new bongonaut, new questions!

[Badmiker]

Hi all,
new Bongonaut (Bongoneer?) here. Just got a lovely white/silver Tdi AFT on Sunday & havent stopped grining since. Took the entire family, plus sister-in-law family out for meal yesterday; "Can we book a table?", "How many?", "A bongoful." "?"

So, I have some questions...

What's the switch on the dash below the mirror controls? Looks like an engine with wiggly lines (heat?) on. Havent investigated it properly yet, but doesnt *seem* to do anything.

Gearbox is hilarious, my first auto. Figured out how to change down with a combination of 'L' and 'hold', but is there any simple way to make it change up?

Climate control; is there any way to control the fan speed without turning on the compressor?

I would like to have the space AND the seating. Can I fit 'gull-wing' seats in place of the rear bench so I can fold away when not needed?
Alternatively; is there any reason not to remove the rear seat 'stops' so I can slide it further forward?

Radio reception is awful; is it easy to change the unit? Standard Mazda connectors?

How long do I have to find a name before I need to register it?!

Many thanks!

[westonwarrior]

Hi all,
new Bongonaut (Bongoneer?) here. Just got a lovely white/silver Tdi AFT on Sunday & havent stopped grining since. Took the entire family, plus sister-in-law family out for meal yesterday; "Can we book a table?", "How many?", "A bongoful." "?"

So, I have some questions...

What's the switch on the dash below the mirror controls? Looks like an engine with wiggly lines (heat?) on. Havent investigated it properly yet, but doesnt *seem* to do anything. cold start for north Japan. dont touch it
Gearbox is hilarious, my first auto. Figured out how to change down with a combination of 'L' and 'hold', but is there any simple way to make it change up? put it in drive and leave it there except in extreme conditions

Climate control; is there any way to control the fan speed without turning on the compressor? can't answer that one
I would like to have the space AND the seating. Can I fit 'gull-wing' seats in place of the rear bench so I can fold away when not needed? NoAlternatively; is there any reason not to remove the rear seat 'stops' so I can slide it further forward? cant think of one
Radio reception is awful; is it easy to change the unit? Standard Mazda connectors? get an iso converter few pounds

How long do I have to find a name before I need to register it?! Not sure what you mean

Many thanks!

[wishmaster]

Hi Badmiker and welcome to bongo fury, we changed the original Jap CD/Radio just a month back and got an ISO connector off Ebay for a couple of quid straight plug in and away to go. Jobs a good un

Izzy

[francophile1947]

1) What's the switch on the dash below the mirror controls? Looks like an engine with wiggly lines (heat?) on. Havent investigated it properly yet, but doesnt *seem* to do anything.

2) Gearbox is hilarious, my first auto. Figured out how to change down with a combination of 'L' and 'hold', but is there any simple way to make it change up?

3) Climate control; is there any way to control the fan speed without turning on the compressor?

4) I would like to have the space AND the seating. Can I fit 'gull-wing' seats in place of the rear bench so I can fold away when not needed?
Alternatively; is there any reason not to remove the rear seat 'stops' so I can slide it further forward?

5) Radio reception is awful; is it easy to change the unit? Standard Mazda connectors?

6) How long do I have to find a name before I need to register it?!

Many thanks!

1) It's the switch to work the fast warm-up valve in the exhaust, that's fitted to winter spec Bongos from the north of Japan (you have 2 starter batteries under the bonnet). The valve isn't needed in the UK, so leave it well alone - the car will run really badly if you accidentally leave it on and the valve has been known to stick.
2) Why do you need to change down manually? It only changes up by itself. It will do so quicker on light throttle.
3) Sorry, no idea - I have the manual aircon.
4) It's possible but a heck of a job, requiring mounting points welding in place and the floor fastenings - generally considered not to be a viable proposition.
5) Very easy - you will probably need a conversion lead to convert the Mazda fittings, but they are cheap and readily available on Ebay.
6) Don't understand the question - sorry

Also, see http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=29471 - it's easier to help if we know where you are

[Velocette]

Setting the temperature a bit higher should stop the call for cooling, I have mine on 23 at he moment and it was actually blowing warm air at one point this morning.

[scanner]

What's the switch on the dash below the mirror controls? Looks like an engine with wiggly lines (heat?) on. Havent investigated it properly yet, but doesnt *seem* to do anything.

As said it's a Cold Start/Rapid Warm up device for extreme conditions in Northern Japan - if it jams shut you will have no go and horrendous MPG, so leave it alone

Gearbox is hilarious, my first auto. Figured out how to change down with a combination of 'L' and 'hold', but is there any simple way to make it change up?

As said it's an Auto, you don't have to change up or down. Just put it in D and leave it alone.

Climate control; is there any way to control the fan speed without turning on the compressor?

You've lost me there - fan speed is one button, air con is another, so why should one affect the other?

I would like to have the space AND the seating. Can I fit 'gull-wing' seats in place of the rear bench so I can fold away when not needed?

Not easy & apparently not cheap, although some claim to have had it done for them.

Alternatively; is there any reason not to remove the rear seat 'stops' so I can slide it further forward?

Just lift the little lever on the feet and the seat slides all the way

Radio reception is awful; is it easy to change the unit? Standard Mazda connectors?

Sounds like either a Japanese radio or broken aerial easy to swap the unit converter connectors are available you need a Japanese to ISO one to fit modern UK units.

[Badmiker]

Thanks, rapid replies!

I might have to disable the engine preheat button, with 2 toddlers bouncing around the Bongo all manner of things will be poked and prodded...

I will probably get over the habit of changing gears. <sigh>
Although the manual does say to use 'S' or 'hold' for engine braking. The brakes really arent that hot are they? A bit of engine braking is very welcome...

Climate control doesnt seem to have a separate fan control; it's either 'on' when the fan and compressor are working, or 'off' whent the only control seems to be what vents are open (although what good 'open' is without any control over how much air is coming through them is debatable).

Thanks for the tip about lifting the lever for the rear seats. I obviously need to go for a crawl around the car, I think I'm coming up with a list of 'things to fiddle with'!

[scanner]

I will probably get over the habit of changing gears. <sigh>
Although the manual does say to use 'S' or 'hold' for engine braking. The brakes really arent that hot are they? A bit of engine braking is very welcome...

Discs all round with separate drums on the rear for the hand brake = "not that hot"? There must be something wrong with yours if you need engine braking.

Climate control doesnt seem to have a separate fan control; it's either 'on' when the fan and compressor are working, or 'off' whent the only control seems to be what vents are open (although what good 'open' is without any control over how much air is coming through them is debatable).

?? Do you have the digital climate control system (all buttons) or the manual system (buttons and dials) ??

So far as I know both have a fan that can be controlled independently of whether or not the air con is selected. Mine has.

[Alison01326]

I might have to disable the engine preheat button, with 2 toddlers bouncing around the Bongo all manner of things will be poked and prodded...

Girl toddlers, or boy toddlers? If it's the latter, don't let them near your window switches. Cost me a small fortune to replace the "rocket launchers" Also, threaten them early on with bad things if they play with the blinds (mine could reach his blind with his toe from his car seat). (Past tense, because he's now in a booster and can reach everything, I didn't actually chop off his toes ). Also note that the rear fog light and (in our case) the front fog lights only work when the headlights are on so unless its obvious from the switches, you won't know if your monkeys have switched them on unless you have a walk round with the lights on.

I will probably get over the habit of changing gears. <sigh>
Although the manual does say to use 'S' or 'hold' for engine braking. The brakes really arent that hot are they? A bit of engine braking is very welcome...!

Most has been said above about the brakes/engine braking but the S and L gears (with or without hold) are handy in certain situations where you may not want to brake much (snow, ice and gravel - particularly downhill gravel). You'll get used to it but you will only know you are used to it when you have to drive a manual

[aquabongo]

I replaced the Jap radio a couple of weeks ago, ashave many already. Reception is ok, but the Japanese have a different PM band to us which overlaps to include Radio 2 only. As said, with the mazda - universal adaptor (got mine from Halfords) it was pretty easy going.

There is a button on the climate control with a picture of a fan on it, if you have that version. this will adjust the fan and take it out of auto mode, if in.

the seats backs will fold flat on top over the seat itself and you can move both rear rows forward, once lifting the lever on the rear one. I think only the rear one then locks into the track, but that's fine. In that position you have a huge boot - enough to load a lot of sailing kit .

Welcome to Bongo World

[Cosmic Bus]

In regards to the stereo, I pulled the pins out of the stereo connector and switched them round to match the original wires if that makes any sense.

[Badmiker]

Ahhh! It's all becoming clearer!

After an evening of playing with the new toy I've discovered that it was operator error stopping the climate control from working properly (like, doh!) and I found the way to get the seats to slide about.
I've also re-routed the seatbelt to stop buckle crunch on the car seats. (FWIW I work with ropes, moorings and rigging and I've got absolutely no concerns with the strength of the re-routed strap).
Sorry, but the brakes are a soft point; nowhere near as good as a transits even. Maybe new fluid will help.

For the stereo; is it a universal 'japanese' connector I need, or a 'mazda' one?

Thanks for the warning about toddlers. They are both girls, but Flora already has her own set of spanners; it's the only way I can keep her away from my tools when I'm working on the bike...

[scanner]

Sorry, but the brakes are a soft point; nowhere near as good as a transits even. Maybe new fluid will help.

Must be summat wrong then, if I didn't have ABS I could park mine on it's nose if I wanted to.

Only thing I've ever had with better brakes was a Citroen BX with the high pressure hydro-pneumatic system.

[mikexgough]

[Only thing I've ever had with better brakes was a Citroen BX with the high pressure hydro-pneumatic system.

All the hydro Citroens have/had fab brakes..... the only drawback is that some people feel that they are either On or Off with no progression....... interestingly other manufacturers have adopted the use of hudraulic spheres on their braking systems.....Audi for one

[Badmiker]

I had a BX.
Most terrifying car I've ever owned.

It handled beautifully; ride was wonderful, brakes were strong. Lovely car to drive.

Except for the big red 'STOP!' light in the middle of the dashboard. If that ever came on you had about 20 seconds before the car sank to the floor, the steering went as heavy as a battleship, and you lost all brakes...