Replacing my Bongo

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:18 am

Ian Aitken wrote:Thanks again folks. I'm probably going down to near Cambridge in March so I might have a wee look at things down there, though as I said I'm thinking probably keeping what I have is best. I do have about £3000 I could use, but maybe I should keep that as 'just in case money'. The trouble with 'spending it to bring her up to spec' is that I'm not in a position to know what to spend it on until it falls off (so to speak).

And thanks for the tip madmile - I was perhaps a little niave there, though if I was selling it I'd be compelled to give a buyer a 'full history' anyway I'm afraid (kind of goes with my job!)

Bless you (that's the clue to my job)

Ian

Are you a professional sneezer Ian?

missfixit70 · Post by **missfixit70** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:33 am

PMSL

Brilliant

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:04 am

Ian Aitken wrote: Our issue is that in November 06 we spent 1000 on it to get it through its MOT and this Nov it was the same!

Ian? Just out of curiosity, Do you happen to know what needed attention on your bongo to make the m.o.t bills so astronomically high?

I don't know if i've just been lucky with mine,but the three m.o.t's i've put her through has only cost me the m.o.t fee.

I'm wondering what could have possibly gone so wrong with your bongo from one mot to another,to need yet another grands worth of work to get her through the following mot?

Doughbouy · Post by **Doughbouy** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:00 am

Back on topic

How about mine? It will be a sad weekend if she makes her reserve

Cheer's Ian. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAZDA-BONGO-2-5td ... dZViewItem[/code]

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:52 am

I wasn't aware we'd strayed from topic??

Nice bongo doughboy... Did you fit the monitor in the big central cubby in the dash?

How did you manage it? The monitor in mine is just slightly too big to fit in the aperture without modifying the cubby....

Ian Aitken · Post by **Ian Aitken** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:34 am

Ah Kirsty - God moves in mysterious ways (or at least drives a mysterious camper van/people carrier looking thing..."Bongo? Did you say Bongo? You're having me on...never heard of it mate...let's have a look...hmmm nice...so where do you get these...."). Seriously, on behalf of all back-to-front-shirt wearers I appologise for my colleague.

Mike, where did you get that picture of me....

Bigdaddy, I do, but the info is in the Bongo which has taken my wife out shopping, so I'll give you an accurate account later.

Bless you all (whether you sneeze or not)

Ian

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:46 am

Ian Aitken wrote:
Bigdaddy, I do, but the info is in the Bongo which has taken my wife out shopping, so I'll give you an accurate account later.

Ian

Thanks Ian, i'm not being nosey you understand?

I just hate the thought of somebody being taken advantage of...I'm not suggesting that your garage is in any way unscrupulous,but that really is one (two) astronomical bills! If i'd paid £500 for a ratty grade zero bongo then maybe i'd expect that kind of a bill just the once...but, not on a yearly basis!

(Back to front shirt wearers!

I like that!

)

Ian Aitken · Post by **Ian Aitken** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:20 pm

06 we had 4 new tyres (£150), 100 for front bads and caliper, and 200 for serivice and wee bits and pieces. We then had a problem with our Air Con which cost 100, CV Boot which was 120 and then a big hole in the bottom which caused it to fail its MOT and was in a place where the first garage wouldn't touch cause it wa so hard to get to. I did some research and went to a guy who I have stuck with for everything else, but that cost £200 (I put some photos of the problem on the forum at the time). All the Labour was 650. So '06 cost us £1500 (and ministers shouldn't swear!)

07 cost us 350 for new exhaust boxes (centre and rear) another 300 for various bits and pieces (e.g. anti-roll bar link - 65 + vat) and 400 labour (by the way the guy I'm now with charges 39.50 plus vat an hour for labour - I do trust him though...but then I trust everybody). So that's just over £1000.

Kinda adds up doesn't it.

Maybe it's just one of those things; maybe I didn't know what to look for when we were buying; maybe God gave us one of lifes more fragile Bongos becasue he knew we'd care for her whatever (or trade her in for a new one if she was a real problem!).

Bless you

Ian

Post by **Ian** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:29 pm

No wonder you are sneezing! Although the tyre and labour charges are not unreasonable, I think you have been seriously overcharged for some of those parts.

bighairypict · Post by **bighairypict** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:03 pm

I'm a little late with this reply, Ian, because it sounds like you have decided to look elsewhere.

Like Ford Tinny I also stay in Fife but I decided to go elsewhere (after a test drive at Dairsie persuaded me that a Bongo was what I was after) and saved myself a whack of cash.

Ian Aitken · Post by **Ian Aitken** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:15 pm

Thanks Bighairy, but I've pretty much been convinced to keep (particularly as my deeply honest/niave nature has made selling almost impossible after making public all the things that have gone wrong in the past!!).

Kirsty, what are coolant and mason alarms!!??

And thank you for your kind words Mike - it's nice to be wanted (not always the case in my job!). Always willing to engage and be part of a community - even willing to pray for all the poorly Bongos (had plenty of practise). Maybe I could become the unofficial "Bongo Chaplain" - useless at most things mechanical (but getting better with the help of every one on BF

) but helpful in most things spiritual!

Are we getting off topic now?

Bless you

Ian

BongoMTBer · Post by **BongoMTBer** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:33 pm

I would say, 'Better the Devil You Know'.

Ian Aitken · Post by **Ian Aitken** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:16 pm

BongoMTBer wrote:I would say, 'Better the Devil You Know'.

Are you refering to my Bongo or the idea of me as Bongo Chaplain, cause in one of those cases I'm not so sure.....

Bless you

Ian

brorabongo · Post by **brorabongo** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:33 pm

Just to add to above, AFAIK the coolant alarm is monitoring constantly, and not just when switching on. ( I hope

)

and it's straight forward to fit.

When are you Aberdonians planning a meet? There must be enough of youse now to have a large meet. I might pop down if so

bighairypict · Post by **bighairypict** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:04 pm

Ian Aitken wrote:Thanks Bighairy, but I've pretty much been convinced to keep (particularly as my deeply honest/niave nature has made selling almost impossible after making public all the things that have gone wrong in the past!!).

I just bought my Bongo in December, Ian, and managed to sell my Renault at the same time. I was completely honest about the work I had done on it in recent years (it was 19 years old so that was quite a bit) and what I had not done. I got a buyer who went into the deal with his eyes open and really likes what he got but he knows what he needs to do to maintain it. Your deeply honest/naive nature could work both ways.

There is a time to hold on to your vehicle and a time when it makes sense to move it on and start again. Sounds like you are still at the first stage but don't forget to look out for the latter and act appropriately when the time comes!