Bongo Fury

Any thoughts on the following would be helpful as some of it confused me. I'm thinking about trading my Bongo in for something newer (or at least with less mileage) and paid a visit to a new dealer in Fife (Dairsie Motors I think they were called - anyone know them). He had a good selection of around 15 mostly 95/96 Bongos of various specs, none converted and almost all going for around £7500. The thing was that the price didn't seem to change whether the mileage was 40,000 or 90,000 (and the specs were pretty much the same). Mine has 64,000 miles on the clock and he offered me 4000 (4500 if I could 'prove the mileage') as a trade in. That would mean paying around 3000 for a bit less mileage or even for a whole lot more. The dealer said that mileage didn't really come into it - but in my ignorance I thought it did! How else am I going to judge whether it's worth getting. Also what's this about 'proving the mileage'.

(As a wee aside, for anyone who remembers my disputes with the insurance company last June, I feel pretty vindicated in refusing their write-off offer of £3000 and making them fix it!)

Anyway, I'm swinigng towards just keeping what I have (she's great if a little high maintenance) but any thoughts or words of advice on the above?

Bless you

Ian Aitken

Ian Aitken wrote: Mine has 64,000 miles on the clock and he offered me 4000 (4500 if I could 'prove the mileage') as a trade in.

If mileage didn't come into it,(as the dealer says)How come he'll offer you an 1/8th more money if you verify your mileage Ian?

I'd stick with what you have Ian,don't let the freshly valeted motors draw you in...

If they are unconverted they are far to much anyway.
Have a look at JAL of Worcester. I think you will do much better there.

Also Ian, you may want to edit your post- as , I would be more worried about you insurance repair (near write off) than the issue of proving your mileage

If you are happy with the rest of your vehicle and you've got a good reliable engine then I'd say stick with it.

I certainly wouldn't change for the sake of milage.

If looked after, your engine should outlast your bodywork.

My Freda has done over 210,000km and is still going strong whith no probs (touch wood)

cheers

H

I'm with the others here, a 2 1/2 litre diesel should do at least 200 000 miles, so the differance between 50 000 and 70 000 is not significant. My 18 year old car, 1800 petrol, has covered 160 000 trouble free miles, just keep on top of the service schedule and save the money.

To prove the mileage you would need the BIMTA (I think thaat's the one) certificate from the auction. If you don't have one don't worry about it.

they are way too expensive. I agree about keeping the one you have unless you have issues other than mileage. you would be better to sell it privately and buy a newer one if thats what you want. mine had 62 on it when I bought it.

Thanks for all those thoughts. Our issue is that in November 06 we spent 1000 on it to get it through its MOT and this Nov it was the same! (Maybe I shouldn't make that public if I want to sell it!) I have to decide if its better to stick with what I have or take a gamble and get something else (which will mean spending more money). I also think that Bongos are just more expensive in Scotland unfortunately. I am falling on the side of keeping it cause that might mean expense in the long run but buying another is no gaurantee, and it's better the one you know.

Bless you

Ian

hi ian,
if you can afford 3grand why dont you spend it on your present motor and bring it up to spec!
those scottish prices are grusome!!

cheers

alex and jan

i agree they seem a bit expensive. We paid £4,500 for an unconverted 95 reg on a private sale less than a year ago with 60,000 on the clock, so what they are offering is comparable for a trade in but i dont see what you,re getting for the extra 3 grand.
If you,re happy with what you,ve got stick with it, or consider buying/selling privately.
Its a long way from Aberdeen to jal imports so you,d probably want to be sure they had one in that sounds like what you want before you go looking, so first of all list what you want that you havnt already got, then decide if its worth it.

Hi Ian
I was Going to buy from Dairsie motors, but a little with a little research i found my Ford Freda 1995 67000 miles for £2000 cheaper than they where wanting for a far less spec motor---- don't do it!!!!!!
I even flew down to Kent to get mine and drove it back.
If your going to change it do the research first and save your self money
Thanks John

Thanks again folks. I'm probably going down to near Cambridge in March so I might have a wee look at things down there, though as I said I'm thinking probably keeping what I have is best. I do have about £3000 I could use, but maybe I should keep that as 'just in case money'. The trouble with 'spending it to bring her up to spec' is that I'm not in a position to know what to spend it on until it falls off (so to speak).

And thanks for the tip madmile - I was perhaps a little niave there, though if I was selling it I'd be compelled to give a buyer a 'full history' anyway I'm afraid (kind of goes with my job!)

Bless you (that's the clue to my job)

Ian

Ian Aitken wrote:Thanks again folks. I'm probably going down to near Cambridge in March so I might have a wee look at things down there, though as I said I'm thinking probably keeping what I have is best. I do have about £3000 I could use, but maybe I should keep that as 'just in case money'. The trouble with 'spending it to bring her up to spec' is that I'm not in a position to know what to spend it on until it falls off (so to speak).

And thanks for the tip madmile - I was perhaps a little niave there, though if I was selling it I'd be compelled to give a buyer a 'full history' anyway I'm afraid (kind of goes with my job!)

Bless you (that's the clue to my job)

Ian

your sign off made me chuckle - dont know why.

Ian - you'd think that having spent that money for the last MOTs, that you should have a quiet time for a bit. Apart from the odd major disaster (coolant, gearbox, turbocharger etc.) there's not much to go wrong except what I imagine are the bits you've already had done.


Sorry, couldn't resist it - one of the great old timers

I'm afraid not all "men of the cloth" are quite so honourable when it comes to selling bu***red cars, the reason I ended up spending a bit more money on something THOROUGHLY researched was being ripped off by a vicar & his dodgy mate "in the trade" for £2k (which I eventually got back thanks to the assistance of the persuasive powers of the guys at Dunnings Autos ) for a decent seeming sharan with a couple of (known to them, but not to me) major problems which woulda cost about a grand to fix As it turned out it was the biggest favour they could have done me, as I ended up on here with a fab bongo - divine intervention?