New Bongo Owner in Sheffield

[garywbrooks]

Well I've bought a Ford Freda! And I did it the man's way!



That's to say... I just went out and bought the first one I saw that I could afford! Only after that, did I find your wonderful website and read up on all the things I should have looked for, in a good one..

Anyway the price was right.. it was the automatic, 4WD, AFT one that I wanted and its got a rear side conversion with an awning.




It all appears to work fine and I'm really pleased with it. The underneath is like new!

But it came with very little paperwork... I've got a UK Registration Certificate (logbook) and 5 old MOTs. Nothing else, no service history or owner's manuals etc.. I got two sets of keys.. but more of them later..

I'm trying to find out as much about the van as I can... It's reg plate is N36 HNP and it looks like it was imported into the UK, in 2006, and MOT'd in Gloucester. Then it was MOT'd in Staines in 2007, Faversham in 2009 and Rochester in 2010.

If you know any previous owners, I'd love to contact them for information, even if its horror stories.

It has a Security System installed but I've no information on it and the key fob does not have a name on it. Does anybody recognise the manufacturer of the key fobs?



Getting ready for its first overnight use.. Might turn the seats around... Safer and will make a better bed?

Cheers,
Gary

[nigelgibson]

hi Gary and welcome to bongo ownership and the forum. I'm in sheff myself [ south ] - if you need any help or just want to chat bongos pm me for address/tel.number.

[mikeonb4c]

Welcome Gary - looks like a nice clean motor. Might be best no to go over it with a fine toothcomb (using the 'points to watch out for' guidance on here) in order to identify anything that might want attention ahead of trouble arriving. In particular, I'd fit a low coolant alarm if it doesn't have one. And check the waxoyling is in good condition (I'm assuming it has been done in the past)

[garywbrooks]

Good advice...

I'll get a garage to look over it before I take it any distance. MOT is due in Oct.. If its in good shape, I'll treat it to some more goodies... if not then the money will be spent on getting it right...

[nigelgibson]

i have a bongo friendly garage for mot at wincobank. not all garages can mot 4wd bongos as due to 4wd being permanent they wont go on rolling road !

[nigelgibson]

pm sent

[missfixit70]

You can still edit the content within an hour of posting Or if you hadn't posted after it you could have deleted the whole thing using the "X" button If you click quote on the bottom of that post, then highlight all of it, right click & copy, then you can move it over to the right thread & paste it in (any links stay intact that way & if you want you can remove the qoute boxes/codes at the beginnining & end)

[nigelgibson]

[missfixit70]

Now you can delete that content above using the edit button & put in an "oops" or something instead?

[garywbrooks]

First fuel up done... 22mpg

I was hoping for about 27mpg... especially as I did a calm drive up to Leeds & back.

Time to pump up those tyres and maybe remove the Fiamma awning for the winter.

It's in for a service on Tuesday, that might help..

[nigelgibson]

you'll be surprised how much difference a service and tyre pressure can make, particularly new filters all round. you should get that 27mpg easy enough up to leeds at a steady 70.

sent you text earlier but dont know if your mobile on yet.

found the manual so it's here whenever you want to collect, no rush it's not goin ' anywhere .

[nigelgibson]

Nice to meet you earlier today Gary...

pics of Quecha base pop up have been emailed to you.

if you search posts on here you will find lots of bongo owners use them, you will also see them on lots of pics of meets/stourport bash etc.

[garywbrooks]

Cheers, Nige

Bongo back from Mazda Specialists... I can recommend Nick Clulee of Heeley, Sheffield. He did a service (flush & oil change, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, sump washer) and give it an MOT for £228. Nice friendly chap, said the Bongo was in good condition with evidence of previous servicing.. He also solved my 22mpg problem.. He found a small diesel leak to the diesel pump!

So happy days...

North Wales here we come!

[nigelgibson]

Got to say your bongo is one of the cleanest inside and out that i've seen. [ having had a good luck last w/e ]

Your man is, like his name, clued up on bongos as he replaced the sump washer so he's done his homework. [ this is commonly ignored and can leave an annoying little leak]

enjoy north Wales !

I think i mentioned Brent [ a bongo pal from sheff ] who was in north wales last week and rung with a stuck roof problem which this forum sorted within minutes.

Take either your laptop or my mobile number to wales for instant forum assistance ! The RAC aren't too shoddy either but the forum fixed his roof before greenflag arrived !!

[mikeonb4c]

Cheers, Nige

Bongo back from Mazda Specialists... I can recommend Nick Clulee of Heeley, Sheffield. He did a service (flush & oil change, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, sump washer) and give it an MOT for £228. Nice friendly chap, said the Bongo was in good condition with evidence of previous servicing.. He also solved my 22mpg problem.. He found a small diesel leak to the diesel pump!

So happy days...

North Wales here we come!

Oil and filter changes (except perhaps for the fuel filter, which can be a little trickier if it is tight on) are not hard to do DIY (esp if you buy a Pela pump for sucking out the oil). Fuel and air filter are every 2yrs but oil changes may be twice a year so worth learning to save money by DIYing it (more convenient too as you don't have to book it in, miss car, stick to appt, get to garage etc.).

I doubt that fixing the fuel leak will 'per se' fix your MPG problem, unless it was a significant leak. I had a fuel leak (now fixed) and before and after figures remained the same. The small drips on most leaking pumps don't amount to much fuel loss. But your mechanic has been v. reasonable on price if he fixed the leaking fuel pump seal as well as doing all the other work for that price.

Cruising on good open roads to Wales, with the autbox in lockout a lot, might give a much better MPG than you've been getting (fingers crossed, and only if you keep speed to 65-70mph max). Its hilly around Sheffield and that kind of terrain means the autobox doesn't get much chance to lock out in top gear, which is the only way to get the Bongo producing half decent mpg figures.

Have a great trip