Bongo bongo bongo

[ICB]

Following earlier threads about this and the general obsession with campers on the transport forum....

We've just asked an importer to find us a bongo to put on the boat from Japan.

Spec as follows:

Essential:

2.5TD
Lift top

Would prefer...

Non smoker
4WD
Order of colour pref: Pale Green, Silver, White, Dark Blue, Black, Wine Red, Dark Green
Tinted windows
Alloys
Decent CD player

but lowish Km and top condition are more important.

Perfect one would be something like Bendeus' without the conversion e.g.

We'll then get the centre row of seats turned around, lap belts, leisure battery and popup table fitted then piss off to Ireland for 3 weeks. Hoorah!

Comments from fellow bongo heads and other camper afficionados much appreciated. I'm well excited.

 

[aqua]

we want a bongo we have a savings pot on the mantlepiece

i think its going to be a while *sigh*

 

[ICB]

we want a bongo we have a savings pot on the mantlepiece

i think its going to be a while *sigh*

You know it's worth it

It's taken us nearly a year and we're only in the position now because Shmu has had loads of work in and been working like a nutter. Respec due.

 

[aqua]

*adds another 10p to the pot*

 

[christonabike]

I like mine, ta

Ours came over on a boat without viewing

Need to know owt, let me know, or if you want a look, it's in Brixton, (there's another one on the next road to ours as well)

 

[Part 2]

My mate has one. Just a people carrier type.

When it gets to about 60mph it starts to smell a bit like piss.

I'm starting to think there's something dead stuck it it somewhere.

 

[christonabike]

What, something that, once it reaches 60mph, starts to smell of piss?

Has it got a cesspit with thermostat as an optional extra?

 

[Part 2]

I haven't mentioned it, just in case it's a problem of his, rather than the car

 

[bendeus]

Nice one ICB (and Christonabike by the sounds of it ). Nothing goes like a bongo goes

 

[ICB]

Just heard that they've found us one already and put it on a boat that will be here in 3 weeks.

Spec:

Feb 96
75,401Km (47,126m)
4WD
Auction grade 4
Alloys
White over silver

I'm well excited

 

[Janh]

I'd like to own a Bongo just for the silliness of the name Bongo, Bongo, Bongo.

 

[Giles]

I'd like to own a Bongo just for the silliness of the name Bongo, Bongo, Bongo.

As if that isn't silly enough, some of them are called "Bongo Friendees"!

Giles..

 

[ICB]

As if that isn't silly enough, some of them are called "Bongo Friendees"!

Giles..

They all are, and the UK owners' club is called bongofury

The Ford versions are called Freda, which is just plain silly.

 

[christonabike]

I see you ICB, over there

That's cos I am over there too

 

[aqua]

I want one *stamps feet*

I'm about to cancel a credit card (paying of my huge debts) and the credit limit is enough to get one pre-conversion

you don't know how tempting it is to get one

 

[ICB]

We're putting ours on a credit card...

I'm turning into a massive bongogeek, it's all gone RF-V AFT SGL5 round here I tell ee.

 

[christonabike]

I asked how to stop our Bongo beeping on a certain forum, here is a reply, I'm still wetting 'em at the bloke's tone.... "all bongo's beep...."

 

[ICB]

I asked how to stop our Bongo beeping on a certain forum, here is a reply, I'm still wetting 'em at the bloke's tone.... "all bongo's beep...."

That's well funny

 

[aqua]

We're putting ours on a credit card...

I'm turning into a massive bongogeek, it's all gone RF-V AFT SGL5 round here I tell ee.

can I ask how much it cost? I assume its pre-conversion too?

 

[aqua]

That's well funny

thats fucking brilliant

 

[ICB]

can I ask how much it cost? I assume its pre-conversion too?

Don't know yet, we told him top whack on budget was £5k though and he's going to do the UK tweaks (doesn't need SVA as over 10 years old), MOT, tax, service + undersealing, seat reverse, lap belts, popup table for the price. That's as far as the conversion is going as we want to keep the 8 seat capacity.

TBF I'm expecting to pay the full £5k as it's worth at least £6k any day of the week.

If you want to take your chances buying one off the boat or importing yourself they can be had for £3.5k or even less. Conversely buying ours from somewhere like Imperial we'd be looking at £8k+

It's a hot market, especially for good AFTs as they're starting to run out (Auto Free Top = popup roof)

 

[aqua]

run out?

 

[ICB]

the guy doing our import says they're harder to find so he's just buying tin tops and doing his own high-top conversions to them

get one soonish innit, have you checked the "for sale" on bongofury?

 

[aqua]

ah well I can't do it this year definately, maybe we'll have to buy off someone in the UK then

 

[bendeus]

I asked how to stop our Bongo beeping on a certain forum, here is a reply, I'm still wetting 'em at the bloke's tone.... "all bongo's beep...."

Absolutely awesome, Christ....I've just debeeped the bastard after over a year of beep-related annoyance.

 

[christonabike]

Remember not to leave your headlights on once it's been de-beeped!

 

[FunkyUK]

ICB - do you have your Bongo yet? Why did you choose an agent to find you one rather than buy an already imported one? Are / were you happy with your agent? Which agent did you use?

 

[ICB]

Hi FunkyUK,

Yep, the Bongo is here, we picked it up just over a week ago.

It's in great nick and was very well serviced + undersealed + leisure battery, etc. before we collected it.

Chose an import rather than a UK sale as we wanted something fairly close to our spec, didn't mind waiting for a bit, and didn't want to travel all over looking at lots of them. Also the fresh imports tend to be in better condition and you can specify lots of little tweaks. We got this lot done within our budget:

- Full service inc. all filters, all lubes (inc. diffs and ATF), timing belt, air con re-gas
- Full undersealing
- Full interior and exterior valet
- Our choice of stereo head unit (a panasonic with remote control + MP3 so can be used lazily when parked up and sitting/lying in rear)

Car came with the cold weather kit fitted for N Japan market (two batteries, uprated starter motor, fast-warming exhaust modification) and we had the second battery converted to leisure use using a split charge relay (AKA VSR) and wired up the rear lighter socket to it. Since getting the car I've also converted the stereo to run off it and put LEDs in all the interior bulbs to save on starter-battery juice. We've also just bought a voltmeter and clock out of a Porsche 944 that I will be fitting to the empty slot above the stereo so that we can monitor the LB voltage at the flick of a switch. Oh and I fitted uprated speakers front and rear as well as a 200W amplifier. I'm also going to be retrimming the centre cubby box and door panels in dark grey Alcantara.

Some of the things the dealer did without having to be asked that showed he knows his stuff:

- aircon gas
- 40amp cable to rear socket
- flush fitting fog light instead of a nasty dangly one

Other stuff we've purchased:

- Waeco CAS-60 3-way fridge
- Sunncamp Cruiser awning (huge)
- Two memory foam matresses
- Thermawrap (made homemade silver screens and lined body panels when installing speakers)

Things I'd like to do:
- replace head/side light bulbs with brighter whiter versions
- lowering springs
- custom intercooler
- K&N air filter
- full stainless turbo-back exhaust
- remove factory vinyl (80s French jacket according to Shmu) and replace with custom job

(yes, I am obsessed )

Dealer was Darren of Welsh Coast Campers in Abersychan, a typical straight-up small motor trader that you find throughout the valleys, as recommended to us by Bendeus on here.

If you want to go the whole hog and get someone to find you one in Japan and put it on a boat for you to collect from the docks and do the necessary yourself then I can get you contact details. This way you can get a car that would be on a dealer forecourt in the UK for about £6,500 for around £3,500.

|
V Not ours, near as dammit identitical though, we just have slightly nicer alloys and mirrored rear glass.

 

[bendeus]

Photos!!

 

[ICB]

I'm going to take some photos of ours as soon as the bloody weather improves,

Haven't even had a chance to camp in it yet.