Newbie - so many questions

[Bongolia]

Sorry that should have been a "manufacturers spec major service"

[Bob]

Pop top roofs are heavy
Conversions are heavy
Hills in Scotland are big
I'd be looking for a v6 or a diesel

All the above is true, and if you're like a a surprising amount of 'Stuff' seems to come along on a camping trip.

[Jillygumbo]

Tents welcome, too, just book with Jillygumbo.

There's also a bongo breakfast meet at Anderwood Enclosure, near Burley in the New Forest on Sunday 12 March. Just turn up and chat to the owners. There were over 15 bongos there at the last one.

If you're having lifting roof added, it does add quite a lot to the weight of the van, and a conversion will add more weight. Add a family and that's even more weight. Add camping gear for a long break, it goes on. May be worth considering a small trailer to keep your gear in.

[Quinny]

[quote="Bongolia"]As others have already said there is very little difference in fuel consumptiin costs between each engine types. As to performance there is a difference betweeen the 2.0 ltr and the other two.
I own a 2.0ltr and it does perform OK but it needs to be coaxed by this I mean you have to "drive" it by using revs and gearbox. Its a small engine for a heavy van and its torque comes in at around 4300 rpm and maximum rpm is 5500 so it sounds very busy when you push it up hills.
A more comfortable drive would be had from the V6 engine,more relaxing and a good deal more powerful than the 2.0 ltr.
As to general V6 servicing costs there should not be a great deal of difference all you have is an additional two spark plugs and a bit more oil etc. Costs for services involving belt changes and the like may incur greater costs but they are not required that often.
The main point I would make is that whatever you decide on you need to get a complete service,thats a major manufacturers spec high mileage service carried out by a competant garage at the outset irrespective of the mileage or the service record, there are services and "services".
Often on here, reading between the lines,you will see problems that could probably have been avoided had proper servicing been carried out.
Japanese petrol vehicles, V6 and 2.0ltr, have a lot of emmission control stuff on them and all these need to be cleaned and set up at specific mileages so an understanding by the mechanic of these systems is a must.


Thank you that is very helpful. So would you suggest that even though I have a twelve month warranty with the garage we are buying from, we should still take it elsewhere for a full service during that time. I must admit I am leaning towards the V6, if it is still available, the more I read from people's comments about weight etc.
After that initial expense and a clean bill of health the running costs, even though the V6's deeper components are more difficult to access, should not be much different between any of the engine types and cost of ownership about the same.
Anyhow whatever engine you decide on you will have a vehicle that is unique and as I have said before is unmatched by any other vehicle out there in its class for versatility and comfort.

[Quinny]

Tents welcome, too, just book with Jillygumbo.

There's also a bongo breakfast meet at Anderwood Enclosure, near Burley in the New Forest on Sunday 12 March. Just turn up and chat to the owners. There were over 15 bongos there at the last one.

If you're having lifting roof added, it does add quite a lot to the weight of the van, and a conversion will add more weight. Add a family and that's even more weight. Add camping gear for a long break, it goes on. May be worth considering a small trailer to keep your gear in.

Oh what a shame that would have been ideal to come to as it's not far from us at all, but unfortunately we are at the O2 that weekend. I am hoping not to gave to use a trailer as I'm not too keen on towing, but as I am not known for packing light I might end up with some sort of extra storage

[Quinny]

Pop top roofs are heavy
Conversions are heavy
Hills in Scotland are big
I'd be looking for a v6 or a diesel

All the above is true, and if you're like a a surprising amount of 'Stuff' seems to come along on a camping trip.

I think it is definitely going to take practice to get my head around packing light but still think that perhaps a V6 is probably the way to go in order to help with the weight.

[mikeonb4c]

You'll hardly notice you're towing a trailer. Only issue is reversing if you get stuck down a country lane (basically you can't, with most short hitch trailers).

V6 would be my choice for enjoyable drive but search on here for issues with camshaft seals as its the labour cost of this and the cambelt change (and perhaps the more complex distributor cap and leads) that form the basis of my feelings about higher repair costs. But, some have said doing the seals as and when a cambelt needs changing can save duplicate labour costs. Remember cambelt sjould be changed every 60k miles (check actual for v6) OR every 5 years, whichever comes first. If you're not sure you're inside either of those then it should be changed.

[Bongolia]

Hi Gill
I think it a very good idea to get the van serviced thoroughly as soon as you get it.
That way any issues can be picked up early and if they are covered by the warranty so much the better.
If distance was not to much of a problem then I would suggest looking at Allans in Plymouth, maybe tie it in with a break away?
I dont think there is much that he doesn't know about Bongos and some on here travel a good distance to use his services that must say something.
Failing that others on here may recommend someone closer to you but I think if you look at that first service as an insurance against future issues then the distance is not really a factor and worth it for peace of mind.
I think the V6 would be a good choice.

[Quinny]

You'll hardly notice you're towing a trailer. Only issue is reversing if you get stuck down a country lane (basically you can't, with most short hitch trailers).

V6 would be my choice for enjoyable drive but search on here for issues with camshaft seals as its the labour cost of this and the cambelt change (and perhaps the more complex distributor cap and leads) that form the basis of my feelings about higher repair costs. But, some have said doing the seals as and when a cambelt needs changing can save duplicate labour costs. Remember cambelt sjould be changed every 60k miles (check actual for v6) OR every 5 years, whichever comes first. If you're not sure you're inside either of those then it should be changed.

Thank you for the advice. I know the garage we are looking at changes the cam belts on every bongo he sells so that will hopefully be good for a while, so perhaps I could ask him about the seals and get them done at the same time.
I think that's my fear with towing I can just see me trying to dismantle the trailer from the bongo on the narrow roads of Wales and Scotland. I had better add a few more days travelling to the journey!!

[Quinny]

Hi Gill
I think it a very good idea to get the van serviced thoroughly as soon as you get it.
That way any issues can be picked up early and if they are covered by the warranty so much the better.
If distance was not to much of a problem then I would suggest looking at Allans in Plymouth, maybe tie it in with a break away?
I dont think there is much that he doesn't know about Bongos and some on here travel a good distance to use his services that must say something.
Failing that others on here may recommend someone closer to you but I think if you look at that first service as an insurance against future issues then the distance is not really a factor and worth it for peace of mind.
I think the V6 would be a good choice.

Plymouth is quite a way from us and we don't have a great deal of time to go that far at the moment, but I will ask around and see if there are any specialists anywhere near Southampton. It would certainly give me piece of mind knowing it was mechanically sound to begin with, especially as I am definitely not mechanically inclined.

[Bob]

Possibly the garage you are buying from may be able to look after you in the future, assuming you're buying near home.

I'm sure there is a good Bongo garage near you, but (of course) I can't remember who.

There's Discount Trucks, Newbury, not a million miles.

Towing a small trailer, Mike is right. Very, very, useful, but impossible to reverse. You will need to get out and push it back in narrow lanes, and the Range Rover owner you meet can't see it behind you.

Handy to keep your camping gear packed in it and ready to roll, though.

[Quinny]

Possibly the garage you are buying from may be able to look after you in the future, assuming you're buying near home.

I'm sure there is a good Bongo garage near you, but (of course) I can't remember who.

There's Discount Trucks, Newbury, not a million miles.

Towing a small trailer, Mike is right. Very, very, useful, but impossible to reverse. You will need to get out and push it back in narrow lanes, and the Range Rover owner you meet can't see it behind you.

Handy to keep your camping gear packed in it and ready to roll, though.

The garage we are looking at is on Hayling Island and he does have a small garage so he may well be able to help as he offers one years warranty where the work is done at his site, but I also think there is someone actually in Southampton, but I can't remember their name either. I will definitely have to check it out for the future.
I did see someone on you tube that had some kind of box which was connected by a type of bike rack which looked interesting. You would just have to remember it was there when reversing or else it could be messy.

[Jillygumbo]

Possibly the garage you are buying from may be able to look after you in the future, assuming you're buying near home.

I'm sure there is a good Bongo garage near you, but (of course) I can't remember who.

There's Discount Trucks, Newbury, not a million miles.

Towing a small trailer, Mike is right. Very, very, useful, but impossible to reverse. You will need to get out and push it back in narrow lanes, and the Range Rover owner you meet can't see it behind you.

Handy to keep your camping gear packed in it and ready to roll, though.

The garage we are looking at is on Hayling Island and he does have a small garage so he may well be able to help as he offers one years warranty where the work is done at his site, but I also think there is someone actually in Southampton, but I can't remember their name either. I will definitely have to check it out for the future.
I did see someone on you tube that had some kind of box which was connected by a type of bike rack which looked interesting. You would just have to remember it was there when reversing or else it could be messy.

If you have a small trailer on the back, you also have to remember that's there too, cos you can't see it! Only the tow hook through the rear mirror! I know, I've got hole in the bumper where I reversed when forgotten and it jack-knifed! However, to turn around, it's easy to unhitch a trailer (if you remember it's there!)

[mikeonb4c]

Good advice Jilly. I think a covered trailer is also a lot more useful on site as storage than a towbar/bakrak or tailgate mounted backbox. Less strain on suspension also.

[Quinny]

If there was just 2 of us going would you still say we need a trailer and what equipment would you say is essential to take particularly if you have wild stops in mind.