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Seriously considering a purchase after years of thinking about it
Give me your experiences
(particularly a side kitchen conversion)
My reservations -
- narrow bed, and as its made up of the seats (apparentl conversion seats not the original so a bit flatter) rather than a rock n roll bed, how comfortable is it
- the van itself is in decent nick, with lots having been done to the engine in last 2 years, turbo, radiator, belts all changed, new batteries and tyres, has a coolant alarm fitted, all shock bushes etc replaced prior to last MOT but its currently in having the engine looked at as the EGR light comes on and it goes into 'limp mode' after about 15 minutes, owner says the garage know the issue and its about £200 to fix which he is getting done, but is this likely to be a recurring problem?
- mileage, apparently milaege displayed is more than its actually done as it was converted from km to miles odometer around 70,000km
- body wise the usual bobbling around the wheel arches, probably a couple of years left before £800 to replace, it has been waxoiled in 2018
Anything else to look out for?
Also should I go ahead, recommendations for a decent (cheapish) drive away awning please
In general, people will tell you that Bongos are 1) thirsty and 2) small.
We looked at Bongos and thought they were far too small inside and not exactly chap either, so got a LWB T5 instead. Still small enough, but much roomier.
You've gone further with considering on than we did so probably know more than I do. I've heard that the owners forum *bongo fury* is great though.
Coolant alarm...its overheated in the past, possible damage
Bubbling arches and recent waxoil...welding likely at each MOT
Mileage conversion, questionable.
Have you looked up all the previous MOT history using the reg?
My pal had one that blew its engine - the overheating / warped head issue. He got rid after fixing it. also small inside and the pop roof bed is not very user friendly.
Thirsty and overheat. Plus not very big in the back.
Buy a T4 VW - much better if you want something to weld and constantly maintain 🙂
I looked at them a couple of years ago. Seem like a great idea. BUT, every single example seems to have some kind of story to it. A justification for a problem. I got sick of reading about why something wasn’t quite right.
Even if you pay top dollar, and it seems you do for these, you still are taking a big risk
TJ, didnt he also roll* one down a hill a bit north of Innerleithen?
*well as much as you can roll something tall and skinny
They're not as impressive as an Elgrand !
Mashr - that must have been somone different
I would assume it's been clocked. Apparently they all come off the boat from Japan at 15 years old but with only 30,000 miles, oh and no history at all. Drivers contact points look suspiciously worn if that was true
Coolant alarm…its overheated in the past, possible damage
Bubbling arches and recent waxoil…welding likely at each MOT
Mileage conversion, questionable.Have you looked up all the previous MOT history using the reg?
Yes previous MOT history backs up everything the seller has told me, there is nothing too alarming, previous failures have been pretty standard - lights dipped incorrectly, tyres worn and worn suspension bushes (replaced in 2018)
It passed its most recent MOT a month ago with no minors or advisories (so presumably any rusting is okay at the moment), the arches are nowhere near as bad as others I have seen, I would say a good 24 months in them before they start to become an issue and need welding/replacing
He says he fitted the coolant alarm on the recommendation of the Bongo Fury forum, not because it had overheated in the past, he seems honest and enthusiastic I have no reason to doubt anything he has told me, his previous posts on a Bongo facebook group would also suggest he has done a fair bit of work to the van and his reason for selling is genuine
Mileage on the MOT reports show it has done 60k miles in last 10 years, I will be asking for any paperwork regards the speedo conversion his claim on the conversion would mean it did 50k in the first 9 years which could be correct but the online MOT check doesnt go back far enough
Thirsty and overheat. Plus not very big in the back.
Buy a T4 VW – much better
mpg I am prepared for something between 20-24mpg (this is the 2wd diesel so a bit better than the 4wd version) size isn't great I know but the advantage is it fits better on the driveway 😉
I don't have VW kind of money, this is under £7k, comparable age and mileage T4 is at least double that
Its also registered as an MPV so I would have to get it reclassified for cheaper insurance
Thirsty, great to drive esp the 2.5 l V6. 2.0 Petrol as economical as the diesels. but still 22-25 mpg. Don't buy a manual gearbox petrol.
Auto Petrol ones are more reliable and cheaper to service.
Watch for old overheats, coolant alarm vital, hopefully fitted by a sensible owner, not an after thought.
Rust on wheel arches is normal as they hold crud/water between the skins. Don't buy one with spats. Try and get one that was undersealed as soon as it arrived in the UK.
You'll know a good one almost as soon as you see it.
I miss my V6, but not the repair bills after two head gaskets and a replacement engine.
Parts easy enough to get hold off. The EGR issue is typical, usually a blanking plate solves the problem. https://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54057
And if you are near Plymouth make friends with Allan Bugg, he owns Allans Vehicle Services. One of the best guys out there, he knows his stuff. Problem is that he is a one man band and is too popular, so be patient and you'll be rewarded.
The EGR issue is typical, usually a blanking plate solves the problem. https://igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=54057
/blockquote>More likely to fail the new MOT emission tests with it blanked off though no?
We had a 2.5V6 Friendee. It was small, getting up into the loft through the hatch was annoying, the autobox was a bit unsophisticated, full kickdown was very amusing, it leaned alarmingly on corners, the aircon is very powerful, the parking wand was good for giggles, great in town traffic, best economy was just under 24mpg and the fuel tank is small. We now have a T5.1LWB with conversion which is at least 50% more economical, is easier to repair (going abroad in the Bongo made me nervous), and is a bit less claustrophobic when camped up.
Friend had one (until she had an interface with a tree in it). She got it converted to LPG which reduced the fuel cost significantly. She needed the arches and a couple of other areas repaired / replaced due to rust. Interior was a bit too compact for two people to relax or prepare meals, so having an awning would be beneficial.
I quite enjoyed driving it as it was fairly pokey and unvanlike, despite my dislike of driving automatics. One issue I found was that the driver's seat wouldn't push right back bacause of the kitchen unit - as a 6 foot person with quite long legs I found the driving position a bit squashed.
Coolant alarm…its overheated in the past, possible damage
Bubbling arches and recent waxoil…welding likely at each MOT
Mileage conversion, questionable.Have you looked up all the previous MOT history using the reg?
All + 1.
We just sold our much-beloved Bongo after 9 years of ownership. If it's overheated then I'd be wary.
Positives - cheap in comparison to some of the alternatives, nice to drive - we had the V6 and she'd sit at 75mph on the motorway all day long. She was a fantastic 'day-van' - comfortable, space for 6 adults + gear (ours was unconverted but had leisure battery + hookup fitted). The kids loved being up in the roof tent. There was room inside to stand up and get changed when surfing etc. Looked after, and coolant alarm fitted, they should be ultra-reliable - especially the V6. Aside from the rad giving up (just old) ours just kept on going - jump started after sitting on the drive for 6 momths and she just sailed through her MOT. There's a great community who'll help out with parts, advice etc. They're easy enough to work on and parts come from the Mazda/Ford parts bin so are cheap and seem to be plentiful.
Negatives - small - if you're going to spend any time camping then you'll want a decent sized awning. We had a 4-berth driveaway and the van was for sleeping in the 'double-bed' only. It'd be ok as an overnighter but any more time we spent more time in the awning. Thirsty. Rust will kill them in the end - set aside money for the arches and make sure you get it undersealed regularly. Make sure you get a garage who know what they're doing to service / work on them - the cooling system can be problematic if not done properly...
We loved ours. But just grew out of her.
...we bought ours as first UK owners. About 5K unconverted 1995 V6 with 60K miles. Cost about £500 for a proper hookup, leisure battery and underseal etc.
We sold her at 100K after 8-9 years. Full independent service history but no MOT and non-runner (she'd been sat on the driveway for 6 months). Got 2.5K for her - the chap jump started her and drove her away smiling from ear-to-ear - he had a low-loader ready to go.
Biggest bill was £120 parts for the new rad - the top just split through age.
I reckon that's not too bad economically!
sold ours last June and was glad to see the back of it.
engine was in good nick but the undercarriage needed a lot of work. spent almost fifteen hundred getting it through two MOTs.
We had a rear conversion which was immensely impractical for camping, side conversions are definitely better in that regard.
2.5TD so fun flooring it but only when going in a straight line. they're high sided and narrow so side wind on the motorway makes for an interesting drive. high driving position and autobox definitely made traffic jams a more chilled affair though.
size wise fine if just two of you.
Had a 2.5 diesel auto for 4 years, loved it, bought it as a rolling project, in the end rust killed it, if it's bubbling on the arches chances are the inner and outer sills at the rear are on their way too as with all Japanese imported cars they get undersealed but don't tend to get cavity wax inside box sections so they rust from the inside out so be very careful.
We did love ours and took us on some great adventures, Devon and Cornwall numerous times, even went to France for a week, Paris then onto Nice, so we did over 2.5k in 10 days.
As already said, they're thirsty but you will have a ball, it's a real community with the Bongo's just go into ownership knowing it will bring adventures and fun but potentially a money pit that very quickly become uneconomical to repair!
I've got a 1999 2.5D 2WD with a side conversion.
Was initially going the VW route but a lot of people selling were doing so because they didn't use them. The Bongo was a relatively cheap way to see if we'd use a camper.
Had the van for nearly 2 years & have spent all of our holidays in it (Wife & now 6 & 14 year old kids) & it's been great. Even managing to go to the Lakes during the only wet week last summer didn't put us off & I've just bought a VWT6.
It does take a bit of getting used to the space, leaving the stuff you don't use behind & making sure you pack stuff away. We use a roof box, a large box that fits on the bike rack & have a Decathlon beach tent to put the bedding, clothes etc. in during the day so we don't have stuff all over the van.
I have a Sheltpod awning which is pretty versatile too as additional living, sleeping or storage space.
The van has been great, never missed a beat & gets looked after by Bongo specialists which I guess has been key to preventing any major issues. I have spent about £700 over 2 years on servicing & MOT which I don't think is too bad for a 20 year old van.
Just ordered a VW T6 as we're going to ditch one of our cars to run 2 vehicles instead of 3 so the Bongo is going up for sale.
We have have a 2003 2.0 eco petrol which we got from JAL 2 years ago. We love it and can't imagine not owning one. We've taken it on trips all over the UK and into Europe (Cech and Austria). It hasn't missed a beat once and happily sits on the drive for months without moving during the winter months. We get around 26mpg which we are happy with as it's a third vehicle.
We have a side conversion with a wide bed and aftermarket mushroom (side opening) style pop-top roof. It feels very spacious with the roof up for the two of us and is plenty big enough for us and all our gear. It looks less cramped than some converted VWs I've seen.
We bought a fresh import from a very well regarded seller which was more expensive but did ensure that we got a good one. If I was buying a 'used in UK import' I'd want to know more about the company that imported it. Some are much less thorough than others.
Good fun v6 petrol leaves other vans behind handle ok as engine in middle if a little high unless suspension is shot and you get a wave from other bongos. But. Last one made 2004 ish . Ours was only 5 years old when bought from jalimports who really do have some of best and hardly had a spot of rust anywhere underneath before was done by us. Only 40k on clock and engine smooth as and never burnt oil
OP do consider a Toyota Granvia/Regius if set on an import for the budget / occasional kipping in use. Bit bigger inside, more reliable and economical.
We have a Bongo - 1995, full side conversion, AutoFreeTop. We like it because of it's small size meaning it fits on the drive and is easy to park. Unbelievably we've had 5 "sleep" in it - 13 year old was on front seat and not that comfy. If you are familiar then it will sleep 4 and if you are used to tents it feels like luxury.
Mechanically it's ok - did the service myself and broke something so had to get a replacement. Good to drive in a classic French-style roly-poly sort of way - tyre pressure at about 38-40 PSI help with the handling - a lot. Make sure they are proper SUV tyres that can take the extra load. Quite nippy too and will do the motorway thing at 65MPH quite happily.
Rust, now there's a thing. I'm always concerned it will have dissolved when I wake up on the morning Not a lot you can do part from underseal and treat what there is.