Newbie question

[IWM]

Hi folks, this is my first post on the forum although I have had the odd browse on here in the past. I have been looking at a Bongo that I noticed in my local camper dealer's yard the other week. It's a 1999 van with a 2007 conversion. It's going for a good price and the van has a relatively low mileage compared to others I have seen. It's a 2.5TD auto and we were pretty much about to buy it but on the test drive the engine started cutting out and the van wouldn't go above 30mph. The van was a trade in and as far as the dealer knew had been running fine prior to them getting it. He initially thought it was a fuel problem but said they would get it fully serviced and get back to me once it's fixed.

I was called yesterday to hear that the first garage felt it was an electrical rather than mechanical fault so they have now got it to a Mazda specialist to run some diagnostics. Basically I'm just wanting to know whether anyone has had a similar problem (put your foot to the floor and it just doesn't go anywhere, feels like there is something dragging) and whether I should steer well clear?

The dealer is being very reasonable, the van comes with a years warranty so I suppose it's in their interest to ensure it's fixed before we get it but I just hope this isn't the start of many problems/faults...

Any advice/words of wisdom appreciated.

Iain

PS based in Northern Scotland

[321Away]

any flashing dash lights? coil or hold? 1999 will most likely have the drive by wire fuel pump which can play up or it could be the throttle pedal postion sensor, gearbox etc does it change gear normally?

julian

[IWM]

Just remembered there was a light on the dash with a coil, I assumed it was glow plugs?

[Velocette]

Just remembered there was a light on the dash with a coil, I assumed it was glow plugs?

Glow plug light should go off after a few seconds. If it then flashes it is indicating a fault, if the hold light flashes it usually means a transmission related fault although with me it was the throttle position sensor. The next step is to use the diagnostic socket to get a fault code.

It could be something easily fixed but I wouldn't commit until it had been fully rectified and then only after a thorough test drive and preferably a look over by a Bongo specialist. The dealer offering a warranty doesn't particularly mean he has confidence in the van IMO, I think the cost of the warranty will be factored into the price he is charging