• This topic has 22 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by dean0.
Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • Mazda Bongo – project for sale (potentially)
  • dean0
    Free Member

    Hi people. I will add this to the classifieds if there is interest.

    I have a ’97 Mazda Bongo. I’ve had it nearly 9 years and it has been the perfect adventure vehicle for me; comfortable and car-like to drive, cheap to insure and fix, moderate fuel economy and plenty of room for loads of bike/camping gear and the roof of course (which has a fitted mattress – very comfy). A side benefit has been how useful it has been for carrying stuff generally – trip to the dump, tons of stuff for a bike event (organising one), big group of friends, etc.

    Anyhow, it has just failed it’s MOT primarily due to rust on the chassis. It has numerous other small mechanical problems (that I would happily have fixed if it wasn’t for the additional rust and can list to those interested), but the chassis corrosion will cost £4-500+ to fix and I’ve decided to move on for the time being to a regular car. I’ll probably regret it.

    So, the Bongo is for sale – it could potentially be scrapped, but that seems a horrible waste. The engine is sound and the vehicle has many adventures left in it.

    Any buyer would have to spend around 1k to get it road-worthy (unless they are a welder/mechanic in which case almost all of it could be done pretty easily).

    I’m working on a price, but would anyone on here be interested?

    Current MOT lasts until the weekend, after that transport of it will become tricky. Snap up a bargain project!

    Will come back re price shortly.

    nedrapier
    Full Member

    I think the current MOT is the one it’s just had, isn’t it?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Yep it’s now an MOT failure so can only be driven to a test/repair there

    At this point your looking for the best offer anyone will make you I reckon

    Dickyboy
    Full Member

    Old MOT is still valid – failure is recorded and driving a non roadworthy vehicle is an offence but old MOT is still valid – read the dvla website if you don’t believe me

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    OK for simplicity it’s not going to go well getting stopped driving it.

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    OK for simplicity it’s not going to go well getting stopped driving it.

    AIUI, Up until the old one runs out, you won’t get pulled for no MOT.

    Can’t see why else you’re going to get stopped – certainly not for speeding! 🙂

    convert
    Full Member

    Interesting. So can a vehicle fail an mot and still be deemed roadworthy i.e. are there any checks done in an MOT which are not for the road-worthiness of a vehicle?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    The disclaimer there

    In both cases, your vehicle still needs to meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times or you can be fined.

    You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
    https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test
    So depends on what they look at or what happens, anyway for the OP that lasts until Sunday so not much more there

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    Skating very thin ground if say due to the chassis corrosion noted in an MOT on the computerised system lead to a suspension /steering component detatching- that’s not out of the realm of possibility.

    Should be trailered/recovered. I suspect the op knows this but wants to appeal to a wider audience.

    What is your location. Any photos of the corrosion ?

    legend
    Free Member

    this is the worst stealth ad evar

    Dickyboy
    Full Member

    Convert – non working horn or lights will be MOT failure but won’t make vehicle unroadworthy for most daytime driving

    dean0
    Free Member

    You guys…

    OK, I’ll put it on the classifieds. My understanding is that the old MOT stands – hardly worth discussion unless you’re interested ;^)

    No photos of corrosion – can see what I can do, but I don’t have an inspection pit. The failed MOT certificate gives some info.

    Cheers!

    andy3809
    Free Member

    May be interested mate. Want a van and looking for a project.

    Where abouts are you based?

    Cheers

    Andy

    dean0
    Free Member

    Hi Andy,

    I’m between Dunstable and Hemel Hempstead – not far from the M1.

    Reasonably near for you?

    andy3809
    Free Member

    Nope! Nothing that can’t be overcome though with a bit of willing and effort.

    My email is in my profile, do you have any pics and an idea of price your looking for?

    Ta

    dean0
    Free Member

    Will drop you a line :^)

    kimbers
    Full Member

    dean0 also interested, email in profile

    nosedive
    Free Member

    ‘car-like to drive’ LOL

    acidchunks
    Full Member

    ‘car-like to drive’ LOL

    excepting the fact that the driving position is much higher than your average car and the suspension feels like a marshmallow, they’re reeeeeally easy to drive.

    love my 2.5l TD Bongo but also parting ways soon **sniff**

    phiiiiil
    Full Member

    We sold our Bongo two weeks ago after deciding it wasn’t really compatible with a six month old daughter. We actually cried a bit when the new owners drove it away, we’ve had some awesome times in it.

    I’d say it’s car like; the width and length are no bigger than an estate, it’s plenty nippy enough and dead easy to drive. Because it has straight sides and the mirror at the back I don’t know of a vehicle that’s easier to reverse. Air assisters can even make the suspension a lot better too.

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    Me and the missus had the notion of buying a bongo some time back, mainly because she has an auto only license and a desire to own a camper but hadn’t fathomed that most vans/campers sold in the UK tend to be manual (she’s never going to get round to learning manual gears)…

    Ultimately we didn’t fancy the faff of a bongo as our only vehicle and some of the potential issues that come with them and ended up with an MPV. We still play “bongo bingo” whenever we were see one out and about… And I later discovered there’s a bongo specialist very close by… So I am still tempted by one…

    I would be kind of interested if it were a bargain and not too far away, so where abouts are you OP?

    Edit: just read above, hemel isn’t a million miles from us (Reading)…

    nosedive
    Free Member

    Sorry just read my comment back and I look a bit of a dick. I love a bongo and they are easy to drive but I still remember nearly tipping one over on the snake pass at relatively moderate speed becuase i had made no allowance for the height / weight of the roof / suspension.

    Could be a good little project for someone, I wish something equivalent was still in production

    dean0
    Free Member

    Sent you email Andy3809 and Kimbers.

    Sent you a message via your profile Cookeaa – ping me a line and I can send photos, etc.

    Cheers.

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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