advice on buying a Bongo

Anything non-technical about the Mazda Bongo Friendee van

Moderators: Bongoplod, aitch

Post Reply
BongoinBrighton
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:23 pm
Location: Brighton, East Sussex

advice on buying a Bongo

Post by BongoinBrighton » Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:38 pm

hello,

I am new to this forum and have joined to look for some advice on buying a bongo.

I have about 5-6 k to spend and I am looking for a petrol engine, and I would prefer to buy something unconverted and convert it ourselves.

I have looked at a couple of importers who seem to come highly recommended on this forum, but unfortunately they are out of my price range. What is the next best way to buy, if I can't afford these prices? I don't have much mechanical knowledge so a bit nervous about a private sale. There is a Bongo garage near to me (County Cars in Portslade) which has a few on its website. Has anyone bought from them and would you say that they are trustworthy? Or can you recommend anywhere else in the Brighton area?

The other thing I am undecided about is whether to get the auto free top roof - they look great (and we have two children so the space would be handy), but I would be using the Bongo as my only car, and so I'm a bit worried about car parks with height restrictions. My local Sainsbury's has a 2.0m height restriction, for example. Any advice would be welcomed.

Thank you!
User avatar
sotal
Supreme Being
Posts: 1098
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:52 pm

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by sotal » Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:31 pm

We went with the ATF and use it as a daily driver. We do have to avoid car parks as it won't fit under some barriers. At this time of year we leave the roof rack and roof box on. So ours is much higher! We have another car as well so use that for going into town etc. I've only been caught out once, I forgot I was going out for a meeting for work one day and went in the bongo. When I got there, there was a parking barrier which I clearly wouldn't fit under. There was no other parking near by. Had to find a suitable road a good distance away and walk!

If you went with a tin top then some of you would have to sleep in the awning. We love our ATF and wouldn't be without it.
BongoinBrighton
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:23 pm
Location: Brighton, East Sussex

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by BongoinBrighton » Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:56 pm

Thank you for the reply. We would be using the bongo as our only car, which is why I am worried that it would be annoying. But on the other hand the roofs look like so much more fun :D
User avatar
sotal
Supreme Being
Posts: 1098
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 8:52 pm

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by sotal » Sun Jun 24, 2018 10:02 pm

It would be slightly trickier if it was our only car but all solvable if you plan ahead.

Get the food delivered and forget about going to the supermarket.
Buy everything else from Amazon 😀
ade33
Bongolier
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 7:05 pm
Location: East Sussex

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by ade33 » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:47 pm

We bought one with an AFT (the factory leccy roof) with a view to using it as a daily. It hasn't happened, mainly through reliability issues, but I would be twitchy about trying to get any of them in to car parks.

We are local to you (Seaford) and went to Southampton to browse the dealers down there. Nice vans, but also out of our range. We bought privately in the end and I guess, issues aside, we got a reasonable van for the money we paid.

Be realistic about the vans you look at - there are nice clean reliable rust-free (ish!) vans out there for the money you have, so be choosy.

I've heard no bad things about County Cars - mate of mine bought a 'normal' car from there a while back and said they were fine.

There is a Bongo specialist chap in Worthing who trades under the name of BongoMad - I've not used him (yet) but he gets good press.
BongoinBrighton
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:23 pm
Location: Brighton, East Sussex

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by BongoinBrighton » Mon Jun 25, 2018 10:09 pm

Thanks for the reply, the garage in worthing sounds good, my parents live there so it would be quite convenient.

I think we will check out county cars and see what they have.
User avatar
Jillygumbo
Supreme Being
Posts: 2676
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 5:17 pm
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Contact:

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by Jillygumbo » Tue Jun 26, 2018 4:02 pm

BongoinBrighton wrote: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:38 pmI have about 5-6 k to spend and I am looking for a petrol engine, and I would prefer to buy something unconverted and convert it ourselves.

I have looked at a couple of importers who seem to come highly recommended on this forum, but unfortunately they are out of my price range. What is the next best way to buy, if I can't afford these prices? I don't have much mechanical knowledge so a bit nervous about a private sale. There is a Bongo garage near to me (County Cars in Portslade) which has a few on its website. Has anyone bought from them and would you say that they are trustworthy? Or can you recommend anywhere else in the Brighton area?

The other thing I am undecided about is whether to get the auto free top roof - they look great (and we have two children so the space would be handy), but I would be using the Bongo as my only car, and so I'm a bit worried about car parks with height restrictions. My local Sainsbury's has a 2.0m height restriction, for example.
Have you looked in the bongo sales section on the main Bongo Fury site? Members sales often, but not guaranteed, show a bongo has been well looked after.

If you buy a tintop, it is quite unusual to have the AFT added, although not impossible! Usually an aftermarket roof is manual. You would have to go for something like the Drivelodge roof, which doesn't go up as far as an AFT.

Shop at Aldi or Lidl - no barriers!

Phil at JAL only fits his mushroom and skylift roofs to bongos he sells!

I have a bongo with a roof and use it as my daily vehicle as well as a camper. Haven't found a problem with parking - yet! Although I don't use barriered car parks.
Jillygumbo, Tonto & Ruca
The night conceals the world, but reveals the universe!
Markas
Bongolier
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:53 pm
Location: Deux-Sèvres, France

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by Markas » Tue Jun 26, 2018 11:16 pm

Jillygumbo wrote: Tue Jun 26, 2018 4:02 pm
If you buy a tintop, it is quite unusual to have the AFT added, although not impossible! Usually an aftermarket roof is manual. You would have to go for something like the Drivelodge roof, which doesn't go up as far as an AFT.

Shop at Aldi or Lidl - no barriers!

Phil at JAL only fits his mushroom and skylift roofs to bongos he sells!

I have a bongo with a roof and use it as my daily vehicle as well as a camper. Haven't found a problem with parking - yet! Although I don't use barriered car parks.
I think Northstar will fit a manual pop-top to any van, as well as offering interior conversions as supply-only or 'supply and fit'. A tin top will go under 2.0m barriers and ferry height restrictions without a problem, but any roof, even an after-market one will put you over this height.
Mark
1999 Bongo 2.0L, Northstar Outback rear conversion
User avatar
Jillygumbo
Supreme Being
Posts: 2676
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 5:17 pm
Location: Swindon, Wilts
Contact:

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by Jillygumbo » Wed Jun 27, 2018 8:36 am

Markas wrote: Tue Jun 26, 2018 11:16 pm
Jillygumbo wrote: Tue Jun 26, 2018 4:02 pm
If you buy a tintop, it is quite unusual to have the AFT added, although not impossible! Usually an aftermarket roof is manual. You would have to go for something like the Drivelodge roof, which doesn't go up as far as an AFT.

Shop at Aldi or Lidl - no barriers!

Phil at JAL only fits his mushroom and skylift roofs to bongos he sells!

I have a bongo with a roof and use it as my daily vehicle as well as a camper. Haven't found a problem with parking - yet! Although I don't use barriered car parks.
I think Northstar will fit a manual pop-top to any van, as well as offering interior conversions as supply-only or 'supply and fit'. A tin top will go under 2.0m barriers and ferry height restrictions without a problem, but any roof, even an after-market one will put you over this height.
That's true about Northstar, New Dawn Conversions in Birmingham will do the same with a Drivelodge roof, but these roofs do not open as high as an AFT would.
Jillygumbo, Tonto & Ruca
The night conceals the world, but reveals the universe!
BongoinBrighton
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:23 pm
Location: Brighton, East Sussex

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by BongoinBrighton » Thu Jun 28, 2018 11:28 pm

Thanks for the replies.

I am leaning towards getting one with the AFT roof, because I want the roof more than I want to be able to shop at Sainsbury's. Aldi and Lidl are my favourite supermarkets anyway :D

I am keeping an eye on the member sales thanks, but I haven't seen any yet which fit the bill and are reasonably local to me.

I am going to have a look at a couple at County cars tomorrow morning so wish me luck!
Bob
Supreme Being
Posts: 15255
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:54 pm
Location: North Somerset

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by Bob » Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:37 am

I'd certainly consider travelling to view if what looks like a good one is advertised. :wink:

Finding the one you want is worth a bit of effort, and living on the coast means you have a semi circle to search, not a circle, efectively doubling your travel distance for a given area. :wink:
BongoinBrighton
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 4:23 pm
Location: Brighton, East Sussex

Re: advice on buying a Bongo

Post by BongoinBrighton » Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:03 pm

So I went to see the bongos at County cars today, unfortunately one had already been sold, so we only saw one.

I am undecided about it. I feel fairly confident that it was mechanically sound - the guy seemed honest, didn't give the hard sell, agreed to a six month warranty and said that he would fix a few things that I spotted (cracked windscreen and the passenger side window wouldn't open).

It did have a few small spots of rust that the guy said were pretty much inevitable, and were small enough to keep under control.

I can't decide whether this is as good as it gets for the money, or to hold out and see if we can get anything better(ie completely rust free) for the money.
Post Reply

Return to “Bongo Chat”