And This Months Problem Is . . . .

[mister munkey]

Ta.



After a meeting with the boss, Mrs M thinks its time to call it a day.


Without a pot to piss in for the medium term & no hope of finding a spare grand, logic dictates the only sensible resolution is to flog it on at a fair price to someone that can afford the investment.

Will no doubt be suffering withdrawal symptoms so likely be getting another next year but my (previously) trusty beast is going to have to go.

[Doone]

Sorry to hear this Chris. The other option is to hold onto it until you save up the cash?

[Muzorewa]

Surely selling it with a knackered engine isn't going to get anything like a good price, can't you ditch the bike to enable you to sort the Bongo once and for all?

[dobby]

Blimey Chris, gutted for you.

That's where we were last year, kids wanting to keep it I wanted to flog it etc.

Personally I'd keep it until the money was available and then sort it.

[umbongocat]

Don't give up (remember you saying this to me) keep it until you have the money. I'm so glad I was told not to give up as now we're happily using Tink for her purposes ... camping

[bongoing-mad-simon]

Hi mr munkey, so sorry to hear your news,
we too are in the same situation and nearly got rid but camping without the bongo just wasn't the same and glad that we decided to hold on , ours as had a new head and gasket in 2006, then a replacement engine in 2007 , now a new gasket set which hasn't worked and has been off the road now since april, we've been saving really hard and are now almost ready to get the work done, probably another head , though this time I will be taking the Bongo to Allans in plymouth so I know it will be fixed properly wish I had done this the 1st time,
good luck with what ever you choose to do ....

[helen&tony]

Hi
Sorry to hear of your hassles...AGAIN...It seems the Bongo is failing miserably when a certain age is reached...Is it possible to swap another engine onto the drive-train, I wonder...I've done this sort of thing on other vehicles, and it's not enormously complicated. The Bongo engine is a Ford / Mazda co-operation...goes on all the time in the motor industry to avoid import restrictions, and it may be that the Bongo engine is not up to Mazda's usual standards?...That's where the old Type 2s win...the engines are incredible....if looked after , several times round the clock is normal.
I came by a bit of info yesterday which may be of use to you ...I've PMd you
Cheers
Helen

[mister munkey]

Situation at the moment, despite a reasonably good offer of help from an advertiser on this site, is to mothball the Bongo until such time that finances can allow yet another head job.

Flogging it for nowt isn't a sensible option, seeing as its 90% restored already & to lose the five grand we've put into it vanishing then finding another big lump of dosh to buy another next year makes no sense.

It may mean us turning up to meets in a variety of other vehicles but I'll follow Harrys lead for the meantime.

[hembramacho]

Gutted for you matey. Bad news indeed.

Andrew

[dobby]

Good decision Chris, you've been a really positive source of advice for a lot of us that have had similar troubles (myself included). I reckon you'll be back on the road in no time

[stilldesperate]

Only just caught this thread, Chris, gutted for you, mate.

Suggestions are:
Break her - lots of hassle.....
Mothball her - Risk is keeping her in reasonable (bodywork-wise) nick.
Look for a scrappper with a good engine - trouble is knowing what is good
Fit a V8 in there .... (got a mate who's an authority on V8's - might have something lying about)

You can use mine with pleasure over the next month, I'm over on the boat.

Iain

[mikeonb4c]

Been taking a break from posting but popped in and read this. Really really sorry to hear about continuing woes Chris - not easy to know what to say. My personal preference would be for saving to get it fixed then talking to someone like Ian Taylor to get his view about why it has failed repeatedly (was job not done by a sufficiently experienced Bongo specialist, how hard has the engine been worked, is he confident that a Bongo can always be got fixed and stay fixed, should a new engine be considered etc. etc.) before letting him tell you what the best course of action is regarding repair. It might even emerge that a trade swap is the least expensive option, but I reckon he'd do his best to look after you especially as you are such a well known member and potential walking advert for him. No idea what made me incline towards Ian Taylor for this one - I just did!

Commiserations matey Keep smiling

[croylo]

WTF monkey man, chalet available in November for you come as you are. My original bongo bit the rust a couple of months ago and I have gone through 3 different cars trying to appease claire the short answer is there is no vehicle quite like a bongo. We do still have the two wheel drive and very good it is too, but we don't have that go through muddy fields with confidence that you get with the 4x4.
in short persevere man, if the head gaskets gone, go for the steel seal, bin the spanner monkey though and get another one.
love n good wishes to you and yours.

[croylo]

oh and well worth a 2nd opinion before anybody touches the head.
my radiator went, and the garage that retrieved the van fitted the new radiator and told me that the head was blown as they could'nt get it to stop overheating. drove it with the expansion cap off to the usual garage who found out that the radiator had been fitted incorrectly and a breather hose had been blocked. Makes you think how many heads have been skimmed unneccessarily.

[aitch]

Just caught up with this thread Mr. M hang on in there you have to get it fixed even if you take it off the road 'till you save enough, you have been an insperation to many and your advice has helped many folks - hang on in there and get it fixed