A Few Mazda Bongo Questions...

fatbobbutler

Hi,

The wife has her heart set on a Mazda Bongo, but I'm concerned about the fuel efficiency and also annual car tax costs.

I am looking for a 2.5 Diesel, can anyone who owns one let me know how it performs and also what the annual costs of running the vehicle are.

Thanks in advance

RoscampA_2

Hope the following helps:

We have a non camper top 2.5TD Bongo. We imported from Japan with 41K kilometres from new, registered as a P reg 1996. Just taxed for another year as they are pre 2001 it's £185 for 12 months (not £400+ for 2.5D after 2001).

The economy isn't great round town, on a run it's better (depends how you drive.... the van has plenty of poke). You can run them on part bio-oil, cooking oil etc... which makes it cheaper but consult the forums first.

If you are serious at looking at these wonderful, cheap alternatives to VW Caravelle, Mercedes Vito then visit http://www.bongofury.co.uk/

If you wanted a little more excitement ,buy the camper top for £500 more than a standard and you can camp out in it.

As examples I paid £4100 self importing from Japan and got a 1996 with low mileage, a freiend of mine paid £2800 from EBay and got an M reg with 86k miles from new. Obviously they are diesels (Ford engines) so they will run for a long time. The bodywork is usually good as long as when they come into Britain they are undersealed. My garage said ours looked like a brand new car underneath (they don't use salt on their roads in Japan).

Anyhow if you want more information ask away or better still go to Bongo Fury.

Personally can't rate them highly enough for a reasonably priced 8 seater (Japanese sp they have twin air-con, electric blinds and other mod-cons).

Ginger_Nuts_2

Beat me to that forum, very good information there, you could also try http://www.bongoforum.co.uk/ I think quite a lot of them are 4x4 so that adds to the poorish fuel economy

Thomas_Crown

What are insurance costs like for a Bongo? Some insurance companies don't like insuring 'grey imports'.

fatbobbutler

Thanks RoscampA.

How did you go about importing it yourself? We have about £4,500 to spend and abviously would like to get the best possible motor we can.

fatbobbutler

I'm in no hurry as my 2001 focus is still going strong, despite it's 130,000 miles.. I may wait until winter as I think campers should be cheaper then. It's the lifting roof option we are after, although a full camping conversion is not essential.

cabte

We too have a Bongo but the AFT with the elavating roof .
2.5 turbo diesel 2 wheel drive.
Would'nt be without it.
We had a ford c-max before this and insurance was costing about £500+ for me and the wife fully comp thats with 3 years no claims.
We was unsure what the Insurance would be for a bongo so we went on the forum
www.bongofury.co.uk and was directed to Lifesure insurance.
Amazing the quote we got was £380 fully comp.
bout the fuel cost its not to bad to be honist about 30/35mpg.
We use Veg oil to about 30% it does make the bongo run a lot smoothly.
If i new about the bongos 4 years ago i would have got one then they are so comfy
and versitile.
We love going out for rides and try to go camping every weekend.

I would say get one.. you will love it .
But you must look around and go to a bongo dealer as there are some bad ones out there.
look on the forum get talking they are a good bunch and will haelp out as much as poss.

wheffles

we have a bongo a 2wd car which averages 25 to 30 mpg.as for insurance i used confused .com and got a quote for£237.00.which is extremely cheap for a car of this sort. thats for two drivers one 44 and one 49.clean liscence and with an alarm imobiliser.the police suggested the alarm as they are popular with thieves!.the insurance by the way was with auto trader.