Bongo Fury

Hi all. I'm new on the forum and looking at buying a bongo. I'm going to look at one which has 90k on the clock (I assume its miles). The sellers sound like decent folk and apparently it's been regularly serviced since they've had it. I understand that diesels should last well beyond this mileage if looked after. If the engine did have some major clap out after I'd had it for a while, what would be the cost of an engine reconditioning?
I'm a bit spooked as I've had a vw Type 25 1.7 d in the past which got smokier and smokier eventually requiring a reconditioned engine which was not cheap... then the gear box blew up in France. Wife would love a £40,000 vw california Im sure but thats just silly money.
thanks for any advice

James

Welcome to the madhouse
It could be miles, kilometres or a combination of both - depends what method was used to convert the speedo. Either way, 90k is nothing to worry about - just check that it runs well and it's overall condition.
If you put your location in your profile, it's possible that some owner on this site would look at it with you.
Check Ebay and here http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/market ... m#vehicles to compare prices.

thanks John, I'm living in Bristol. I didn't think 90k was much to worry about.

Jamesd wrote:thanks John, I'm living in Bristol. I didn't think 90k was much to worry about.

Put Bristol in your profile- it will help you out

cheers - I've just worked out how to add my location in the profile

Cool - I caqnt answer your question about the engine but buying a bongo is very much a gut feeling on how it drives and I definitely recommend coming along to a meet to get an idea about owners bongos and perhaps meeting some local owners for advice.

make sure you look at the engine bay to have a butchers at the state of the hoses, check the oil etc.

You have to take the centre console out by undoing the nuts under the ash tray and in the cubby box (if it has one). Then pull back the carpets near the foot well undo the two clips, and there is also one near the gear shift as well.

Flop the backrest of the driver seat forward, and tip the seat back. Same on the passenger side.

Also have a look at the coolant as well to make sure that it isnt orrible, but for peace of mind take someone with you.

Best of luck

thanks cocco. Have to say that the forum has lots of helpful folk

from what I'd looked into...

a mid 90s type 4 is about the closest you'll get, and caravelles are cheaper... but don't have beds, and campers are about twice the money...

the money you will spend on a bongo, will get you a tidy type 25, but the mileage will be huge, mainly because they seem to have done 10k a year in the UK... so more rot, more miles and quite a bit older etc....

a bongo seems to have a lot lower mileage and mainly appear to be alot tidier.... but the important bits with a bongo are all underneath.... check the water levels and look at the colour of the coolant reservior (BDC will be the man to explain his theories on this) but if the coolant is brown... it hasn't been changed... and it is supposed to be changed every 2 years I believe..., drive it and check everything out... if it's an auto, it shopuld have been harder to thrash in the past, but check how quickly it changes up.... some things seem to be par for the course, sticky switches and droplinks are a couple.....

but they do seem to look nice on the outside regardless.... so where with a UK car, you can walk up and get a feel for it by looking at shutlines etc, before you even look at the engine, that doesn't seem to be the case with bongos....

I think possibly (but I'm happy to be slapped down) the biggest things to look for are a well cared for one, as opposed to a really shiny one.... if it's been well serviced most of the issues should have been avoided, and you can give yourself even more peace of mind with....

hadyn's level alarm
mason's alarm
flippa's hoses.....

but you can read all about those on here!



hope this helps (and Hello )

John

Hi Jamesd, and welcome.

Well worth spending the time on here researching.

I have no fear doing a high mileage in a bongo, with a regular service and frequent checks, she should go on for ever.......ish.
Nowt too fancy with the engine either, which helps? and if any problems crop up, you always have this forum for some guidance.

All the best.

90k is fine. How long have they had the car, why are they selling, have they had any major problems especially with the coolant system of cracked head/head gasket etc. If not then this is probably a well exercised and fit machine. That said, people selling Bongos with higher mileages expect to take a price. I nearly bought a reasonable private one, 'M' Reg with 100k on the clock for just under £3k. But if it's a v good condition machine it would still be reasonable to pay somewhat more than that. Getting the right machine is ultimately more important than a few hundred quid difference in purchase price, especially if you are planning to keep it a while anyway.

Good luck and happy hunting

I bullied my mate into buying a Bongo He was on a downer when I called to see him. Crap at work, lost his wallet and the price of fuel for his Hymer campervan. We got around to chatting about my veg oil conversion and had I seen the Bongo on wheelquick website fully kitted. So I grabbed him kicking and screaming and locked him in my Bongo untill we got there

He is now the proud owner of a Bongo.
On the way home we bought 600ltr of veg oil at 45p per ltr.
When we got home he had a phone call, his wallet had been found at work.

Now who says Bongo's aint lucky.

Excellent TGP - wot a grate tail that is

This looks interesting/cheap

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mazda-Bongo-1997_ ... dZViewItem

Yeah, but at 146 feet long and 4 bedrooms, it won't fit in my drive