Advice on sprucing up

[sotal]

After many years of ownership we are coming to the point where I think this year will be our last with the bongo.

The kids keep on growing, and my wife's needs have changed so we need to replace it with a more capable 4x4.

It has been fantastic we've enjoyed many holidays, my wife has used it as a daily driver and it has been used as a day van at the weekends.

It has been ultra reliable for a 22 year old vehicle.

So onto the bit I wanted to discuss...

Over the last few years it has had welding done to the cills to keep it running. The majority should be covered now. However the lower sides are now not the prettiest.

So do I tidy it up this summer? I could either have a go myself which won't be perfect but I should be able to get it looking something like. Or I could take it to a body shop and pay around £1000 to get it figured up professionally. Or do you think I should just sell as is?

It is a cracking vehicle, I just can't work out what it is worth to make the calculations to see if it is worth it or not!

There is a nice tidy looking one at a garage nearby, I didn't quite catch the reg but it was older than ours as it had the old style badge at the front. That was at a garage so a bit more but they want just under ten grand for it! At that sort of money it would be worth me sending it to a body shop!

It is a 1999 facelift model with the aero body kit, so looks nice with side skirts and spoiler etc. It has alloy wheels. It has a southern bongos mid conversion with proper rear seats. It has a ply floor with the industrial lino stuff over the top. It has a drop down TV screen. It has the pop up roof.

It also has a NDC roof rack complete with a Thule long roof box. It also has a Thule 4 bike carrier on the rear door.

Any ideas what it could fetch if tidied up? And what it would potentially fetch needing some work to tidy the body up?

Thanks!

[g8dhe]

Its a matter of chance!
We never quite know when there is going to be a major failure.
We never know what is going to happen to prices, by next year the prices may have fallen from the current high, conversely if the pandemic continues the prices may go even higher!

My decision to stick in 2019 has now caught me, new import prices have jumped £5000 in the meantime, but conversely resale price of my repaired vehicle will have stayed high but not as much as £5000 ......

Just what is going to happen over the next couple of years needs my Glass Ball in fine working order but like my eyes its suffering cataracts so its all bit cloudy at the moment

[BongoBongo123]

Just look around at the many different prices they go from very cheap to high price, so many different options from cheap DIY conversions to fully professional, Auto Free Top roof or tin top, diesel, petrol etc. then get quotes factor in time hassles etc and position your vehicle sale price at a price that suits how fast you want it gone. I think I am going to up the value on the insurance this year.. under valued by some margin. I have seen some really poorly looked after Bongos recently, they look ok from far even more nice than ours, get up close and they are falling to bits, arches, sills.. a shame really..... if you just leave them they simply fall apart.

Some of them you can clearly see the owner is either totally clueless about how to even attempt to Kurust and paint so they now have massive holes instead. It is not exactly rocket science... wire brush, wet and dry sand, kurust (or rust converter of choice) then 2-3 coats of paint - and do it now not later... you have to be motivated and have the inclination to repair and protect immediately upon seeing a rust/paintwork issue or pay out in 3 years later for big repairs.

How the one I saw even had an MOT was anyone's guess. If you are just going to let a Bongo sit there and rot don't bother, personally I think if you are buying a Bongo you should at least have the basic motivation to sort out rust immediately as it appears.

Then again that is just me.. they remain a "cheap" way into campervan world, if you can be bothered with some DIY and can deal with the many quirks and likely hood of overheating problems they are ok.

Let's be honest they can be great but they can be expensive at times. My ownerhsip experience right now is good but I have certainly had my fair share of Bongo troubles..... it has NOT been plain sailing. I say this bearing in mind what 25 year old vehicle would not have problems ? Very very few.

Ours I would get top dollar even non modern looking version, the one I saw 5-6 years junior by number plate I saw was falling apart.. virtually every pipe, metal and rubber replaced on our engine, new original Mazda rad and thermostat I am on the rust like a hawk, it's the only way. If you let your vehicle fall apart so will your sales price.

[sotal]

Yes we've had repairs done as quickly as possible where required. However where we have had repairs were haven't had them 100% finished, so the side was welded, tested and painted with decent paint but only in black por 45. So it needs filler, and paint to finish. The arches were replaced properly and sprayed properly but the cills mainly on one side need addressing.

The prices just carry so wildly, it makes it virtually impossible to accurately work out.

[AndyS95]

Yes, strange times (in so many ways!) at the moment. Old, lumbering vehicles (especially diesel) are kinda living on borrowed time. Yet affordable campervans have never been in such demand, and that often means old lumbering diesels... Living about 1000yds inside the ULEZ (come October) as we do, adds another con to the list.

For the first time in 6 yrs our Freda failed the MOT, needed a sill welding in a couple of spots on o/s sill. Good news apart from that is all else very solid.

We decided to go all in and are having a complete respray Inc colour change to grey with matt black roof. 'Cos it had been wax oiled this meant stripping out interior Inc 123 Away rear kitchen (was easier than expected but then I haven't put it back yet so...). Have taken the opportunity to make some quite radical interior changes that had been floating around in my head. Will post pics when back from bodyshop etc.

I guess we made a decision that we are in it till the end. Could have sold it probably for a grand more than we paid for it 6 yrs ago (not many vehicles you can say that about!) but then what? So for us it made sense to spruce it up and enjoy it for a few more years.

Still have a dream of converting it to electric one day but there needs to be a fundamental change to energy storage I feel, before that will be economically or logistically practical. (unless I win big on the lottery and buy a doner Tesla )

[AndyS95]

Made myself chuckle thinking about my 'radical' changes to the interior. Think I may have over cooked that somewhat.. For radical read - adding splashes of orange colour!!

[oibaf]

Looking forward to seeing these interior pics! Can never get enough of those!

[AndyS95]

Sure will, can't wait to show it to fellow enthusiasts! Went to the bodyshop today to see progress and choose colour.

Turns out there was rot on the n/s sill and he has cut out sections of the wheel arches and fabricated in patches where there were rust bubbles etc. Really thorough by the looks of it (I am no expert though).

We are going for a gloss grey, originally was going to be satin but it seems satin attracts more dust during the painting process and thus leaves a less good end finish. I think this would be less of an issue if he had a more modern paint room with suction fans etc but he hasn't.

With that in mind am now going for a gloss black roof wrap instead of matt, in my head it looks a better match.

[oibaf]

Sure will, can't wait to show it to fellow enthusiasts! Went to the bodyshop today to see progress and choose colour.

Turns out there was rot on the n/s sill and he has cut out sections of the wheel arches and fabricated in patches where there were rust bubbles etc. Really thorough by the looks of it (I am no expert though).

We are going for a gloss grey, originally was going to be satin but it seems satin attracts more dust during the painting process and thus leaves a less good end finish. I think this would be less of an issue if he had a more modern paint room with suction fans etc but he hasn't.

With that in mind am now going for a gloss black roof wrap instead of matt, in my head it looks a better match.

That actually sounds very nice!

Might be an opportunity to spray behind the panels with some sort of wax to help prevent corrosion forming under those sills again?

[BongoBongo123]

Yes ban diesel and commence collapse of society, seems like a really good idea that.
Don't worry every diesel lorry will be replaced by an electric one of same capacity by end of this year right ?

[AndyS95]

Keep meaning to post update, the transformation is mostly done bar front seats.. I know it won't be for everyone but I am really pleased with the result. Wheels are from Kia Sportage, 215/70/16, in an ideal world would have lowered but its not practical, so in lieu of that I like the way they fill the arches.

I need to dig out the names of 3 posters on here gave me inspiration/information. One had orange interior which I think gave me the idea, one fitted reversing camera in rear wiper hole which I pretty much copied and one had instructions on replacing blinds.

Ripping out all including 123 Away rear kitchen was daunting but not that hard, few missteps putting it back in but got there in the end.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tVz3Pj4QN3YR8f1k6

[Allans]

Looking good! Well worth the effort when you get so much use from it.

[Dazzerman]

Yes, strange times (in so many ways!) at the moment. Old, lumbering vehicles (especially diesel) are kinda living on borrowed time. Yet affordable campervans have never been in such demand, and that often means old lumbering diesels... Living about 1000yds inside the ULEZ (come October) as we do, adds another con to the list.

I have a Freda (N Reg) and also live close to the ULEZ (come October). I bought it in 2005 and its been the most practical vehicle I have owned. It runs well and is perfect for our family needs. We had some sill work done last year but our reliable mechanic hinted that the next MOT could be a costly one with more welding required.

With the popularity of campers I am wondering about going for it and doing it. However we have used it and clocked up 235k on the clock!

[oibaf]

Keep meaning to post update, the transformation is mostly done bar front seats.. I know it won't be for everyone but I am really pleased with the result. Wheels are from Kia Sportage, 215/70/16, in an ideal world would have lowered but its not practical, so in lieu of that I like the way they fill the arches.

I need to dig out the names of 3 posters on here gave me inspiration/information. One had orange interior which I think gave me the idea, one fitted reversing camera in rear wiper hole which I pretty much copied and one had instructions on replacing blinds.

Ripping out all including 123 Away rear kitchen was daunting but not that hard, few missteps putting it back in but got there in the end.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tVz3Pj4QN3YR8f1k6

Very cool colours! That turned out really nice in the end!

[AndyS95]

Thanks Allan and Oibaf.. Yeah really pleased with the outcome, really feels like we have put our mark on it now.. In Laugharne, Wales at mo after a few days in Ireland, quite a few folks asking what it is, all v shocked when I tell them it's 26 yrs old