insurers know the Bongo well, so cover is not hard to find. Tell them it is a Japanese import, which engine and drivetrain it has, and about any camper fittings or other changes. GOV.UK notes the body type on the V5C does not change your insurance category, so mention a conversion whichever way it is registered. Our guide to insuring a Japanese import covers what insurers ask and when an agreed value policy makes sense.
Shipping a Friendee
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The vehicle has to run and drive, and it should be empty, with no belongings or loose parts inside. That includes camping gear, so pack it separately or leave it behind. If the Friendee does not run, a container is the answer.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only. A tall people carrier takes more room than a small hatchback, so give us the exact model and any roof fittings when you ask for a quote. Door to door, the journey is usually about 5 to 8 weeks.
UK changes
Because the Friendee is right-hand drive and over 10 years old, the list is short. If it has no rear fog light, one needs fitting in the right position. Japanese vehicles are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down. Our dealer-level DVLA account then lets us register it within 10 working days. For the wider route, see our guide to importing a car from Japan.
Questions people ask
Can I import a Mazda Bongo Friendee to the UK?
Yes. A Friendee follows the same route as any vehicle from Japan: shipping, customs, a rear fog light if needed, an MOT, then DVLA registration.
Does a Bongo Friendee need an IVA test?
No. Production ended in 2005, so every Friendee is over 10 years old and takes an MOT instead.
How much tax will I pay on a Bongo?
Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus shipping. A Friendee built before October 1996 is over 30 years old and pays 5% VAT and no duty.
Is a Bongo Friendee ULEZ compliant?
A diesel is not, as it does not meet Euro 6. A petrol needs evidence of Euro 4, which is hard to find for a vehicle of this age, so plan on paying the charge if you drive in a zone.
Can I register a Bongo as a motorhome?
If it has proper living accommodation, with seats and a table, a bed, cooking facilities and storage, it may be registered as a motor caravan. The roof bed alone is not enough.
Found a Friendee you like? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
