Bongo Fury

Hi,

Could we have some advice please?
We were having problems with our auto box with the hold light flashing and dropping into safe mode. We had the car serviced but they couldn't sort the problem and now the head gasket has blown. The coolant is being blown out of the exhaust.
The garage advised that it would be too much trouble, risk and expense to start trying to put it all right and then talked extensively about all the problems he has seen with japanese imports.
Our Bongo is an N Reg Green Autotop which we bought for £3.5K. The head had already been replaced about a year ago by the previous owner.
Has anyone had experience of similar? Do you agree its a write-off?
Thanks so much for your help
Emily and Martin

Hi MartinandEmily,
no need to right it off. It may cost a bit to repair but I think these vehicles are worth it.

Just a thought that I have had for all other members, we seem to see people who have had there head gasket replaced and then a short time later they go again.
Is this because the wrong gasket is used? What i was thinking is the Ranger and Bongo gaskets different? I have seen on here they are a different bhp, something like the Ranger 90 bhp & the Bongo 130bhp. So would the gaskets be rated different?
Sorry to ramble (it makes sense in my head ) but just a thought.

PS I will post a new thread and to see if we can get our heads together.

If the engine has overheated, the aluminium head may have warped, and replacing the gasket will not solve the problem. If coolant is blowing out of the exhaust, chances are you have got a cracked cylinder head. You can get this replaced for around £600 + fitting. Avoid ebay cylinder heads, go for one from Bridge Cylinder Heads in Manchester (do a Google search). Their heads are fully warrantied and are new.

If the Hold Light is flashing a sequence, then it will be a gearbox problem, and you will need to take it to an Auto Gear Box specialist. There are fact sheets in the members only area about this.

Even if you end up paying £1,500 to get your Bongo back on the road, it will be worth it.....you will have a "good-as-new" vehicle for around £5,000

I had the exact same problem cracked head and gear box go at the same time

It did cost over £1500 and the car cost more than yours to begin with.

was a pita at the time but I could not afford to do anything else but get it fixed
That was nearly a year ago and since then I have had no trouble at all.

It is worth getting fixed. the 2 major problems, you have now, so fix them and you have a good car at a still reasonable price if you look at what some dealers are charging.

While getting the head done change the radiator they clog and could be the reason it went in the first place will cost about £140 but as the old one needs to be removed fitting cost should be nil.

The gearbox has a fault code witch should tell you what is wrong

Sorry to hear about the problems.
Whatever else you do (or don't do) get the work done at a garage that really know their Bongos. It seems so many people have their problems, get them fixed only to have them repeated a short time later. I think this could in part be the fault of incorrect diagnoses, fitting a gasket without checking the head is good and not understanding the importance of correct bleeding. Every mechanic knows how to bleed a cooling system !!! No they don't in the case of a Bongo!!

I agree with you all, I have replied in the new thread on gaskets

Excellent advice from the others here - exactly what i would have said. Assuming you want what a Bongo does, and bearing in mind they don't (appear to) depreciate like a car, then fixing it properly and then going on to enjoy all a Bongo can offer for overall spend of £5k is what I'd suggest.

And avoid the 'average' garage. I love mine to death and they have always done our cars but they too gave me all the 'dont touch an import' stuff and it took some courage (and support from BF members) to get me past that. Now I either do the work myself or take it to a Bongo specialist. It should be cheaper that way too as you are no paying an hourly rate while they learn about a strange / non standard car (maybe making mistakes along the way esp. with the coolant system).

Good luck

Mike

All excellent advice given there martin&emily, stick with it, i know it must be really demoralizing,but as others have said,combined with the initial quite low purchase price,and the remedial costs involved, you will have a nice sturdy vehicle that you KNOW has had 2 of the most major possible issues dealt with...

I've just noticed your location, interesting,i took a trip to worthing years back for one of my first bongo purchases (front bullbars). Bought from a great bloke with a green freetop (could have been yours?) If i recall correctly,the grey on the left hand side of the freetop had been touched in with primer,and mis- matched? If you dont have bulbars fitted, they may well be on my bongo now instead!