Newbie - so many questions

[Quinny]

Well we have finally seen a Bongo that we are tempted with, that is currently still in Japan, but we have seen photos of. We wanted to put a holding deposit on it but Phil wants us to wait until we have seen all the photos which he hasn't yet received. Hopefully these will be in by the end of the week so keeping our fingers crossed that these look as good as the outside and that nobody pips us to it in the meantime. Hopefully by end of this week, beginning of next, we might be one step nearer to achieving our dream. It won't be here until the end of April and then we will have to consider conversions etc but it gives us longer to save up for the extras such as tax, insurance and the alarm and sealing the underneath of the Bongo. Trying not to get too excited incase something goes wrong but watch this space ............

Excellent. Which reminds me, have you checked what your insurance cost is likely to be - there's a crop of stories from those who've bought then received really silly quotes. If you're getting it converted then cost should be cheaper. I think it was Caravan and Camping Club (orxwas it Caravan Club) that offered a good price on converted Bongos. Maybe best do research now?

I have had one quote from Lifesure for £268 which I thought was ok as I do not have a no claims record because my car is through Motability due to us having a disabled son. The only thing is with them that they will not insure for every day use and as we could well lose our car due to the new government assessment of disabled people we may need it for everyday use in due course. I don't know if that is common of all insurance companies.

[Bongolia]

Well we have finally seen a Bongo that we are tempted with, that is currently still in Japan, but we have seen photos of. We wanted to put a holding deposit on it but Phil wants us to wait until we have seen all the photos which he hasn't yet received. Hopefully these will be in by the end of the week so keeping our fingers crossed that these look as good as the outside and that nobody pips us to it in the meantime. Hopefully by end of this week, beginning of next, we might be one step nearer to achieving our dream. It won't be here until the end of April and then we will have to consider conversions etc but it gives us longer to save up for the extras such as tax, insurance and the alarm and sealing the underneath of the Bongo. Trying not to get too excited incase something goes wrong but watch this space ............

Excellent. Which reminds me, have you checked what your insurance cost is likely to be - there's a crop of stories from those who've bought then received really silly quotes. If you're getting it converted then cost should be cheaper. I think it was Caravan and Camping Club (orxwas it Caravan Club) that offered a good price on converted Bongos. Maybe best do research now?

I have had one quote from Lifesure for £268 which I thought was ok as I do not have a no claims record because my car is through Motability due to us having a disabled son. The only thing is with them that they will not insure for every day use and as we could well lose our car due to the new government assessment of disabled people we may need it for everyday use in due course. I don't know if that is common of all insurance companies.

That is odd,not heard of that before. Did they give any reason why?

[Quinny]

Excellent. Which reminds me, have you checked what your insurance cost is likely to be - there's a crop of stories from those who've bought then received really silly quotes. If you're getting it converted then cost should be cheaper. I think it was Caravan and Camping Club (orxwas it Caravan Club) that offered a good price on converted Bongos. Maybe best do research now?

I have had one quote from Lifesure for £268 which I thought was ok as I do not have a no claims record because my car is through Motability due to us having a disabled son. The only thing is with them that they will not insure for every day use and as we could well lose our car due to the new government assessment of disabled people we may need it for everyday use in due course. I don't know if that is common of all insurance companies.

That is odd,not heard of that before. Did they give any reason why?

No I don't think he did, I just said I may need to use it as my everyday car in the future and he said we "don't insure for that". I thought it was odd as I have seen people on here that use it for work etc, but not sure if their's are converted.

[Gasy]

Mines with them ^^^ and think they insure them as a second vehicle
I need to have access to another vehicle or something ( not insured with them )
The lady has always been very good with me , pho end me old insurance brokers for proof of insurance as I had no no claims,
Always phones me back when she says or any queries etc , she sorts etc
And there only 20 miles up the road so I can go in and face to face them if I have any probs
Mines unconverted 8 seats, parked on the road , and im sure it's cheaper than that

[Quinny]

Mines with them ^^^ and think they insure them as a second vehicle
I need to have access to another vehicle or something ( not insured with them )
The lady has always been very good with me , pho end me old insurance brokers for proof of insurance as I had no no claims,
Always phones me back when she says or any queries etc , she sorts etc
And there only 20 miles up the road so I can go in and face to face them if I have any probs
Mines unconverted 8 seats, parked on the road , and im sure it's cheaper than that

Oh that's interesting I spoke to a fella who said he didn't need to check my insurance company, but maybe that's why mine's dearer. I thought I would check out a few more to see if I could find one who would be happy to insure it for everyday usage should I need it at a later date. This quote is only valid until April so I will probably need a new quote anyway as the Bongo I'm interested in doesn't arrive until late April.

[mikeonb4c]

I'm with 2gether. Agreeing i wouldn't do more than X miles per year (7000 i think) per year allowed them to offer me a better price. Might be worth exploring that option. My Bongo is my only car and unconverted.

[Quinny]

I'm with 2gether. Agreeing i wouldn't do more than X miles per year (7000 i think) per year allowed them to offer me a better price. Might be worth exploring that option. My Bongo is my only car and unconverted.

I did have a restriction which I think was 5000 although I can't be sure. I wonder if it's because mine will be converted then.

[Gasy]

I have a 5000 mile year limit its never checked ( looking at me mots cents I see I did 8000 2 years ago )
Don't think I'm allowed to use it for work
But nothing about not for everyday use
Just I had to have access to another vehicle

[Gasy]

Converted would be cheaper for me
When I was getting quotes
Less seats
Less passengers to injure

[Quinny]

Converted would be cheaper for me
When I was getting quotes
Less seats
Less passengers to injure

Yes I think he said that to me. If I do have to use it every day I will not have access to another car and I will be using it to get to and from work but not actually for work.

[Gasy]

Phone them again
Think he,s the boss
Try and get to speak to one of the ladys
It's not a big place and they've always talked me through stuff
Ask them to try quoting you again

[Quinny]

Phone them again
Think he,s the boss
Try and get to speak to one of the ladys
It's not a big place and they've always talked me through stuff
Ask them to try quoting you again

Thank you, I will do that. i thought I would try a few others as well once I have put down the deposit. I don't think we will get it until at least June as I believe he has got quite a wait for conversions.

[Bob]

See if you can have your Bongo once it lands and the legal niceties are sorted.

That way you could visit Stourport and talk to owners and find out what sort would suit you best. Then you could use it until he has workshop time and drop it back to Phil by arrangement for the conversion of your choice.

[mikeonb4c]

See if you can have your Bongo once it lands and the legal niceties are sorted.

That way you could visit Stourport and talk to owners and find out what sort would suit you best. Then you could use it until he has workshop time and drop it back to Phil by arrangement for the conversion of your choice.

My thoughts also. Shame to miss a summer through rushing to get a conversion you may later realise was not the right layout for you. Assuming Phil is ok with that of course.

[Quinny]

See if you can have your Bongo once it lands and the legal niceties are sorted.

That way you could visit Stourport and talk to owners and find out what sort would suit you best. Then you could use it until he has workshop time and drop it back to Phil by arrangement for the conversion of your choice.

I could certainly ask him. I love Stourport as even though I have lived in Southampton for 27 years I was born in the West Midlands and many a happy time was passed there during my misspent youth!!!

We are a little tied by restrictions of the possibility of maybe needing to bring our son with us and also have a large Labrador to fit in as well, so leaving it unconverted is not a possibility. I also mention a rear conversion to Phil as they are advertised on his site, but he was quite anti this for some reason and said he would state in an email that this was not a good idea. So if we go with Phil's conversion, which I like, because of the wider bed, then it looks like it will need to be the side conversion.