How much rust is too much rust?

Anything non-technical about the Mazda Bongo Friendee van

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Rooflifter
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 23, 2021 11:31 pm

How much rust is too much rust?

Post by Rooflifter » Fri Jun 04, 2021 11:08 pm

I'm contemplating the future of my van. I've got the engine in bits ready for a new head after the head gasket failed. The rest of the cooling system has all been replaced so once the new head is on I will hopefully have a pretty reliable engine. The problem is the more I look for rust the more I find. We knew it needed a fair bit of work when we bought it and we were prepared to spend a bit to fix it up but that was six years ago and the engine dying kind of got in the way of fixing bodywork. I still have a budget for replacing rusty parts, rust proofing the rest and a full respray but it will only stretch so far. As a minimum it needs a new driver's door and front wing, both rear arches inside and out and complete cills all round. While I'm there I might as well replace the front and rear crossmembers but at some point I have to draw the line and ask why I'm bothering to save a knackered vehicle in the first place.
On the plus side it's a manual, rear-wheel drive AFT with split rear seats which is my preferred type of van and not easy to find. On the downside it's the pre-facelift model and obviously showing its age. I could facelift while I'm at it but I think that's pushing the budget too far.
Bongo prices are high at the moment so replacing it would cost more than fixing it as far as I can tell, and in some ways a fully repaired van is a case of better the devil you know. I could spend quite a few thousand and still end up with expensive repair bills on top to deal with. I had my fingers burned with this van and test drove some even dodgier vans before deciding to take this one on as a project so I'm very wary of buying a new one. I suspect anything costing under £10k at the moment will have its fair share of problems.
Has anyone dealt with extensive rust before that can offer any words of wisdom?
oibaf
Bongolier
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat May 08, 2021 8:11 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: How much rust is too much rust?

Post by oibaf » Sun Jun 06, 2021 10:06 am

I don't really know the answer to this but I'd imagine you'd have to do a lot of the work yourself in order to keep the cost down. You sound like you know your stuff so perhaps you'd be comfortable with that! Either way, I'll be glad to follow the work if you throw it on the thread here, be very interesting to see it.
Rooflifter
Apprentice Bongonaut
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 23, 2021 11:31 pm

Re: How much rust is too much rust?

Post by Rooflifter » Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:23 pm

A neighbour of mine had a look at it yesterday. He's restored quite a few VW vans over the years so he's seen his fair share of rust. He didn't seem concerned at all which was reassuring. There's a fair bit of work in cleaning, treating and rust proofing but he thinks it all looks solid enough once the worst bits have been replaced.
I'd love to do it myself but I can't afford to take enough time off work at the moment to tackle it. Maybe I'll get the engine up and running again and then see how things look. I resent paying someone to do the underside but I'd like the bodywork done to a good standard.
mikeyr
Junior Bongonaut
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:03 am
Location: Hampshire

Re: How much rust is too much rust?

Post by mikeyr » Mon Jun 07, 2021 12:32 pm

Looking at the prices for Bongo's I think you'd be on a winner with a sorted engine and a full respray - that's got to be just as good as a fresh import and prices for those seem astronomical.

Ours is a bit rough around the edges but solid - doesn't stop me thinkng eveyr so often how awesome it would look with new paint :twisted: :D
Powellct
Bongonaut
Posts: 29
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:31 pm
Location: South Somerset

Re: How much rust is too much rust?

Post by Powellct » Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:38 pm

Think the question you really need to be asking is what are you going to do if you out it? If you're thinking of buying another Bongo, I'd be spending the money on this one (this is the route I'll be going down as and when ours needs work).
If you going to buy German in the budget you may end up with engine/box problems; if you're giving up balance the cost of repairs against selling price if they're not done.
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