Bongo Fury

But, since the initial headache of needing a new head the day we bought the Bongo 2 years ago, then the alternator popping on xmas day the same year, I'm afraid that I've had over 40,000 (mostly) trouble free miles since.

I realise that this isn't the kind of post that people want to read on here but myself, along with thousands of others, continue to have a great time in our scrummy vans despite the regular doom & gloom that pops up on the Techie Section.

Simple reason being, it gets regular maintenance & peeps on here are a Godsend, hence problems get sorted before they occur.

Just a word from the wise to any potential Newbies. Look after it, it looks after you.

Be at one with your Beast for it is the one that bears you.

Wise words MrM
Dabs

....... just done my first year and 15,000 miles with just a split in my radiator resulting in a new one, regular servicing and checking of levels is key.....
funny how we have seemed have got into the habit to "rely" on others (garages) to maintain our vehicles these days and forget the weekly checks for oil/water/Tyres...... My friend who owns an MOT test station and garage wishes more people would look after their motors more rather than dropping it off for it's MOT with the "fix whatever is needed" agenda....oh well

You nearly gave me a heart attack Mr M, from the headline I imagined that something dreadful had gone wrong again. Silverdale without your illustrious presence is unthinkable.

Tony

Wise words indeed mr munkey, i have learned my lesson and i am paying the price. For sure regular maintenance will be top of my list. Oh and of course fitting my Low Copolant Alarm and TM2.
Anyone out there that thinks it won't happen to them, it will!

Tony

Just the last six silicone hoses (in hand) to fit on my Bongo and I think that I have every base covered. Mason & Low Coolant alarms, quality underseal, new cam belt and atf fluid changed. Annual service at Wheelquick. Have I missed anything out.

Tony

To follow on from that I have just had the Bongo returned to me by the Kiwis who borrowed it and spent their first night in it at the Bash.

When it was serviced at Allan's the following week in preparation for their marathon tour it had 119,000miles on the clock.
Allan checked it out, gave it a clean bill of health and off it set through England, Wales, Scotland and then back down the other side of England before hopping over to Ireland (both North and South). Then after sorting out continental insurance cover they set off again for Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic & Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Luxembourg and back through France again to the ferry.
It arrived back with me on Friday and as I drove it home the odometer gently clicked over onto 130,000 miles.

That's 11,000miles in exactly (to the day) 14 weeks, they tell me it never missed a beat & neither the Mason or the LC alarms did other than chirp occasionally.

I think it needs another service.

scanner wrote: It arrived back with me on Friday and as I drove it home the odometer gently clicked over onto 130,000 miles.
That's 11,000miles in exactly (to the day) 14 weeks, they tell me it never missed a beat & neither the Mason or the LC alarms did other than chirp occasionally. I think it needs another service.

I thought the odometer was always in Kilometres? - (which would make the distance less - about 6,800 miles)....

bonog wrote:

scanner wrote: It arrived back with me on Friday and as I drove it home the odometer gently clicked over onto 130,000 miles.
That's 11,000miles in exactly (to the day) 14 weeks, they tell me it never missed a beat & neither the Mason or the LC alarms did other than chirp occasionally. I think it needs another service.

I thought the odometer was always in Kilometres? - (which would make the distance less - about 6,800 km)....

Not necessarily if it's been chipped or replaced with a 626 speedo

scanner wrote:To follow on from that I have just had the Bongo returned to me by the Kiwis who borrowed it and spent their first night in it at the Bash.

When it was serviced at Allan's the following week in preparation for their marathon tour it had 119,000miles on the clock.
Allan checked it out, gave it a clean bill of health and off it set through England, Wales, Scotland and then back down the other side of England before hopping over to Ireland (both North and South). Then after sorting out continental insurance cover they set off again for Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic & Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Luxembourg and back through France again to the ferry.
It arrived back with me on Friday and as I drove it home the odometer gently clicked over onto 130,000 miles.

That's 11,000miles in exactly (to the day) 14 weeks, they tell me it never missed a beat & neither the Mason or the LC alarms did other than chirp occasionally.

I think it needs another service.

Well eff me sideways with a supertanker. Yet another tale confirming the Bongos epic journeying ability. I'll bet the Kiwis were chuffed to bits after that. Nice couple. Please pass on best wishes from us all and maybe they'll buy one back in Kiwiland

missfixit70 wrote: Not necessarily if it's been chipped or replaced with a 626 speedo

Yes - Chipped and corrected at time of chipping to give correct overall mileage.

mikeonb4c wrote:
Please pass on best wishes from us all and maybe they'll buy one back in Kiwiland

They have promised to post a travelogue and Simon would love to get one, but NZ has just tightened up on emission standards for imports and it's now (apparently) impossible to import any more Bongos to NZ.

That's certainly the case for diesels anyway - not sure about petrols.

missfixit70 wrote:

bonog wrote:

scanner wrote: It arrived back with me on Friday and as I drove it home the odometer gently clicked over onto 130,000 miles.
That's 11,000miles in exactly (to the day) 14 weeks, they tell me it never missed a beat & neither the Mason or the LC alarms did other than chirp occasionally. I think it needs another service.

I thought the odometer was always in Kilometres? - (which would make the distance less - about 6,800 km)....

Not necessarily if it's been chipped or replaced with a 626 speedo

Interesting! I always found it bizarre that having the speed was in mph and the odo in KM was kosher.

Yes, I'm sad to say that despite seeing daily use as a people carrier, providing all our holidays, and travelling the length and breadth of the country as a band wagon on weekends, our Bongo has never missed a beat.
Boring I know, so I apologise.

Just got back from a flash tour in gigging in Hanover, stopping off to play in Vroomshoop Holland on the way back..

Now, bearing in mind the time difference in Europe.. (about 20 years!)
The only problems i saw was at Calais on the way back the TRAIN broke down in the tunnel causing a massive wait at check in & some dude in a new Jeep overheated!! Oh yeah & a Land Rover needed jump starting...

In fact, when i hit the M20? On the way home, I swear it drove like it had been tuned...
They certainly love to run.. & the Dutch like em too!!