Bongo Fury

Hi. Just joined so I can ask some basics. I feel I want a smallish camper for several reasons:

photography trips to lovely locations where I could park up close-by and be up for sunrise/sunsets
fishing trips to rivers and canals on the mainland (I live on Anglesey)
spur-of-the-moment trips with my OH and dog when the weather looks decent and our work schedules permit.

I guess the thing I'm having trouble convincing the OH is, might we be better off spending the money on hotels rather than the up-front and on-going costs of buying another vehicle? For my part, I'd buy one in a heartbeat but am having trouble convincing her. For me I like the idea of pseudo-camping, and being able to make a cuppa and a bacon sarnie when I feel like it.

I know this forum isn't about marraige counselling, but someone make a good case for owning a Bongo that I can then put to her

Have your other halves become converted since you got a Bongo?

Also, are there Bongo mechancis living anywhere near Anglesey?!? We do have a Mazda garage on the island but to be honest I'm not sure if they'd know what to do with a Bongo from 1999....

Also, why a Bongo and not a VW?!?

some good friends of ours owned a bongo on the isle for about 5 years but did struggle to find someone local to fix the coolant system issues that can arise, all the other stuff is standard to fix.
the mazda dealer on there isnt very good with bongos but could help with spares ordering as they all have access to all spares via jap ordering. parts are very easy to buy via the bongo fury shop,click the shop tab above, and is usually more knowledgeable.

we as a family spent over ten years owning bongos,wife had one first, and i had to join in too. (hers and his bongos) fetched up 3 girls camping with the club going to the meets, camping trips, meeting great people of all types, would do it all again, what a great bunch of people.

would strongly recommend bongos against most other AFFORDABLE campers, they do have there problem areas so do read the what to look out for when buying info available on this club site.

As campers go there are more compromises with the Bongo because of its compact size but that also is its selling point; it will go absolutely anywhere a car can go with one small exception, some car parks because of its height, and is nothing like a van to drive.

One of our friends bought one because everyone else in the group was buying one and moving out of their tents. His wife was very anti, but after three years of Bongo ownership, lots of weekend camps on their own and with friends and a trip down France she is a complete campervan convert.

If you buy a previously imported Bongo (i.e. an older one) and it does not work out for you then you won't lose much, if anything, and won't have had a mortgage worth tied up in the van. Alternatively try hiring one for a bit.

Finally Bongo people are amongst the nicest on the planet

Thanks guys. I'll keep looking...just found an electric orange one not too far away.......vroom vroom

Hi,

One thing that has not been mentioned is what a wonderful vehicle a Bongo is for photographers. You can pop up the AFT, lift the front canvas and sit up there very comfortably and discretely with your camera on a tripod while an ample supply of bacon butties and your favourite beverage is supplied from below.

Peter

All good points.

Thing is Bongoing is a 'Lifestlye' thing. Would you actualy book a hotel at short notice and take off? Likely not.

Would the hotel be out in the wilds so you could wake up at first light and be taking photographs? Likely not.

Would a hotel lead to the great friendships made through this Club?...

Why not suggest trying a Bongo for a year, then have serious review before both deciding to keep it? If your wife really still doesn't like it at least she's given it a fair trial and there won't be much depreciation.

Good luck with your hunt.

All good points made above. The narrow dimensions of the Bongo make it v practical as an everyday car (if you ignore fuel consumption issues, though self servicing is v doable and can offset cost, and its versatility can do likewise). Mine has been my only and everyday car for nearly 11 years and its been fantastic. But it helps greatly if you enjoy ownership as a hobby and take an active interest in how the car works. And they're getting older as a breed so more care than ever is needed when buying. You could though try one as a second car/camper and see how it goes? A good Bongo is a truly great car.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Why not try and borrow \hire one .

They are so handy ,in converted can take seats out ,or swap front row round to face rear ones,little table in the middle and got a perfect pic nice van .

Many potential layouts ,they drive like a car unlike non turbo over priced be.

You can get a lot of van for the money ,it's a hobby and lifestyle.

I've had my fair share. Problems, sadly we sold ours as needed better economy for school runs .

So far been happy. 1 major mishap caused by a clueless garage. Still happy with the fun and comfort it has given us over the last 3 years. You need a clean one round the rear arches where they rust most easy. AFT is a great feature. I don't know much about other campers but something like a VW with a pop up tent in similar conditions is probably double the price of a similar mileage Bongo. So they represent one of the best entry points to camper van ownership.

They are a pleasure to drive and versatile. I do everything I can to try and keep it roadworthy, servicing (air filter/oil filter/oil) is a doddle on the diesel. You can get a local garage to do the fuel filter every now and then for a few bob as it is a bit trickier as I gather.

The Bongo has better fuel economy than my car ! (21 year old 2.0L petrol engine. also running well)

Drive them with care and a bit of sympathy and they last longer.