Possible New Bongoer

[nigelh]

Hi all

I'm based in Leeds and thinking about a Bongo, so getting a bit of advice from local owners seems like a good idea. I'll apologise in advance for the novice questions

I'm looking to replace my everyday car, which I sometimes use for commuting but don't do big mileage in. One of my main uses would be towing a track car on a trailer (circa 1300kg total), also need good storage space for tools / wheels etc, and somewhere to sleep would be the big bonus.

I probably don't need a full camper conversion, so at the moment I'm thinking that a regular 8 seater with pop-up roof 4wd 2.5l diesel is probably the one to look for. This seems like the best option as I should be able to store all my stuff under the pax seats - maybe take some out it that's possible, and sleep in the roof space.

Does anyone have experience of towing something so heavy with a Bongo? Do they have enough grunt, and what's it like for stability? I understand that normal mpg would probably be 25-30, how low does this drop when towing?

How comfy are the front seats for long-distance driving?

Are there any significant downsides to the 4wd other than a bit more tyre wear?

Any good places for towbar fitting if the Bongo I choose doesn't already have one?

Looking at the local dealers, Elams of Mirfield seem to have a decent selection - any feedback (good or bad) about them, and any other recommended dealers in the area?

Sorry, questions probably came a bit thick and fast there. Any other comments / suggestions for a newbie would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Nigel

[dobby]

Hi

I can answer a few of your questions:

1. Towbar - easy to fit and sensibly priced kits are available.
2. Seats are comfortable, I've done about 50,000 miles on mine and they are still ok for long journeys
3. Towing - I only tow a small trailer so can only guess but other owners tow bigger trailers etc so I'm sure they'll advise you.

Good luck

[Triple/R]

Eyup Nigel & welcome ~sounds just the motor for you (Bongo/Freda)~i tow a small caravan which is 1000/1100kg~tows a dream~with your 1300kg trailer (loaded) you'll have no problem's at all~they'll tow up to 1500/1600kg,but obviously you'll notice your fuel consumption drop,can't give you any specific figures cus i've never checked mine.

Comfort wise there as good as any car~if you need extra storage you can take a row of seats out & sleep in the roof~you'll appreciate the comfort when you've driven one & with all the extra's (leccy wise) you'll be impressed, plus there quick enough to keep up with modern traffic.
All in all there a very versatile motor so should suit you for your purpose.

[mikeonb4c]

The only slight issues I had with my otherwsie v. comfortable drivers seat was that it has a little solid piece/squab with at the base, where it meets the upright back support. I think this is a consequence of a design involving a shallow base that sits directly on the lifting engine cover. This squab upset my dodgy back and was a real issue on long drives. It was easily fixed by installing a heated/massaging seat pad (supports base and back, £12 off ebay ). Not only does this give me relief through heat and massge, but even when not in use it provides exactly the right cushioning to take care of the pressure point on the base of my spine caused by the seat squab.

I've never heard another owner complain of this though and really, the seats are really very nice indeed. But I offer it as a thought just in case.

[waycar8]

Hi Nigel and welcome, Elams always have a nice selection in but the prices generally represent that too, I live not too far from there and drive past and they always look to have decent bongos in.

As for performance, if your towing you will want to stay away from the 2L imo, the 2.5TD 4X4 is the common bongo and pulls very well and the fuel consumption is can be owt between 18 (around town) and some say they can get in the mid 30's on motorways but 25 is about right depending how heavy your foot is, the V6 is just as good as the 2.5td but the fuel consumption is a lot higher.

If you need a keen eye on what to look out for in the world of bongo's and it isnt too far let me know, I dont mind having a look date and time dependent but know what I am looking out for.

Where abouts in Leeds are you based?

Regards Wayne

[Triple/R]

Hi Nigel and welcome, Elams always have a nice selection in but the prices generally represent that too, I live not too far from there and drive past and they always look to have decent bongos in.

As for performance, if your towing you will want to stay away from the 2L imo, the 2.5TD 4X4 is the common bongo and pulls very well and the fuel consumption is can be owt between 18 (around town) and some say they can get in the mid 30's on motorways but 25 is about right depending how heavy your foot is, the V6 is just as good as the 2.5td but the fuel consumption is a lot higher.

If you need a keen eye on what to look out for in the world of bongo's and it isnt too far let me know, I dont mind having a look date and time dependent but know what I am looking out for.






Regards Wayne

Yes Wayne~i forgot to mention that he needs a 2.5ltr Diesel for towing as a 2ltr petrol wouldn't be suitable

[mister munkey]

I'm pretty local & work out of Gildersome. More than happy to meet up one evening if you want to check mine out & I'll answer any Qs you might have for the price of a pint . . . . . .

[nigelh]

Thanks all, you sound like a friendly bunch and some usefull info there. I'm based in Garforth (East side of Leeds), with easy access to A1/M1/M62 so a bit of traveling to look at good examples isn't a problem.

To those that have offered help or a look over their own Bongo, that's very kind - I may well take you up on it before too long.

Sounds like towing with the diesel should work out well. I don't mind the fuel consumption dropping when towing if it means I don't have to rev the nuts off it like I do sometimes with my current car.

Good to get confirmation that a set of seats can be removed as I think it'll really help with space for all the stuff I need to carry round with me.

I think I need to get myself sat in a Bongo to get a feel for the seat. I've had some minor back problems myself in the past, but have generally found it can be worked round with extra padding if the seat is not quite right shape wise.

I realise that buying from a dealer would mean paying the top end of the price range but even then it doesn't always guarantee a good motor, which is why I was interested to hear if anyone had experience of buying from Elams. The alternative would be to find a known good 'un from a private seller, but as I'm still at the stage of familiarising myself with the Bongo I don't want to mess people around by tyre kicking while I work out exactly what I'm looking for. I guess that's the other benefit of a dealer - I get the chance to have a look at a few different configurations to help me settle on the best setup for me.

One of my main priorities is reliability. I'm conscious that I'll be looking at something around 10 years old and I REALLY don't want to end up stranded somewhere.
How do people find that the Bongos are holding up as they get older? Is it just a case of a bit more regular maintenance, or there any "well known" problems that crop up and might be worth preventative work? How easy is it to find parts - are most things common to other vehicles, or are there certain things that are Bongo specific and difficult to get hold of?

I've never owned an auto before but it seems like the vast majority of Bongos are autos. Do the gearboxes seem reliable, and are they expensive if something does go wrong?
Similarly with the 4wd system - is it a type used on other Mazdas/Fords, or Bongos only and do they suffer with any common problems?

[umbongocat]

[quote="nigelh"]
I think I need to get myself sat in a Bongo to get a feel for the seat. I've had some minor back problems myself in the past, but have generally found it can be worked round with extra padding if the seat is not quite right shape wise.

I've had spinal surgery in the lower back and I have to say out of all the vehicles I've owned the Bongo for me has one of the best seating positions so far

Welcome and good luck with your search.

[mister munkey]

PM sent.

[AlliDelta]

Tyre wear with the 4wd isn't a problem. It uses a viscous coupling, so 2wd almost all the time and only goes 4wd when the front wheels spin more than the back wheels. Fantastic in winter got me to work where our megane was stuck on the kerb I have found it a comfy ride and it tows cars well! Auto box is a godsend when towing!

[waycar8]

Parts aint a problem, the engine is the same as the Ford ranger, the other parts are easily obtainable theres companies out there that do stock the more obscure bits but generally Mazda aint too bad and can get them with a couple of weeks. Or there ebay where theres alot of compatible parts or people breaking bongo's ect.

If you go for an older model bongo they have very rear folding seats that fold up against the side of the van as opposed to 2 bench seats on the newer bongos.

As for common problems???......... well as most vehicals down to poor maintenance and general wear and tear. ! main issue is overheating due to air locks as alot of people don't know that they dont self bleed and have a bleed hose under the passenger seat (including garages and trained mechanics). Rusting rear arches are quite common too

As for gear box, there are manual gear box's out there but they are rare, the autobox is quite reliable and the genral fault is sticky gear changing but new oil and sump off and clean the filter and sump 9 times out of 10 sorts it.

[nigelh]

Thanks again everyone - it's all sounding pretty positive.

Are there any English language service manuals available for some one *reasonably* mechanically minded and interested in doing some of the maintenance themselves?

[waycar8]

Thanks again everyone - it's all sounding pretty positive.

Are there any English language service manuals available for some one *reasonably* mechanically minded and interested in doing some of the maintenance themselves?

Yes Nigel theres a glove box one that tells you about the tyres and service intervals ect, which is around £19, and theres the owners workshop one, which is around £60 which is the one you speak of, a tad expensive but it had to translated and re written Ian sells them in the club shop.