Thinking of getting a Bongo...

Fabio

Hi all,

I've been thinking of picking up a relatively cheap campervan for the summer as a trip abroad is looking very unlikely, for obvious reasons.

As part of this I've done a lot of research into the Mazda Bongo so I have a good idea of the good and bad associated with them - cooling system issues, corrosion issues, drinks diesel but also nice and small, popup roof etc.

The fact they are quite small, but seemingly not too small, is part of the appeal. It'll just be for myself and my other half plus our dog with mainly weekend use - I don't see us doing a full two week tour in it so, again, space isn't a massive thing.

I just think waking up in a secluded spot with the sun shining in would be absolutely brilliant but if it's a silly romantic notion, and it's actually a bit of a pain, then please do call me out!

Budget isn't great really, any Donedeal searches I do I use €7000 as the top figure but the lower the better. I see a guy called Mr Bongo a cheap one up there but from my reading here he's best avoided.

Is there anything I should be aware before jumping into the camper scene? Will I regret it?!

Alkers

I've had one last five years or so, I've a thread somewhere over in projects and builds.

They are an absolutely brilliant van, it's like a Swiss army knife of a vehicle! But they're a Weekender really more than a motorhome, particularly due to lack of bathroom facilities. When we're on the waw or similar we normally do every second or third night in an official campsite, for showers mainly. Pubs are normally grand to let you park on site once you ask in advance and spend a few quid. For longer trips/ more people you can of course use a large awning but then you're into all the hassle that brings with it. We've got a folding camper (also with its own awning) that we can tow also to give us a whole load more space if setting up longer term - can actually sleep 10 without the awnings between then both!

You seem to be aware of the things to look out for, anything specific just ask. As with everything of this sort currently, prices have gone a bit mad. I think importing from the UK has got a whole lot more expensive and prices there have increased dramatically also. Would you look into getting one from Japan?

I'd have no problem buying non-mechanical parts from Mr bongo (interior etc) but his prices don't compare favourably with the few UK options and I've heard nightmare stories of mechanical work he's undertaken.

Fabio

Thanks very much Alkers! That's very handy.

spaceHopper

I've a hiace camper and love it for some reason I'm just not into bongos but there is nothing wrong with them, just not my thing. Campervanning is great especially if you like surfing or beaches. You could look at a camper in a box like Errigal campers do, you even see them on adverts every now and gain, fits into be back of small van or people carrier which can be your daily driver.

https://errigalcampers.ie/camping-module/

Either way demand is huge right not the biggest mistake you could make it to wait.

You'll be waiting until Oct 2022 for the prices to normalise again.

Fabio

spaceHopper wrote: »

I've a hiace camper and love it for some reason I'm just not into bongos but there is nothing wrong with them, just not my thing. Campervanning is great especially if you like surfing or beaches. You could look at a camper in a box like Errigal campers do, you even see them on adverts every now and gain, fits into be back of small van or people carrier which can be your daily driver.

https://errigalcampers.ie/camping-module/

Either way demand is huge right not the biggest mistake you could make it to wait.

Funnily enough I'm not mad into either but I do love the idea of being able to go somewhere and if it's raining, no problem, make a cup of tea, sit back and just enjoy the view. Stay overnight if you want etc...the flexibility is what I love.

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

You'll be waiting until Oct 2022 for the prices to normalise again.

Wow. I would've thought they'd normalise a bit sooner with foreign travel set to start again from the end of the summer [maybe] but it's all contingent on many things and perhaps people will want a bit more of "their own space" when out and about. Understandably.

Everyone is buying this year and they won't sell en masse until after the Summer that business as usual resumes. Earliest prediction October 2022.

Van Doozy

Thinking of getting a Bongo...

Hi OP, I was in your shoes last year. Started a thread in this forum about it in fact, looking for opinions much like yourself.

The Bongo seemed perfect for me on paper. You really seemed to get a lot of bang for your buck with them - The likes of a VW Transporter with pop top, automatic gearbox and 4x4 could be literally double the price - at least based on what I was seeing (ymmv).

BUT I didnt get one in the end. The fact that there were relatively few good examples coming up for sale in Ireland, coupled with inflated prices and the fact that they're really now pushing on in years turned me off them. Also, I went to view one and found it felt a bit smaller than I imagined it would.
The downstairs bed in the side converted one I viewed could not accommodate two normal sized adults in my opinion (again ymmv).

I was also turned off the myriad electronics in the thing - it was 20 years old - could just imagine all that electronic stuff going kaput and not easily fixed. Like... electric window blinds!? Really? Curtains would do me fine.

Just my opinion, I am sure some happy Bongo owners will be along soon to defend their honour!!

Fabio

Van Doozy wrote: »

Hi OP, I was in your shoes last year. Started a thread in this forum about it in fact, looking for opinions much like yourself.

The Bongo seemed perfect for me on paper. You really seemed to get a lot of bang for your buck with them - The likes of a VW Transporter with pop top, automatic gearbox and 4x4 could be literally double the price - at least based on what I was seeing (ymmv).

BUT I didnt get one in the end. The fact that there were relatively few good examples coming up for sale in Ireland, coupled with inflated prices and the fact that they're really now pushing on in years turned me off them. Also, I went to view one and found it felt a bit smaller than I imagined it would.
The downstairs bed in the side converted one I viewed could not accommodate two normal sized adults in my opinion (again ymmv).

I was also turned off the myriad electronics in the thing - it was 20 years old - could just imagine all that electronic stuff going kaput and not easily fixed. Like... electric window blinds!? Really? Curtains would do me fine.

Just my opinion, I am sure some happy Bongo owners will be along soon to defend their honour!!

Thanks for offering your opinion and it's given me plenty to think of. You definitely make a good point!

The aircon on the one I looked at is a digital system, looks cool, but it seemed to work only in one or two positions. Not the end of the world I suppose but I can see what you mean through that example.

Brexit has ended our access to half decent versions from across the water unfortunately.

What did you end up doing in the end?

Alkers

The electrics are pretty robust and actually handy to work on, there are great member pages with simple enough repairs to many common niggles.

The electric blinds can also be used manually!

Van Doozy

Fabio wrote: »

What did you end up doing in the end?

Well I've wanted a camper for years, and for years was always torn between convert or buy, swaying towards the convenience of buying a pre converted van or a Bongo every time I mulled it over... which was rather often!

Like you I really liked the idea of one because I always liked camping. Then I rented one on holidays abroad (remember them!!?) and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. So I was sold.

But given the inflated prices for crap conversions out there these days, and the fact that I suddenly had all this free time because of lockdown, I swayed back to converting a van myself. After much deliberation I bought a LWB transporter. It didn't have the auto box and 4x4 which i really wanted, but what can ya do.

I first looked at Errigal campers as suggested by Spacehopper above. They do a quick-fit modular type kit that will convert a panel van very rapidly into a usable camper, albiet one without a lot of stuff like insulation, sound deadening, electrics. What they are doing is grand, and I am sure absolutely ideal for some people but having considered their product, I decided that it definitely wasn't for me.

I bought a lwb transporter and worked on it every day. I'm not much of a master craftsman but I'm alright if I go slowly. It was rewarding and not as difficult as I thought it might be, though it took a lot longer. I bought some modular kit from the UK and all the bits and just put it together.

End result, I now have a converted van which is reasonably nicely converted, looks good and is usable, albiet unfinished. For example I have a 230V hookup but I don't have leisure battery or fitted internal lighting, that's next on the ( seemingly endless) list of upgrades. Going to get the battery and wiring done by a pro. Will probably wait until the end of the summer when things quieten down a bit and have it right for next year.

Fabio

Van Doozy wrote: »

Well I've wanted a camper for years, and for years was always torn between convert or buy, swaying towards the convenience of buying a pre converted van or a Bongo every time I mulled it over... which was rather often!

Like you I really liked the idea of one because I always liked camping. Then I rented one on holidays abroad (remember them!!?) and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. So I was sold.

But given the inflated prices for crap conversions out there these days, and the fact that I suddenly had all this free time because of lockdown, I swayed back to converting a van myself. After much deliberation I bought a LWB transporter. It didn't have the auto box and 4x4 which i really wanted, but what can ya do.

I first looked at Errigal campers as suggested by Spacehopper above. They do a quick-fit modular type kit that will convert a panel van very rapidly into a usable camper, albiet one without a lot of stuff like insulation, sound deadening, electrics. What they are doing is grand, and I am sure absolutely ideal for some people but having considered their product, I decided that it definitely wasn't for me.

I bought a lwb transporter and worked on it every day. I'm not much of a master craftsman but I'm alright if I go slowly. It was rewarding and not as difficult as I thought it might be, though it took a lot longer. I bought some modular kit from the UK and all the bits and just put it together.

End result, I now have a converted van which is reasonably nicely converted, looks good and is usable, albiet unfinished. For example I have a 230V hookup but I don't have leisure battery or fitted internal lighting, that's next on the ( seemingly endless) list of upgrades. Going to get the battery and wiring done by a pro. Will probably wait until the end of the summer when things quieten down a bit and have it right for next year.

That sounds lovely. Quite a big jump in size compared to the Bongo too!

spaceHopper

Saw a guy on an Oz youtube video building alot of the internals of a camper out of this stuff https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/easyfix-and-more/easyfix

Shoog

They have a bad reputation for overheating and blowing a head because the engine is far away from the rad and the cooling isn't terribly efficient. Also the last one I saw was rusted to feck underneath and had blown its head.

Personally i wouldn't go near them with a barge poll, another of those overrated and overpriced "cult classic's", but without the reliability of a VW T4 to make the price justifiable. What should tell you everything you need to know is that you see almost no Bongos' on the road - but you see absolutely tonnes of VW T4's of the same vintage.

Shoog

I never got the T4s..valve adjustments, no standing headroom.
Folks and strokes.

Shoog

There are no good cheap options for converting to a compact camper.
All the good Irish T4's are been bought up and shipped out to the UK where they fetch double the price here. However if you can find one they can have a lift roof added for between 2 and 4 thousand - which put them in the same price class as a lift roof Bongo. The T4 with a lift roof is a better base than a Bongo with similar, more space, cheaper parts, more reliable, cheaper to run and easier to work on. Anything with a mid engine that needs a ramp or to drop out the engine to maintain is a liability because it will spend more time in the garage running up big bills.

There's a Bongo up for sale at the moment for €4500 which looks riddled with rust and I would say thats about average.

Shoog

Alkers

Shoog wrote: »

There are no good cheap options for converting to a compact camper.
All the good Irish T4's are been bought up and shipped out to the UK where they fetch double the price here. However if you can find one they can have a lift roof added for between 2 and 4 thousand - which put them in the same price class as a lift roof Bongo. The T4 with a lift roof is a better base than a Bongo with similar, more space, cheaper parts, more reliable, cheaper to run and easier to work on. Anything with a mid engine that needs a ramp or to drop out the engine to maintain is a liability because it will spend more time in the garage running up big bills.

There's a Bongo up for sale at the moment for €4500 which looks riddled with rust and I would say thats about average.

Shoog

You don't need a ramp or to drop the engine to work on the bongo at all, you can lift the two front seats and have great access from their, plus lights and a roof over your head!

Alkers

Shoog wrote: »

Personally i wouldn't go near them with a barge poll, another of those overrated and overpriced "cult classic's", but without the reliability of a VW T4 to make the price justifiable. What should tell you everything you need to know is that you see almost no Bongos' on the road - but you see absolutely tonnes of VW T4's of the same vintage.

Shoog

They're far more reasonably priced than a t4 in the uk, prior to the pandemic anyway!

Over here, the market is so small as they either had to come from Japan or from the UK after originally being imported from Japan to the UK so a lot of hassle compared to a t4.

Each to their own, there are some things to look out for which you've pointed out (which are easily kept on top of) but I think you're being overly critical of them!

air

Both camper vans and classic cars are good hobbies but I'm not convinced that combining them is a great idea.

A classic car can be enjoyed close to home where an unexpected breakdown is relatively easy to deal with.
I'd rather have something newer and / or more reliable if going further afield.

Fabio

air wrote: »

Both camper vans and classic cars are good hobbies but I'm not convinced that combining them is a great idea.

A classic car can be enjoyed close to home where an unexpected breakdown is relatively easy to deal with.
I'd rather have something newer and / or more reliable if going further afield.

Fair point but I'm used to it from using a 1997 Honda VFR 750 to tour some of France .

You definitely need to be happy enough to do a bit of work yourself on them.

air

air wrote: »

I'd rather have something newer and / or more reliable if going further afield.

I'd rather something older/more reliable/more accommodating to low skill repair if going further afield.


I drove a 1995 for 10 years and never broke down I couldn't fix in 30mins.