Bongo Fury

It seems there are 3 weights that get quoted when referring to the Bongo.

Unladen weight: This is the weight of the vehicle as it leaves the factory. The weights are quoted in the back of the JPNZ handbook and vary according to the model. A 2 litre petrol tin-top weighs 1540 kg, a 4WD 2.5 Td AFT is 1860 kg.

Kerb Weight (EU definition): This is the unladen weight, plus the weight of any kitchen conversion units, plus a full tank of fuel, plus 75kg (average weight of driver).

Gross Vehicle Weight: This the maximum allowable weight of a road vehicle when loaded. It includes the kerb weight, cargo and full complement of passengers. I have seen this quoted as 2260 kgs here on the forum, and this seems about right to me, but this has never been confirmed. For vehicles made in the EU, this is tested and then stated by the manufacturer. But as far as I am aware, there is no such thing as a GVW for vehicles made in Japan.

Can anyone throw any light on this? It's important for the London Emissions Zone, and also tyre load ratings.

Hi Ian
This could be on a sticky wicket if the vehicle is registered as an 8 seater!...The average weight for a "Normal Person" in terms of medical statistics, is 70 Kg....8 x 70 = 560 Kg. Add that to the factory unladen weight, and you have 2420, which would negate the 8-seater capacity, and add the weight of fuel, spare tyre and tool kit, and there is no way that it could be registered as a people-carrier of 8 seat capacity, as I reckon it's way over tyre-ratings, alloy wheel ratings and just about everything else.
As users, we know the Bongo is pretty good at load handling/ pulling/ braking, but authorities go purely on figures.....A bit of a worry!?
Cheers
Helen

It does seem to be an area fraught with uncertainty, starting with what definitions of Kerb Weight and Gross Weight are applicable. This seems to vary from country to country (as does the weight of the inhabitants ).

Assuming we want a "Standard" I guess a thorough read of the EU regulations/definitions is in order followed by mass visits to the nearest public weigh bridge!

My own observation from driving over one was that my 4wd diesel weighed about 2.2Tonnes with fuel, driver, conversion but no passengers or other gear. This was not a validated weight however.

In terms of tyres I am habitually cautious and would always prefer to over specify rather than save a few quid. But that's just me.