Bongos and that dreaded word..RUST!!!

[bennyyorkie]

Hi,
I've been reading the rust directory which is such a great resource!
Just wondering....I'm looking into buying my first camper....Bongo, Regius and Hiace are the front runners.
I guess what I'm wondering is how do bongos hold up in terms of rust in general...or compared to these other options?
Was initially looking at ford transits and sprinters....but they are literally a disaster for rust which totally rule them out in my book....(also slightly outside my price range )!
Would love to hear from those in the know.
p.s the word RUST gives me heart palpitations!

[teenmal]

If you buy a Fresh Import that is virtually rust-free, get the vehicle professionally protected, inspected and topped up every year ( if required ) you should not have a Big problem with RUST for a few years to come.

You need to be very careful when purchasing these vehicles as others have found to their sorrows, some have paid in excess of £5000 and ended up with a Bucket Full of Rust,they have been really Stung.


Take care.

[Bongolia]

I can second that!

[bennyyorkie]

If you buy a Fresh Import that is virtually rust-free, get the vehicle professionally protected, inspected and topped up every year ( if required ) you should not have a Big problem with RUST for a few years to come.

You need to be very careful when purchasing these vehicles as others have found to their sorrows, some have paid in excess of £5000 and ended up with a Bucket Full of Rust,they have been really Stung.


Take care.

Thanks for your reply. Definitely seems the best way to go. Although it is kind of odd to hear of fresh bongo imports at this stage...at least in my head...I'm thinking even if they are one of the last bongos...and comes in with low milage from Japan...is there a big change its been clocked? I've come across 2 cars in my life that were 20 years old and had genuinely 50000 miles on the clock but only 2! Should I be a bit suspicious of fresh bongo imports? Maybe there is some japanese paperwork I'd need to see to be sure its not a scam?
Also, this is probably a stupid question but no harm in asking....I see lots on ebay that have been in the UK a number of years and have been sealed....on the one hand..great, I wouldnt have to get that done myself and the bongo is protected but on the other hand...whats underneath the sealant? Is there any way to see underneath the sealant....I'm guessing there must as the MOT guys seem to be able to tell if things are rusty...I know...stupid question!

[bennyyorkie]

I can second that!

god, sounds like you had a bad experience...a local mechanic told me to always check the MOT history but I'm beginning to wonder if theres a glitch in the system there....was looking up a bongo I saw on ebay today, selling for 5000....lovely looking van but the history check showed it failed for severe corrosion affecting the stability of the structure on a few areas last year....but oddly, it passed with flying colours in the 3 precious years....showed it to my dad (engineer) and he said thats all wrong "it couldnt have gone from fine to disaster in a year"...he thought the precious MOTS must have not been done properly...now thats a worry!!
I hope your experience wasnt too bad or costly. Would be interested to hear your perspective but dont want to ask you in case you get flashbacks!

[teenmal]

I am sure Bongolia won't mind you asking of his sorry experience if it helps other peeps from falling into the same trap.


By the way, we named this vehicle THE WASP.here is a wee snippet.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=72827&hilit=rust


Take care.

[mikeonb4c]

I'm advised Toyotas are much better than Bongos when it comes to (not) rusting. But the Bongo is unique in design terms which is why i accept the welding costs! But you do have to be wary. Bongolia was (to some extent) up for doing a restoration job anyway but there's definitely some questions to be asked i think about poor standards of inspection by (some) testers, and major work was needed on his (though i suspect there have been many unsuspecting owners who've got caught out).

[teenmal]

I'm advised Toyotas are much better than Bongos when it comes to (not) rusting. But the Bongo is unique in design terms which is why i accept the welding costs! But you do have to be wary. Bongolia was (to some extent) up for doing a restoration job anyway but there's definitely some questions to be asked i think about poor standards of inspection by (some) testers, and major work was needed on his (though i suspect there have been many unsuspecting owners who've got caught out).

Can't imagine paying £7000 for a restoration project ???.

[mikeonb4c]

I'm advised Toyotas are much better than Bongos when it comes to (not) rusting. But the Bongo is unique in design terms which is why i accept the welding costs! But you do have to be wary. Bongolia was (to some extent) up for doing a restoration job anyway but there's definitely some questions to be asked i think about poor standards of inspection by (some) testers, and major work was needed on his (though i suspect there have been many unsuspecting owners who've got caught out).

Can't imagine paying £7000 for a restoration project ???.

Gosh was it as much as that. Just as well he was up for a restoration project eh?

[mikeonb4c]

I'm not announcing our figure here

I think teenmal just likes to grind (rust off with) his axe. Sometimes its better to draw a line on whats happened and focus instead (with a cheery face) on what needs doing. Which I think is what Bongolia did, and it was really interesting to read the work he did on The Wasp, and likewise interesting to read about yours. Must be very satisfying to look at the result once the work is done.

[bennyyorkie]

I'm not announcing our figure here

I think teenmal just likes to grind (rust off with) his axe. Sometimes its better to draw a line on whats happened and focus instead (with a cheery face) on what needs doing. Which I think is what Bongolia did, and it was really interesting to read the work he did on The Wasp, and likewise interesting to read about yours. Must be very satisfying to look at the result once the work is done.

I second that!!
I found a buyers guide/info website with invaluable info on what to look for when buying and how to maintain the bongo. Has anyone ever heard of this guy? He seems to know SOOO much and I cant believe how much detailed info you can read on his site for free!

https://www.allansvehicleservices.co.uk/

[teenmal]

I'm not announcing our figure here

I think teenmal just likes to grind (rust off with) his axe. Sometimes its better to draw a line on whats happened and focus instead (with a cheery face) on what needs doing. Which I think is what Bongolia did, and it was really interesting to read the work he did on The Wasp, and likewise interesting to read about yours. Must be very satisfying to look at the result once the work is done.

Well, Michael, I don't use an axe to grind rust, as a matter of fact, I don't have an axe to grind period. ( but I bet the unfortunate peeps that have bought these lemons have)I am simply giving a bit of advice, whether the OP takes heed it's up to him/her. The two peeps that have been mentioned were unlucky but lucky enough that they could carry out the renovation work themselves and try and recoupe something. Joe Public would have had no other option than to Scrap their vehicles. I am sure you know of some that have done precisely that. I am sure you will have a Latin name for that scenario.

[mikeonb4c]

Sorry teenmal, wasnt intending to cause offence, just playing with words and flagging up that you are forever vigilant. Yes I'm reading every day (mainly on facebook) of owners whose Bongos are failing MOT on extensive rust. It is foolish to disregard the warnings though, to be fair to Bongolia, there were fewer people warning of serious rust issues when he bought his, and he might be forgiven for believing his was sound since (i think?) it had passed MOTs OK and was a later model. Do I recall also that as he dug deeper he found evidence of ancient repairs that could even have indicated that the work was not just rust related but maybe accident damage related? So long ago I can't recall but maybe you can?

[mikeonb4c]

I second that!!
I found a buyers guide/info website with invaluable info on what to look for when buying and how to maintain the bongo. Has anyone ever heard of this guy? He seems to know SOOO much and I cant believe how much detailed info you can read on his site for free!

https://www.allansvehicleservices.co.uk/

Certainly have. Allans is/are one of the longest serving and best Bongo garages in UK. The two guys posting on here about their rusty Bongos have the right skills to repair/weld up an old Bongo, but many average owners haven't and then it gets tricky. I like to think that the reward for extensive project time spent thoroughly renovating rusty bodywork is a Bongo that is more sound than many that gleam on the outside but may have the dreaded tinworm established and waiting to pounce on the inside!

[Flanners]

Caveat Emptor....as with all secondhand vehicle purhases, do the research, examine the vehicle whether trade or private and mitigate most of the 'risk'; I personally would if rust is a concern be looking for a newly imported facelift Aero/converted example having between £6-10K in my pocket; up to £14K+ if purchased from the well known (and trusted) trade suppliers. There are owner's on here who have paid both larger and some low sums of money to purhase a total lemon and obviously conversely too. For me yes MoT history, physically looking at the vehicle were important but equally it was speaking to the owner, my van's previous owner advertised on the classifieds here had owned from import for 3 years and was visibly gutted to be selling, I got a good one and it was the only one I went to look at. Met the previous owner by chance on the South Coast a few weeks ago and had a chat he has a VW with all the bells and whistles now but still said they missed the Bongo.

Most issues with rust appear to me to be the owner's own lack of care and use of preventative measures waxoyl, underseal et al and keeping their van clean, hosing out and ensuring the wheel arches are free of crud, rust spots are treated and not left etc, the amount of dirty shabby Bongo's I see far out number the gleaming one's where I live.