Bongo Fury

Hello people well tomorrow is nearly here which is bongo pick up day is all ready so it's getting exciting!
Just one question the dealer hasn't done the cambelt as he says there is proof on the engine with a sticker from Japan that it was done at xxxx miles. The car is currently on 68000 bimta check clear export cert matches so that's all correct. Would you go with this or get cambelt done at next service time?

If it all looks believable I'd probably go with it. But a belt for a diesel (no idea on the petrols) is only about £100 fitted - if it snaps you'll need a new engine.

Personally, I would change it at when you get the opportunity for several reasons:

1) Anyone can put a sticker on to indicate it has been changed, but that doesn't prove it's been done
2) If it fails, who are you going to go back to in Japan to seek compensation? If it's changed in UK by a reputable garage, you will have some come back if a problem occurs.
3) Oil seals will need changing sooner or later, so get it all rolled into one job.
4) Mileage is not the the only factor that counts with a cambelt. For the diesel engine, the recommendation is 60000 miles or 5 years whichever is sooner. I don't know if V6 is the same, but as it's running round a lot more pulleys, I would expect it to be similar or more frequent. Do you know the date it was changed in Japan?

I had mine done at Allan's in Plymouth & even though it was 250 mile round trip to get him to do it, I have peace of mind that it has been fitted properly & should cause no issues.

Don't let it put you off buying it, but allow about £500 to get the whole job done with the seals (it takes the best part of a day to do)

Just another tip .. check that all the dash warning lights like .. ABS .. Air Bag .. etc: are coming on when the ignition is first switched on .. then go off and stay off ..

Only just realised that my ABS light and exhaust over heat light didn't .. took the dash out to find the bulbs / holders missing .. but the dash as been out to fit the dealers Speedo MPH conversion plate...

Have I ever mentioned that I have a strong distrust of dealers ..

Lol your like me very wary of garages having been stung before. I think what I will do is at its next service which will be at allans in Plymouth hopefully I will get the belt done then I think from what they said the sticker from Japan days it was done recently as it's just on 68000 I will check tomorrow. I guess I won't worry too much initially but factor it into its next service for piece of mind. I've got 6 months to not worry as they extended the warranty a bit and is a dealer warranty so covers everything they said. I'm quite excited to see it all cleaned up etc will post some pictures all being well if I do go ahead and bring it home I believe the v6 is every 60000 or 5 years to but I presume it's a bigger job to change than the diesel cambelt and more expensive.

I will check the lights tomorrow iI checked the hold light worked that did but I can't remember the other lights I know the corner sensors worked not that that's very important lol. Thanks for the tip. Was it just a case of the bulbs missing in yours or something more to it like the bulbs removed to hide faults?

Bulbs / holders physically removed to hide faults ..

What faults have you found?

The main problem is a none working ABS (Anti lock Braking System) and the bulb had been removed to hide the fact

That could have have proved fatal ... !!

A none functioning exhaust (catalyst) over heating light which on the V6 may yet prove costly with both the Cat. and Lambda sensors ..

mikeWalsall wrote:Have I ever mentioned that I have a strong distrust of dealers ..

It's not difficult to spot, Mike

But I don't think any of the main Bongo dealers would do such a thing as remove bulbs. Firstly this would be an MOT failure, and secondly it can be dangerous. Most of the dealers I have dealt with have a rigid checklist they adhere to, which is why you pay a bit more for peace of mind. But there again you can get some real bargains through private sales and/or eBay, but the same guarantees are not there.

On the V6 cambelt sticker front, it's true that Mazda Japan put yellow stickers on the casing to indicate it's been changed, but I'd get it done at the next service anyway just to be sure.

Not all Bongos are like Mikes. My V6 came with every system working properly and a recent 100,000km service. Like yours the importer said it didn't need a cam belt as it had been recently done. I had asked him to do it for me, but he felt it was a waste of time and money. There was a Mazda dealer sticker, plus in my case a completed service history in the glove box. As well as the cam belt sticker there were other service stickers, all showing the 100,000km service.

I took it to Discount Trucks, the Bongo experts in the South for a second opinion and Fred said exactly the same cambelt clearly changed and recently. All the warning lights worked and still do five years later. The ABS is fine and so is the catalyst.

My Bongo had been deregistered 12 years after its first registration. Apparently the point when it is made uneconomic to keep a car in Japan. Up to that point it had been immaculately maintained and was almost as new. I am not the only one who has such a good specimen. Others have bought ones just as immaculate.

Like all second hand cars there are those that have been bodged for sale, either in Japan or UK, but there are also previous owners pride and joy with years of use left in them.

Hi
My view would be to see if the bolts on the cambelt cover have been touched...if they have, it's likely to have had a cambelt as per sticker....BUT...when you get it serviced at Allans , get him to do it again, as already said ...a few hundred quid is nothing compared to an engine!...
Cheers
Helen

But I don't think any of the main Bongo dealers would do such a thing as remove bulbs. Firstly this would be an MOT failure,

How would this show up on an MOT? They are not allowed to dismantle anything are they? So would not notice.

All dash warning lights must be operational.

Lots of new stuff now covered in the MOT:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/C ... 202013.pdf

This link mentions ABS light:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/CONT071791.pdf

Anyway, Bongolou, the big question is, how's the new Bongo?