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Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:30 pm
by aitch
always thought there was no taste in Oz this confirms it!!!!!

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:16 am
by lev8
aitch wrote:always thought there was no taste in Oz this confirms it!!!!!
so says a driver of a 14 y.o. van with a reputation for dubious reliability :-)

you may be right, delicas are very popular, but more likely because of the better 4WD specs, so you can get away from Bongos and other soft roaders

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:56 pm
by mikeonb4c
lev8 wrote:
aitch wrote:always thought there was no taste in Oz this confirms it!!!!!
so says a driver of a 14 y.o. van with a reputation for dubious reliability :-)

you may be right, delicas are very popular, but more likely because of the better 4WD specs, so you can get away from Bongos and other soft roaders
Of course! I think that's the answer to the lack of Bongos. Thyinking about it, if I was going to go out of town in a country with lots of rough terrain, I wouldn't choose a Bongo. A Landcruiser or - if I was trying the 'live in it' approach - something like a Delica would be the right choice.

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:07 pm
by hollykimalan
Hi everyone,
We are planning our permanent
migration to Australia from the uk.
We would like to take our bongo with us.
Any one got any ideas about companies who
Help with such importations?
I used Algys to import her over from japan originally.
Anyone done this before.... We are heading to Queensland.
HKA
X

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:32 pm
by crazy uncle gray g
hollykimalan wrote:Hi everyone,
We are planning our permanent
migration to Australia from the uk.
We would like to take our bongo with us.
Any one got any ideas about companies who
Help with such importations?
I used Algys to import her over from japan originally.
Anyone done this before.... We are heading to Queensland.
HKA
X
:-k Would this be of any assistance to you :arrow:
http://www.karmanshipping.com/australia/australia.html
Good luck 8)

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:44 pm
by dvisor
hollykimalan wrote:Hi everyone,
We are planning our permanent
migration to Australia from the uk.
We would like to take our bongo with us.
Any one got any ideas about companies who
Help with such importations?
I used Algys to import her over from japan originally.
Anyone done this before.... We are heading to Queensland.
HKA
X
Good luck with that - I'm really envious. We were all set to emigrate to Sydney a few years ago - had spent several months working in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and my company was sorting out the move etc. Then my wife managed to get herself pregnant (don't know how :-" ), and the move was off (first pregnancy was difficult and she had to spend a lot of time in hospital). A decision we'll always regret - probably too old to get in now :-({|=

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:47 pm
by New Forest Terrier
Could the reason why Bongo's are rare in OZ be that they are mainly diesel. On limited experience, one Aussie vehicle purchase, I found most camper or 4wd vehicles were petrol, many with LPG added.

My daughter was at Uni in OZ in 2006 and had to buy a vehicle to get around Geelong and to follow up with a backpackers tour. I went out for a holiday, but ended up checking out what felt like every old wreck in Sydney. The advice I was given was to avoid diesel, which seemed the obvious choice. The reason was that outside the main towns diesel mechanics were few and far between. Any small town could find someone to fix a petrol engine. Only big trucks used diesel so facilities were limited, problems you were stuck.

She ended up with an elderly 7 seat petrol 4wd Pajero/Shogun which made an improvised camper. It never tested the theory since it travelled the outback but never broke down. This was a grey market import and there were a lot around similar.

Campers were limited to VW's, expensive, in short supply and mainly knackered. These had no more ground clearance than the Bongo but managed to travel the outback, just limited to roads. Most Australians live in a very small coastal area after all.

Another maketing opportunity lost by Mazda. The petrol versions, with roo bars would have succeded there really well.

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:50 pm
by lev8
hollykimalan wrote:Hi everyone,
We are planning our permanent
migration to Australia from the uk.
We would like to take our bongo with us.
Any one got any ideas about companies who
Help with such importations?
I used Algys to import her over from japan originally.
Anyone done this before.... We are heading to Queensland.
HKA
X
Importing vehicles into Australia can be tricky, check out this site http://www.fpi.net.au/pages/cars.htm I would consider the total costs, (don't forget registration stamp duty etc) and hassles before importing as there are vehicles available here already with compliance, drive away. There are some here http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/res ... 819&Nne=15 better to check the price is drive-away.

I would certainly consider bringing one of those camper conversion kits as they seem cheap in the UK and there is nothing like them here, plus one for a mate :-)

You might also consider bringing plenty of Bongo specific spares, such as brake rotors don't forget your mate :-)

Don't believe the rubbish about no diesel service in the bush. There are probably more diesel vehicles in the Aussie bush than in England. Ever heard of tractors? Plus the troopie diesels and land rovers are also popular, whatever you drive there will be problems with parts in the outback.

Diesel is usually dearer than petrol in OZ and since diesel engines are dearer than petrol then it's a no brainer. There are a lot more diesels on offer these days though, unless you plan to do lots of country driving they are probably not worth it.

The bongo should be a suitable vehicle for general touring whether tar or dirt, but remember that the out back is unforgiving and help is a long way away. Roads with river crossings, long deep sand, boulders or bull dust patches should be avoided. In short if you really want to explore the real outback - don't try it in a bongo.


Welcome to the lucky country

I will be visiting the UK in a couple of weeks if you want to avachat PM me

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:50 am
by chiefster1976
Diesel is cheaper than petrol at the moment here in brisbane..
There is unfortunalty not many bongos here in Oz and there are heaps of delicas around..
My thoughts are torn between continuing with the bongos here to convert or go for the delica exceed...Not with an electric roof of course( but have acontact who could hook me up with a high top) but small rear fit outs maybe for the SURF DOODS and sharing the same running gear as the pajero/shogun with low ratio gears then can go on the beech!!!
mm...
I do like the newer shape bongos though. 2004 shape,,sexy as...beat the looks of a delica...
I had my bongo in the U.K for more than one year allowing the option for shipping over here but there was too much involved and too much red tape and costs, so i sold the baby..( feel a little sad about that decision)..

GOOG LUCK Holly and Alan with your emigration...
Good day to LEV 8..

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:42 pm
by scanner
aitch wrote:always thought there was no taste in Oz this confirms it!!!!!
Q - What do you have do to find some culture in Oz.

A - Just leave your milk out in the sun.

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:57 pm
by rondor
kev&caz wrote:Hi all,

Caz and I are in Adelaide Australia at the moment visiting our daughter and grandkids.
We have been here a week and as yet have not spoted one Bongo. So they are very rare over here. We travel up to Sydney in a couple of weeks time I will look out for Bongos when we get there. Then we are going up to Cairns for a week so I will be on the look out for them I where all the surfer dudes hang out so I will post any sightings. :lol: :lol:

G'day

Kev
Got a nephew in Adelaide named Martin Ootes ,Wife two kids one into cycle racing if you hear of
Sophie give a cheer Gooday Probably knows me as Battersea dogs home

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:01 pm
by stevedon
i assume OZ is like NZ ,Here people will only buy a van if its got TOYOTA on it,Mazdas are seen as a non entity and everyone will tell you that the engines are crap.There are a few places that rent out bongos ,i saw one by aucl
kland airport,they had the largest selection of crap i have ever seen dont ever be tempted to rent one from there .
In NZ i see a bongo friendee every other day there are a few in the mount and one in katikati where i live.I cant believe theyve never taken off here as they are ideal for everything here.

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:18 pm
by mikeonb4c
stevedon wrote:i assume OZ is like NZ ,Here people will only buy a van if its got TOYOTA on it,Mazdas are seen as a non entity and everyone will tell you that the engines are crap.There are a few places that rent out bongos ,i saw one by aucl
kland airport,they had the largest selection of crap i have ever seen dont ever be tempted to rent one from there .
In NZ i see a bongo friendee every other day there are a few in the mount and one in katikati where i live.I cant believe theyve never taken off here as they are ideal for everything here.

Shhhhhhh! Its hard enough to get good ones in the UK without getting the Kiwis all interested and snapping them up :lol:

But seriously, I would love to drive a Bongo all round NZ cos I can see the two of them getting on just perfectly. Hope you are getting the most out yours in that lovely land. 8)

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:42 am
by chiefster1976
I cannot beleive it either, why they havent taken off is strange as Oz is Big for camping etc..
most Ozies are set in thier ways i guess and cannot see quality of these motors... :lol:
ITs all about the Toyotas here..blah blah..
Like i have said before OZ is about 10 years behind of England and Europe..
I cannot even find any drop links for my bongo here..not even vectra links..tish.. :cry:

Re: Bongos Downunder

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:46 pm
by mikeonb4c
chiefster1976 wrote:I cannot beleive it either, why they havent taken off is strange as Oz is Big for camping etc..
most Ozies are set in thier ways i guess and cannot see quality of these motors... :lol:
ITs all about the Toyotas here..blah blah..
Like i have said before OZ is about 10 years behind of England and Europe..
I cannot even find any drop links for my bongo here..not even vectra links..tish.. :cry:
I remember when I was thinking about having a 'grey import' in the form of a Bongo. Everyone (local garage etc.) said don't do it as spares and servicing wil be impossible. If it hadn't of been for discovering this club, and the fact that there was a good community of people running these things and abe to knock the myths into touch, then I know I wouldn't have had a courage to risk getting one. It may be that that a similar thing applies in Oz i.e. if you were thinking of an imported Delica then you'd soon find there was a healthy community of them and no problem with parts, advice etc. But a Bongo.........and so it goes on, until someone gets started with a Bongo and cracks through the obstacles.

I'm guessing, but is the 4WD Delica maybe a bit more suited for Oz camping / beachcombing due to its off-road ability? Also (minor point) maybe a bit cooler as it doesn't have a warm hump (engine cover) inside the cab?