Does anyone else drive one of these superb vehicles, and use it for towing. Ours is a 97 , with 54k miles on the clock. We have converted it into a motor home and it is very compfortable for a few nights , on the longer trips we pull our 1986 Adria that we have completley renovated. The Bongo is realy great to drive , and there is a very good owners club. I have no axe to grind, but if anyone would like any more information then please feal free to email us at gpursh@aol.com
Mazda Bongo
- Thread starter Peter_374234869
- Start date
- Mar 14, 2005
- 10,031
- 859
- 40,935
The trouble with "grey" imports like the Bongo is that it is sometimes difficult to find European type approved towbars for these vehicles and it is illegal to tow without them being type approved. Also, it may involve some hassle to determine what the maximum permissible towload is if there was never an official importer who specified this figure or can lead you lead you the way.
There is no problem getting tow bars for Bongo's or many other grey imports in the UK Lutz.
Re Type Approval, my experience is that TA is another EU menace. I had a BMW bike that at one point had type approval issues with tyre choice. BMW Kindly only had type approval on 3 tyre brands and one of a size had fitment issues as it fouled the suspension. We contacted BMW UK and the insurers and were told to forget TA and take the advice of tyre manufacturers and the tyre fitters.
Type approval was described to me as an excuse for restricting trade by an automotive industry insider!
Re Type Approval, my experience is that TA is another EU menace. I had a BMW bike that at one point had type approval issues with tyre choice. BMW Kindly only had type approval on 3 tyre brands and one of a size had fitment issues as it fouled the suspension. We contacted BMW UK and the insurers and were told to forget TA and take the advice of tyre manufacturers and the tyre fitters.
Type approval was described to me as an excuse for restricting trade by an automotive industry insider!
- Mar 14, 2005
- 10,031
- 859
- 40,935
You'll be treading thin ice if you decide to fit parts that require type approval but haven't been approved. So long as you don't have an accident or a warranty claim, probably no-one will ever notice but ever the insurance company finds out about such practice, you can be sure as certain that they'll use it as an excuse not to have to pay up. Conversely, if the parts are type approved, you'll have chance of recourse action in case of possible proved design faults.
Exactly why I went to the Insurers for advice that was put in writing and BMW at the time Lutz.
Guarantee and warranties and type approval sound good in theory, it may differ in Germany but cases here where vehicles have had problems and usage gets thrown back in the users face.
Guarantee and warranties and type approval sound good in theory, it may differ in Germany but cases here where vehicles have had problems and usage gets thrown back in the users face.
- Mar 14, 2005
- 10,031
- 859
- 40,935
It's a bit easier for the consumer here in Germany, Cris. All type approved components have to be checked during the equivalent of the vehicle MOT. All relevant data is entered in the vehicle log-book so the inspector will check the details on the towbar manufacturer's plate or the information on the tyre walls, for example, against what's in the log book. If he fails to notice or if he does notice and is supplied with convincing proof that the non-type approved part is as good as or superior to the original fitment, he will OK it and it's his full responsibility and not the consumer's, even in the case of a later insurance claim (this doesn't apply to warranty, however). This procedure provides for non-standard fitment of components without the onus being on the owner. Of course, it does also mean that vehicle must be re-MOT'd and the log book amended accordingly when non-standard parts are later fitted. This includes installation of a towbar. That's why most people here who wish to tow, order their cars with a factory-fitted towbar (it'll then already be in the log book when it's first issued and the car doesn't have to be MOT'd when it's maybe only a few days old).
I have a Toyota Surf and my son has a Prado, both grey imports and there is no difficulty whatsoever in getting type approved towbars.
Mine came from Trust and my sons' from Witter.
Mine came from Trust and my sons' from Witter.
- Mar 14, 2005
- 10,031
- 859
- 40,935
So long as the grey import is the same product as the official one only under another name, such as Pajeros and Shoguns, Bighorns and Troopers, etc., there shouldn't be any difficulty in getting a suitable towbar or establishing the max. permissible towload. Things can get difficult though, when there are differences in the underbody or the two products are otherwise not identical or where there is no real equivalent, such as the Bongo.
I know the Bongo is available as a van in some markets (something like B200?) if it never was here it probably was in Europe - there is also a Ford Freda variant
Facebook
Twitter