Road Trip idea: India-to-UK
Discussion
Does anyone think it would be much of an adventure to do something crazy like fly to india with a few mates, buy a selection of tata nano's ( once made available ) and then attempt to drive all the way back to blighty, whilst hopefully not breaking down/falling apart/blowing up/getting stuck/etc!
ive been thinking about something like this since i first heard of the cheap as chips car, and was thinking, at that price, no matter how many miles you put on the thing.. you cant really loose any money.... can you?
so all in, a trans-continental road trip, in a few super cheap new cars, with all your best mates near by on walkie talkies. Brilliant
ive been thinking about something like this since i first heard of the cheap as chips car, and was thinking, at that price, no matter how many miles you put on the thing.. you cant really loose any money.... can you?
so all in, a trans-continental road trip, in a few super cheap new cars, with all your best mates near by on walkie talkies. Brilliant
Vixpy1 said:
I'm afraid I can think of a couple of problems there:
Pakistan, Afghanistan and a small crop of mountains
Ideally you want to head north over the Himalayas, into Nepal and then into China, and take a left.Pakistan, Afghanistan and a small crop of mountains
However, Nepal ain't exactly a good place to be either at the moment.
SystemParanoia said:
and lots of bribe money?
my limited experience of paying bribes is this - the bribe is proportional to how much money they see you have. if they see you have loads of notes, then that will be the bribe. so the key is to hide your stash of cash in multiple pockets.No unsurmountable issues as long as you avoid Afghanistan. It would be quite an adventure, although I would be concerned about personal security in the 'stans.
I would pick something basic like an older (70s or 80s) Mercedes. Solid, reliable, and anyone can work on them. Newer cars have too many special parts that are flimsy, and too many electronics that people in those parts of the world don't know what to do with. I don't think a Nano would survive the pitiful roads.
I would pick something basic like an older (70s or 80s) Mercedes. Solid, reliable, and anyone can work on them. Newer cars have too many special parts that are flimsy, and too many electronics that people in those parts of the world don't know what to do with. I don't think a Nano would survive the pitiful roads.
tinman0 said:
SystemParanoia said:
and lots of bribe money?
my limited experience of paying bribes is this - the bribe is proportional to how much money they see you have. if they see you have loads of notes, then that will be the bribe. so the key is to hide your stash of cash in multiple pockets.
I'd say that was my experience too.It does sound fun, but obv few probs.
How about buying a car each or two to a car, max spend of £300/£500 on the car and drive them as far as they will go. As they break down you can jump into the other cars until theres no space or they all break down. Then fly home from the nearest airport.
How about buying a car each or two to a car, max spend of £300/£500 on the car and drive them as far as they will go. As they break down you can jump into the other cars until theres no space or they all break down. Then fly home from the nearest airport.
Carpie said:
How about buying a car each or two to a car, max spend of £300/£500 on the car and drive them as far as they will go. As they break down you can jump into the other cars until theres no space or they all break down. Then fly home from the nearest airport.
Depends on the various country that you dump your car in. There are quite a few countries where you enter with your car and are expected to leave with it. Also, not sure of the cost of a car in India, or the documentation that you will require on the way westwards. If you don't have the right documentation you will be pressed for hard cash in bribes, repeatedly.Carpie said:
It does sound fun, but obv few probs.
How about buying a car each or two to a car, max spend of £300/£500 on the car and drive them as far as they will go. As they break down you can jump into the other cars until theres no space or they all break down. Then fly home from the nearest airport.
Yeah buy a car each and set off back.How about buying a car each or two to a car, max spend of £300/£500 on the car and drive them as far as they will go. As they break down you can jump into the other cars until theres no space or they all break down. Then fly home from the nearest airport.
If I had the time I would love to do that.
What about a few classic Hindustan Ambassadors?
Or a Madras Enfield if motorbikes are your thing.
Also quite a lot of the 70's / 80's era BL Catalogue was passed on to Indian car makers, the Rover SD1 and the Princess leap to mind.
And lets face it, the build quality HAS to be better than what BL managed on them!!
n alternative route would be up to the north of Pakistan then work through the Stans (perhaps avoiding Afganistan .... ) Tajekstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Russia etc.
Or a Madras Enfield if motorbikes are your thing.
Also quite a lot of the 70's / 80's era BL Catalogue was passed on to Indian car makers, the Rover SD1 and the Princess leap to mind.
And lets face it, the build quality HAS to be better than what BL managed on them!!
n alternative route would be up to the north of Pakistan then work through the Stans (perhaps avoiding Afganistan .... ) Tajekstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Russia etc.
Carpie said:
Even if you're not meant to I doubt the Polish govt is going to get very upset about a '92 Cavalier entering the country and not being recorded as leaving it.
Poland you are probably okay with, but there are quite a few countries where its not so simple. I would read up about the countries you plan to possibly dump a car in before dumping said car.The main reason is taxation. Cars can be highly taxed items. Simply wandering in and dropping an old banger off gets round that taxation, so the respective Govt tags your car to your passport, and you have to import your car on the way and export on the way out.
There are countries that will ensure you leave with your car - Morocco being one. We have seen burned out shells leaving the country for no other reason than what comes in must go out.
I'm not against your idea in the slightest, but don't try and act the dumb Brit abroad or you will be taken for all you are worth.
tinman0 said:
Stuff.
Read up on the Carnet de Passage, which is basically a car passport that will make life much easier outside Europe. You can get by without one but it requires bribery and luck. We got round it in India by giving the car to customs.As people have said Pakistan is a bit iffy at the moment, and the northern route through China is a problem because the Chinese aren't keen on foreigners travelling alone, particularly not by car.
Having said that the route through Turkey, Iran and Pakistan to India is pretty straightforward and doable in a standard car. I've heard of people doing it in an XR3i
Sounds like an awesome plan, and that route through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey seems like the best bet.
I had a similar idea, but want to buy a car in Japan, and drive that home, but looking at a map, China and Korea are in the way, so even if i had the money to do it, its not gonna happen.
good luck mate, let us know if you go ahead with it.
I had a similar idea, but want to buy a car in Japan, and drive that home, but looking at a map, China and Korea are in the way, so even if i had the money to do it, its not gonna happen.
good luck mate, let us know if you go ahead with it.
Lol!
As for the Nano being designed for Indian roads...it is actually a city car deisgned for a less harsh environment/smoother roads, and it has parts with planned obsolescence and limited service lives. It won't survive, unless you baby it and have a fair amount of luck.
Dirt bikes (basic ones), hardy vehicles like land rovers, or old cars that never die...those are the best bets.
There is a guy in one of the bike mags who has done crazy trips on a Yamaha R1...so anything is possible.
Chekc out www.ihana.com
As for the Nano being designed for Indian roads...it is actually a city car deisgned for a less harsh environment/smoother roads, and it has parts with planned obsolescence and limited service lives. It won't survive, unless you baby it and have a fair amount of luck.
Dirt bikes (basic ones), hardy vehicles like land rovers, or old cars that never die...those are the best bets.
There is a guy in one of the bike mags who has done crazy trips on a Yamaha R1...so anything is possible.
Chekc out www.ihana.com
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