Bongo Fury

Hi

Just got back from two weeks in France in a tent as too chicken to take the Freda. Not because it's ever let us down, just because we were worried if something did happen to it trying to get it sorted over there could be challenging.

Anyway, the kids are growing (8 and 9 now) and the Freda feels like its shrinking, so we are flirting with buying something bigger, newer and with a less complex cooling system (boo hoo)

For those of you who have moved on from your Bongo, do any of you regret it and how big did you go?

Sara.

It's tricky isn't it! We kept the Bongo and went for a caravan as well. My kids are older, so they have their own space in Bongo and we have the caravan (we're old and need the comfy bed, is what we tell them )

We bought a motorhome, but kept the Bongo as Mrs S won't drive anything else.
That said it is a 2WD Tintop, so more a car than a camper anyway.

The Toyota Alphard seems to be coming popular with several companies doing pop tops / conversions ..

The popular ones seems to be a 2.4 engine .. 3.0 .. or 2.4 Hybrid..

Welhouse pop top conversion ..

Keep the Bongo and get a Eriba caravan.......great bit of kit and the same profile as the Bongo,

haydn callow wrote:http://www.automotiveleisure.co.uk/Neweriba.html

Lovely, but not cheap! I'm considering getting one but price and quality are tricky to match up as they are so fashionable.

When we went down the caravan route we looked at those and another small one I can't remember the name of, is it freedom? But they were so expensive we ended up with a 17' caravan with all facilities for a lot less. We have a Compass 2 berth with full bathroom for £4000. Couldn't argue when you look at the compromises you have to make in the compact ones. Towing with the Bongo (diesel) is OK and while I'm sure you get better mpg with a small one, ours still averaged around 28 going round Ireland last year.

mikeonb4c wrote:

haydn callow wrote:http://www.automotiveleisure.co.uk/Neweriba.html

Lovely, but not cheap! I'm considering getting one but price and quality are tricky to match up as they are so fashionable.

Bought mine from the above company a few years ago for £6000, a lovely Triton, had ot 30 months and sold it back to the same company for £7,500......they do better than keep their value.....you don't even know your towing .

We've gone the caravan route, as many here know.

Even the high end caravans like Eribas are very economic when compared to a motorhome, and are actualy cheap to own over time as said.

Pitch fee is the same, leave caravan on site and use Bongy as a day van.

Many owners of bigger motorhomes have to tow a car for running about so more cost.

If you are having to tow a car around with your motorhome you are not using your motorhome correctly.

Motorhomes are for touring, caravans are for when you want to stay in one place day after day.

Hi,

I think if I needed more space I would go for a teardrop caravan, but many of them are not designed for UK use because the door is on the "wrong" side. Same thing seems to apply to many of the ultra small caravans.

Peter

mountainmummy wrote:Hi

Just got back from two weeks in France in a tent as too chicken to take the Freda. Not because it's ever let us down, just because we were worried if something did happen to it trying to get it sorted over there could be challenging.

Anyway, the kids are growing (8 and 9 now) and the Freda feels like its shrinking, so we are flirting with buying something bigger, newer and with a less complex cooling system (boo hoo)

For those of you who have moved on from your Bongo, do any of you regret it and how big did you go?

Sara.

I think these have a lot going for them:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291400608892

Been in one when it was being driven around country lanes in a spirited manner and i was impressed. Tough as old boots too i believe.

BigPanzer wrote:Hi,

I think if I needed more space I would go for a teardrop caravan, but many of them are not designed for UK use because the door is on the "wrong" side. Same thing seems to apply to many of the ultra small caravans.

Peter

When paired with a Bongo the caravan door on the starboard becomes the 'Right' side.

Park caravan, reverse next to it and sliding door lines up just right.

This won't work on highly regimented club sites where you have to obay rules, but in a less formal world its the best arrangement.

Hi

Thanks for all the replies. Unfortunately hubby is dead set against a caravan (possibly down to traumatic caravan holidays when he was young). I've done my best to convince him but he's not budging

Don't think we'd go down the full motorhome route but are considering Transit, Vivaro size conversions (quite like the look of Sussex Campers paradise twin)

http://sussexcampervans.com/our-work/paradise-twin/

Or possibly a wildax solaris type van.

Now just need to decide if we want to double the mortgage in order to pay for it

Sara