Mazdabongocampervans.co.uk - any experience

[JandM]

Hi, we're starting our search for a new Bongo in North Yorkshire and have come across mazdabongocampervans.co.uk. in York...wanted to know if anyone had experience of dealing with these guys?

Their website/FB page looks the part but am also wary comparing this with the established importers. Obviously keen to avoid buying something that looks the part but ends up a dud!

Any help appreciated.

[Bob]

Sorry, I've not come across them, but welcome aboard.

[JandM]

Thanks anyway! Decided to take a look at New Dawn Conversions in Wolverhampton as the conversion being offered by the York guys didn't work for us.

[Bob]

New Dawn are vrey well thought of here.

[JandM]

Thanks. The full new dawn conversion looks great though the price alongside the price of a fresh import is causing us to pause. We've seen a vehicle we like at a place called Hamblyn Cars in Great Yarmouth that have a history of selling Bongos but we can't really do a 4hr+ car journey to go and just look at one, only to find it's not in a good enough state.

We'd really value any thoughts you have on this!!!! Understand we would need someone to check it over but the price seems fair for the conversio/mileage.

https://www.hamblyncars.co.uk/vehicle/m ... 3b003f33b1

[Bob]

Just a personal thought - I'd rather do the 4 hour journey to find it's not what you want, than part with £11 grand to find it's not what you want.

You could pay for AA/RAC or similar to do a report, but that doesn't give you that 'It's for me' feel.

And I notice it's the rare '95 Bongo with side air bags. Mrs B says I'm far to cynical for my own good, but if a description is inaccurate...

Looks like the roof hasn't gone fully up, but I could be wrong.

Also, I'm not up on the price of converted Bongos, so even with the odd 'quirk' it may well be good, but remember the base vehicle is a quarter of a century old.

Caveat Emptor.

Don't wish to be negative, and hope my thoughts help a little.

Edit: You could ask for the reg and check MoT history and do an HPI check.

[Ian]

If I were based in North Yorks I certainly would not be travelling all the way to Suffok to buy a converted Bongo when there are others available nearby. Bongospares near Halifax for instance. And don't rule out private sales on Facebook Marketplace and Autotrader. Also worth looking up Stuart Coates on Facebook North East Bongo group, he regularly imports Bongos and sells at very reasonable prices.

Nothing against Hamblyn Cars, but it would appear they have only been selling Bongos for the last 9 months or so and specialise in buying old versions and convetring them in to campervans. I haven't seen the quality of the build up close but the photos all look good. What slightly concerns me is that the base vehicles are 25 years old so, as Bob says, request a vehicle reg and undertake MOT check to see history. One other thing, out of our 2,000 + current club members only 1 has declared that they bought from Hamlyn Cars. But that's just an observation.

[cwilliams255]

I went to see a couple of bongos at the York guy, they were clearly all well selected examples but there was a lack of clarity when it came to Japanese paperwork and auction sheets and because he didn’t answer with enough conviction either way I walked away. Now maybe this was because I’d seen Phil at JAL before and for anyone who’s been you’ll know how important this is to him! The fact is that if he had told me they were grade ‘r’ in the auction and shown me the original damage sheet I may have bought anyway, they may well have been grade 4 but lack of information meant no sale. Bought privately a week later and all good. However on the subject my new bongo has clearly had an accident in Japan with some very minor damage behind front bumper, which would probably have made it a grade ‘r’

[Hazzobongo]

The bongo I've just bought came from the people in York, its been in the country for three years, is converted and has done 60k miles now and 53 when imported other than that there was no service history even though the PO has added multiple electrical gadgets he never changed the oil or anything.

So I phoned up the York place to enquire if they did any servicing to the vehicles they import, timing belts etc and he said 'The timing belts don't snap', I burst out laughing, he asked why I was laughing and I told him I knew several people who ended up without a car or truck thanks to ignoring timing belt replacement at age or mileage. He then said they strip the cars/vans down to inspect this item, I hung up.

If you buy from there as the vehicles do look very good and they do underseal properly the sills then I suggest you drive them to a reputable recommended garage and get the belt replaced asap, which is what I'm doing this week or next depending when my kit arrives, till then the bongo is going nowhere. H