Sitting at home, as we all are, waiting for the green light to at least explore locally once the Covid case numbers drop to an acceptable level, and not much to report, unfortunately. The weather has been wet and then cold ( well, it is winter!), and to be honest I haven’t really got much on the to-do list for now. I want to get some more of the undercarriage treated and painted, but that will have to wait for warmer weather. I also plan to change the gearbox fluid this year, but also want to wait until the van is going to be used.
There have been loads of new members on the Scottish Owners Facebook group, and lots of newbies looking for advice on layouts, and storage solutions. It’s very easy to get carried away with what can fit in the Bongo, without actually fully planning what you are going to do with it! Convention says that you should have a lovely kitchen area, complete with sink and stove. You should have cupboards full of provisions, clothes, cooking gear etc. You need a Porta Potty, and all the chemicals to go with it. And pretty soon, you need…a bigger van!!
Having backpacked I think is an advantage, and from the word go, I’ve tried to treat the Bongo more as a metal tent rather than a caravan / motor home. Other posts have commented on my priorities regarding cooking – we don’t! We have a low profile single burner camping stove that packs away when not in use. We use an electric kettle on hookups while on sites. We usually use dehydrated camping meals (delicious, no washing up!) or eat out. We snack for breakfast on coffee and a muffin, or a couple of biscuits, then go and find a local tearoom for a breakfast. When you weigh up the hassle and expense of the kitchen facilities in the van against how much you actually plan on using it, for me it just doesn’t balance. We would far rather have all the space, a full-width bed AND floor space to stand on when the bed is down. We are very comfortable, and want for nothing as far as creature comforts – I have a diesel parking heater which keeps us cozy off-grid, options of electric kettle or gas stove, and everything is stored away in one removable kitchen pod I can leave behind if just out for the day. Our bedding all stores inside the bed, leaving underneath for awning, camping chairs and table, stove, electric heater for use on hookup.
So, less is more, for sure, in such a small vehicle. We have got things down pretty much to taking only what we need, and very little else. On extended trips, we still only take small holdalls for clothes, but would use laundry facilities on campsites if required. That way we don’t need huge amounts of clothes with us.
So…….
Do’s
- Do think carefully before you plan any conversion. Try your Bongo out as-is first, and have a think about what is important to you, and the folk travelling.
- Do imagine trying to set up your bed, with everyone in the van, pouring with rain outside. Can you manage without a war breaking out?
- Do plan from your bed up. After all, if you can’t sleep comfortably, then you will very soon regret your decisions.
- Do ask yourself if you really need every single item you are packing in. Will you use it? Do you need it? Could you be comfortable without?
- Do keep your Bongo well maintained. It’s easy to forget to lift those front seats, check your fluids, look for leaks, check your tyre pressures etc.
- Do look for a service history when you are shopping for a van. Check for rusty pipes, signs of coolant leaks, generally oily or dirty engine bays and under bonnet areas. These are all signs of neglect, and on a Bongo, can be warning of potential problems early in your ownership!
Don’ts
- Don’t compromise on your sleeping arrangements!! Bongo life will be miserable without a good night’s sleep. Make sure you have the room you need, everything else comes second.
- Don’t expect motor home accomodation!! This is a small vehicle, and compromise is absolutely essential. Be prepared to sacrifice some luxuries, concentrate on the essentials.
- Don’t pack so much in that you need to empty the van just to make your bed!! It will more than likely be raining when you get there!!
- Don’t compare performance to your family car. These are old, and heavy, vehicles, designed to carry eight people, so they are solidly, if heavily, built. Bongo driving is about the journey as well as the destination.
- Don’t be afraid to change your mind about what you bring next time. The art of campervanning in a Bongo is about using each trip to learn a bit about yourself, and what not to take, or not to forget, next time.
- Don’t hesitate to ask!! I strongly suggest you join the Owners’ Club, Bongo Fury ( for £15 a year it’s excellent value), and also a Facebook group or two. Bongo owners are a helpful bunch, and willing to help others by sharing what they have learnt.
- Don’t skimp on the maintenance!! Bongos are cheap to buy, relatively speaking, but still require proper maintenance to remain trouble free. Keep it serviced according to the schedule, and be prepared for replacing suspension components, timing belts, as well as engine and gearbox fluids. If not, don’t be surprised if and when your Bongo lets you down!
- Don’t get too downhearted by rust – they are old, it’s inevitable, it will rust! Most rust is repairable, and specialist repairers can make a superb job, for a lot less than the price of another Bongo.
Here’s hoping we are able to organise some Bongo meets soon, where fellow owners can swap ideas, advice, and socialise, when safe to do so. We have had some brilliant experiences at the Bongos, Brews and Blethers local to us, as well as the Scottish Bongo Bash, back in 2019. Meantime, I will be carefully going through everything that is packed in my van, and ask if it was used on the last trip, or whether we really could leave it behind. I’ll be keenly watching everyone else’s designs coming together, looking for innovative ideas we might use for our own adventures. I’m looking forward too, to using our new drive-away awning for the first time.
Always learning, and always double checking only what we need is in the van.
Happy trails!
Ali Bongo's adventures 