Mazda Bounty 1998-2006 used ute review
The Mazda Bounty is a ute built for hard work rather than day-to-day comfort.
The Mazda Bounty is a ute built for hard work rather than day-to-day comfort.
The Mazda Bounty is nearly identical to the Ford Courier of the same era - the Japanese company built utes for both brands. Differences extend to slight changes in exterior styling and specification. Mazda kept its range short, offering a work-focused DX and a more comfort-orientated SDX model. Single and double cabs were initially available and a “Freestyle” cab, with rearward-opening back doors, was launched in 2002.
Inside and out
The only area in which the Bounty differs from the Ford Courier is in exterior styling. The Ford gets a prominent chrome grille while the Bounty features the softer, trapezoidal Mazda family look. The DX model, unlike many work-focused utes, gets a body-coloured front bumper. The rear features black plastic bumpers for durability and there are guard extensions made of the same material. All diesel Bounty models get Turbo badges.
The dashboard has a very simple arch design, with a contrasting silver panel around the gauge cluster and air vents. The gauges themselves have a white background and stand out. There is no stereo in this model, though the DX did get a basic CD player unit as standard. Later DX models were fitted with air-conditioning as standard. Windows are the wind-up type.
We are impressed by the seats in the Bounty. They feel solid yet comfortable with plenty of side bolster support and have stood up to years of work very well. The seats only adjust forward and backward, and the backrest for tilt. Space in the rear seat is very restricted, with not a lot of legroom. The seat is narrow, has a very steep backrest angle and room for just two adults.
The rear tray is 1,530mm long and 1,438mm wide, with 1,090mm of space between the wheel arches. It was a good space for the time but is smaller than modern utes. The tray liner is good - it features notches that allow for timber to divide the space into sections and prevent movement of loads. If the ute you are considering does not have a liner, we recommend fitting one. They cost from $500.
On the road
The Bounty was initially available with a 2.6-litre petrol engine but that was dropped due to a lack of interest. Most are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, which produces 86kW and 280Nm. Only one transmission, a five-speed manual, was offered. Performance is acceptable, though don’t plan any significant overtaking manoeuvres because the engine takes time to build up steam. It is also loud. The Bounty feels quite old-fashioned to drive with lots of body roll and slow steering. The clutch and transmission shifter work well despite being heavy.
With its high ground clearance and chunky tyres, expect the Bounty to perform well off the road. A low-ratio transfer case is part of the system and the rear differential is a limited-slip type. There are no electronics to assist so it is best for experienced users.
The turbo-diesel Bounty has an impressive tow rating for its age. It can pull 700kg unbraked (a medium sized garden trailer) and up to 2,500kg braked, (a medium-to-large trailer boat).
Visibility from the driver's seat is acceptable in all directions, though it can be a little tricky to see over the edge of the rear tray. If you have a canopy fitted, we recommend also adding a reversing camera - never an option when the car was new. You can buy these to fit yourself from $50 or have one professionally installed from $200.
Safety
According to RightCar, the Bounty carries a reasonable three-star Used Car Safety Rating. From 2002, all models feature driver and passenger airbags, with ABS an option on the DX. This is sometimes called the “AB2” option.
There are no ISOFIX child seat mounts in the rear but two child seat tether points are fitted. The centre seatbelt is lap-only which does not offer as much protection as the shoulder type.
Reliability
It took us a little time to find a Bounty that was still in straight, clean condition. Although reasonably durable, most have been worked hard and show signs of it.
The engine uses a cambelt which will require regular replacement. It is also prone to overheating, which usually ends in a cracked head. This is caused by a failure of the head gasket. Replacement engines are tricky to find and cost from $2,500, so before you get a professional mechanical inspection and ask for a cylinder head leak-down test - that will establish the head gasket’s condition.
These are straightforward to replace, although the work requires workshop settings because each plug is matched to a particular cylinder.The five-speed gearbox shows weakness in fifth gear - the bearings can fail because of the excessive load placed on them at lower revolutions. On your test drive, get up to highway speed then change into fifth and listen for bearing noise.
The rear differential pinion seal is another weak driveline point, although oil leaks from the ageing diesel engines are to be expected. Front-wheel bearings wear out regularly, even without hard off-road use. Check behind the cab (between the cab and the tray if the utes a flat deck example, or underneath on well-side examples) for signs of chassis rust and cracking. Reasonably well rust-proofed when new, the Bounty is starting to show signs of corrosion weakness in those areas of the chassis.
More than a decade’s worth of moisture and mud that is not easily cleaned off don’t help. There are reports of cracked metal seat frames and mountings. Inspect the seats for any sign of movement - rock them back and forth or side to side. Make sure the forward-to-back movement of the frame runners still operates freely.
Cost of ownership
Mazda recommends servicing the Bounty every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. At $480, the service is not cheap. In fact, it’s nearly triple what Ford charges to service its version. The cambelt requires replacement every 100,000km at a cost of $700.
RightCar estimates that over 14,000km of driving a year, a four-wheel drive Bounty will cost $2,920 in fuel and Road User Charges. The 70-litre fuel tank will cost $101.50 to fill at $1.45 a litre and could take you up to 640km before the fuel light comes on.
A vehicle licence for the Bounty costs $183.31 a year, with the car in the cheapest ACC levy group for diesel.
Trade Me Insurance estimates insurance for a Bounty valued at $18,400 will cost $53.79* per month, $3 less than a Toyota Hilux of the same year.
Buyers' guide
At $21,000, our Bounty review vehicle is the most expensive currently listed on Trade Me. Vehicles are available from as low as a few thousand dollars, although these are likely to have severe mechanical issues. Bargains can be found if you are willing to fund repairs.
When buying an older diesel vehicle, check that the Road User Charges are up to date and that a previous owner has not disconnected the odometer to keep the mileage down - this is fraud. Get a MotorWeb VIR check and look for inconsistent distances travelled throughout the vehicle's history.
Variants
- DX - Steel wheels, wind-up windows, heater, textile flooring and CD player stereo. Dual airbags from 2002.
- SDX - Adds alloy wheels, fog lights, anti-lock brakes, electric windows, air-conditioning, carpet flooring and driver’s airbag. Dual airbags from 2002.
Timeline
- 1998 Introduced in New Zealand
- 2000 Petrol engine option dropped
- 2002 Receives a cosmetic facelift and specification changes
- 2007 Replaced by new BT-50 model
Details
2006 Mazda Bounty DX
$12,500 to $21,000 for models which have travelled 70,000 to 120,000km
2.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged, 86kW/280Nm (claimed)
Five-speed manual, four-wheel drive with low-range transfer box
Three-star Used Car Safety Rating
10,000km or 12 months
Full size wheel
10.1-litres per 100km (claimed)
Diesel
4998mm
1750mm
1750mm
700kg (unbraked), 2500kg (braked)
12.6m
This review covers the Mazda Bounty for model years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Review vehicle supplied by Carsino.
*Our insurance estimates are based on a 35-year-old male with no accidents in the last two years, garaging the car in Mission Bay, Auckland. The car is not used for business and will cover 10,000km to 20,000km a year. We estimate with no option add-ons and $500 excess. Customise your estimate at Trade Me Insurance.
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