How does this look??

[Weeniebean]

Hi all, hopeful budding bongo owner here! We went to see a bongo today and really liked it. The outside and inside looked really good but we are not mechanically minded and have had the fear put in us as a friend bought a bongo where they had undersealed on top of the rust!! I took some photos of the underneath of the one we saw today and wondered if anyone would mind giving us their opinions on its condition?

Many thanks in advance!
Irenie

[Weeniebean]

Ah it only uploaded 3 of them so guess ill have todo it like this...

[Weeniebean]

Some more...

[Weeniebean]

Last ones promise!

[oibaf]

Someone else will be along shortly with a more educated opinion - Geoff is usually around here and he really knows his stuff.

Has this Bongo got a valid MOT? Are there advisories or whatnot for rust?

It looks like it was undersealed before but I don't think it's been topped up. I believe you kinda need to be doing it once a year or so, depending on use/condition etc.

The front cross-member, which is one of the first pics, at the front of the van, looks like it might have a crack in it. That'll need welding to sort it out.

Best thing to do is to bring a hammer, a screwdriver, and some cardboard to lay on - tap any bits you're unsure of to see if the paint is hiding rust or if the metal is no longer strong. A screwdriver can do likewise for smaller bits.

This can all be fixed by the way, it's just a matter of how much you want to put into it...but, as I said, someone else who actually knows their stuff will be along shortly to give an educated opinion!

[Weeniebean]

Thank you for your response! It has a valid MOT, I'll post a pic of the last one as it failed but then passed. No advisories and it had passed with no advisories for the 5 previous Mots. The whole mot history looks really good which is reasurring as whatever the issues were this time it doesn't seem like they had been festering. Although after my friends experience I don't know how reliable the mot history really is?!

[Weeniebean]

Would these defects match with the crack that you saw do you think?

[g8dhe]

I'm more electronics than mechanical But that looks a trifle suspicious to me looks like underseal has been slapped over existing rust to try and hide the problems. Personally I would avoid as I don't do rust work and using a garage/repair shop for rust/welding and painting can soon get expensive. I spent quite a bit on my old Bongo to keep it going on the rust and paint side of things! See here http://www.g8dhe.net/bongo_images/tin_worm/

[Weeniebean]

Hi Geoff, thanks for replying! I know it has had the wheel arches replaced and there are some receipts for welding done so I suppose there can be lots done before mot which wouldn't then show up on the mot history.? The outside and inside are in really good condition so I was hoping it had just been really well looked after.. I've found a local mechanic who specialises in motor homes and he's going to go and have a look at it for us so

[Winnie-bongo]

Can be worth having an AA inspection or RAC, I was always dubious about them, but a prospective purchaser had one done on mine today. I was impressed he knew his way around Bongos and was surprised by mine, he actually said if someone is after a Bongo they won't find a better one
He went over the whole vehicle and under it, checked the oil and voltage etc it was a far better check over than I expected. Admittedly not cheap but better than buying a load of trouble

[ever after.]

As mentioned above, the second photo appears to show some pretty serious corrosion which has been painted over.

[Winniebongo]

I would agree with the advice so far, looks a bit iffy but if it has been in this country for a few years they tend to start to rust anyway, in my experience. Some of it looks like the front sub-frame which is quite heavy metal and could arguably be changed (wouldn't lie the job though). I would be more concerned about the body metal it attaches to and the sills, inner and outer as they rust, frequently from the inside out. I was interested in the MOT comments as according to a couple of places I have gone, Bongo sills aren't stuctural and so you can have a hole and it should pass. this is when I have had a hole and taken it to them to weld and MOT. All my knowledge of cars makes me feel this is ridiculous, so I get it welded anyway, sometimes MOT regs are weird

[Weeniebean]

Thanks everybody. The guy going to look at it services campers and motorhomes so hopefully will know what to look for. Winnie bongo I would love the details of your one if it’s still on the market? It’s such a minefield!! I think the bit that looks cracked is the bit at the front that the bull bars are attached to. Is that counted as a structural part? If not maybe that’s why it didn’t need to be done to pass the MOT?

[nth]

Looks like the inner CV gaiter may be split too, looks like signs of CV grease on it.