SKINT AND DEMORALISED

maddy06 · Post by **maddy06** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 1:14 am

Bought my much sought after Bongo start of August.Within days it was in the dock for replacement rear diff....money....money....Got it back and for a few weeks tootled around a happy man.First trip,disaster strikes,problems galore,towed home by AA.3 weeks in garage...the outcome....absolutely no idea what is wrong with it.....tootled around for a few more weeks,but just doesn't feel right driving it...feels a bit "graunchy" under foot(hope someone knows what that means). Was Planning to head off to London in 2 weeks,so decided this was make or break bearing in mind last journey was a disaster and i still don't know what was wrong.Tootling home from work the other night,just 5 mileson m/way,the bloody thing conks out on me.Managed to restart,but did it again on A road.Got her home eventually.Read the threads on alternators and am fairly certain this is the problem.Simply cannot afford anymore outlay.I was fully aware that they needed some TLC and money spending annually,but my bank balance is rapidly diminishing.I shopped around when i bought it and didn't rush into things,but now(cue furrowed brows) i wish i had never bought the damned thing.With a wife and small kids,i need to feel safe and one thing is for certain, i have never felt safe in the vehicle.Th only plus side is ,i have AA repair cover,but once the latest problem is solved,i am afraid she will have to go.Just want to say this is an incredible site and i will keep reading as i did before i bought.I think i may well just have been bloody unlucky.Maybe one day my faith will be restored,but at present i have wife,kids and bank balance to look after.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:09 am

My god! and i thought i had bad luck! hope you manage to sort it,seems a shame to get shut though after you putting money into it already. I,d expect some things to go wrong, with em getting on a bit now,but, that does sound excessive. Did you get any kind of warranty with the bongo? I thought i was unlucky cos my mirrors started playing up!

maddy06 · Post by **maddy06** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 5:04 am

Bought it in private sale.Thought it would be cheaper than a dealer.How wrong can i be!!!!!Would love to persevere with it,but it is the first time i have indulged myself on something so expensive and have completely lost faith.Will revert to buying old bangers and scrapping them when they go wrong.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:22 am

Hmm, i know what you mean,a lot of the dealers chuck a couple of grand straight on top. I got mine through a private sale (autotrader) its very demorilising when you have a bad experience like yourself,but, if you do decide to stick with it,there are a lot of great people on this site,with a lot of knowledge, if anybody can help you out i'm sure they will...

maddy06 · Post by **maddy06** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 5:00 am

Thanks bigdaddy.Still a little undecided,because she is a beautifil looking thing(just won't go!!).Are you an insomniac,or on a boring night shift like myself?

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:56 am

forced insomniac i'm afraid! i do work a night shift too,( 5pm till 12) but i caught some chav breaking in to my house last week,nicked my back door key through the catflap,and its got me a bit edgy. I think he was after my car keys, (3 cars, keys on one bunch) I have three kids and they were a bit shook up, so i,m doing a bit of a vigilante stint at the moment till i can settle. Hence why i,m up at this hour! i,ve snook my new alloys in to the living room to prep em for paint! hope the missus doesn't come down! Any luck with ya bongo yet? or is it a lost cause do ya reckon?

xpanse0 · Post by **xpanse0** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:31 pm

This maybe not such a sad story, but might help you feel

slightly less alone. I bought a bongo through an import company based in Southampton in June 06. I was told I would happily be on the road, taking my booked holiday by mid August.

To cut a long story short. I took delivery of the vehicle (unregistered) two weeks ago. It has sat illegally in the street since I got it. I have still not received the registration plates (therefore cannot drive), and cannot drive it any way because it won't start (apparent starter motor problem). I also am a family man, and have spent £200 over what I was told already. The pop roof has a very badly repaired rip in it and the upholstery is stained way beyond a "couple of stains that will come out easily".

I can only hope that I don't have the same trouble as you when I do get it started.

I am also thinking of selling asap.

Chin up

Kind Regards

Steve

maddy06 · Post by **maddy06** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:59 pm

Contacted garage for a quote on labour,!!!!!!!!!!!!Then suddenly had a thought.An old peugeot of mine had a similar problem(sorry for comparing such vehicles).Fuel gauge was between 1/4 and empty.So i thinks,go get some diesel boy!!.Trip to morrisons,£3-50 jerry can of diesel,pour it in,switch my beauty on,leave it running..........problem solved.....faulty fuel gauge......i truly am the stupidest man ever and probably not worthy of owning such a vehicle.Just goes to show that when you have had problems,you always think the worst.My confidence in my dream machine has returned......and to all of you who took the time to read my thread.....I AM SO SORRY FOR WASTING YOUR TIME....especially Big Daddy Cain

Chris P · Post by **Chris P** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:51 am

Glad your Bongo problem was so easy in the end.

I've just had a faulty fuel gauge, but much easier to diagnose as it went while I was keeping track of fuel, so i KNEW I had only done 100km and it was reading empty.

There are some sensible instructions for fixing it if you search the forum (connection at fuel tank end, under plate in rear of van), and my garage followed them with no problem).

Cheers

Chris

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:57 pm

Funny but mine played up too, I found the thread and peeled back the carpet, cleaned the earth and made a second separate earth as a backup, covered it all in grease, hey presto restored and it was easy too. Happy motoring.

neil/di · Post by **neil/di** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:34 pm

ditto David and mines been fine since
Neil