Perfect car for a trans-european banger rally?
Discussion
I've been seriously considering doing something like this with a mate. You see lots of people organising such events for cars costing no more than £400, although some proper car clubs run them for classics and such like. The most famous event is probably the charity run mongolia rally, anyone have experience of this?
So if we do go the £400 banger route, what's best? A barge of some kind would probs be best value, although maybe a bit heavy on the juice.
Cheers
So if we do go the £400 banger route, what's best? A barge of some kind would probs be best value, although maybe a bit heavy on the juice.
Cheers
t. This:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
Bit of a haggle should see it for £400/500.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
Bit of a haggle should see it for £400/500.
LHD said:
This:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
Bit of a haggle should see it for £400/500.
Jag lover here but would hate trying to find spares for that in europehttp://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...
Bit of a haggle should see it for £400/500.
A barge would be my choice. 80s barge especially.
An "ordinary" car wont have the comfort for long joruneys day after day. You'll be knackered quiet quickly, and therefore very tired and you wont enjoy it as much. If you try an 80s car, you'll be amazed how moisy they are- very little sound deadening compated to todays cars. So go large: go barge
And an 80s barge would duit as they wont be **too* complicated. With old age, its the electrics which seem to go. And buying a barge without too much electrical stuff would minimise chances of anything going wrong.
If it were me, I'd try and get an old Jaguar XJ40 or XJ6 MK3. Just right. 80s Merc would also do, but I doubt you'd get one for that price.
An "ordinary" car wont have the comfort for long joruneys day after day. You'll be knackered quiet quickly, and therefore very tired and you wont enjoy it as much. If you try an 80s car, you'll be amazed how moisy they are- very little sound deadening compated to todays cars. So go large: go barge
And an 80s barge would duit as they wont be **too* complicated. With old age, its the electrics which seem to go. And buying a barge without too much electrical stuff would minimise chances of anything going wrong.
If it were me, I'd try and get an old Jaguar XJ40 or XJ6 MK3. Just right. 80s Merc would also do, but I doubt you'd get one for that price.
Well whatabout looking at it from another point of view.
What secondhand cars have you bought which needed a lot of work right from the getgo?
I bought a Ford Puma recently and on the second day it overheated. Then the clutch hydrualics started leaking. Then the handbrake stopped working... It's been good as gold since but that's no good if you want to drive it across Europe. Cost £700 squid so slightly above budget... but if you could get one for less it would probably be worse!
What secondhand cars have you bought which needed a lot of work right from the getgo?
I bought a Ford Puma recently and on the second day it overheated. Then the clutch hydrualics started leaking. Then the handbrake stopped working... It's been good as gold since but that's no good if you want to drive it across Europe. Cost £700 squid so slightly above budget... but if you could get one for less it would probably be worse!
Cost £550 inc 6 months tax. Tax cashed in when we sold the car one month later. Got £200 back for the car!
Took 4 of us 4,500 miles (to Ukraine and back).
I give you....
The Dreamer
Featuring:
- 2L of RWD Swedish power.
- Luxury leopard print upholstery
- Starter button (emergency addition on Croatia)
Took 4 of us 4,500 miles (to Ukraine and back).
I give you....
The Dreamer
Featuring:
- 2L of RWD Swedish power.
- Luxury leopard print upholstery
- Starter button (emergency addition on Croatia)
Apologies for the length of the post but...
Just a couple of thoughts from someone whose best mate has done the Mongol rally and from me who was down to do the Dakar rally but for the birth of my son.
The comments on barges and comfort are one way of looking at it but here is the other way.....
The further away from the EU you get going to Mongolia the worse the roads get and the cheaper the fuel gets, a barge will be fine on fuel but not so good on bodged fix ups, you need a very simple car and the suggestions of 80's cars are bang on the money. Easily fixed of temporarily fixed.
My friend did the Mongol version of the rally in a Nova, on the advice of previous entrants all he did was beef up the suspension, steel rims and a sump shield. he took a good selection of tools, some spare parts (filters etc) and 2 spare wheels with tyres. Yes the Nova is small but they took tents and had an adventure, he told me that once you are out in places like Mongolia things like hotels, hostels and meals are cheap beyond belief.
As for the rally itself, well, just be very careful who you go with, some of these "events" are more about business than charity. They ask for fees but admit to provide no actual support, just some help with visas that you can easily do yourself.
My mate came across 2 lads in Ulaanbaatar who had sorted the whole thing themselves through justgiving and local media/businesses, they knew that certain vehicles were genuinly needed out there and drove.........
an ex M.O.D minibus and an ex BT Cherry-picker all the way, they were welcomed like heroes.
Good luck with it all mate, if you really go for a barge I would say an 80's Merc Diesel.
Just a couple of thoughts from someone whose best mate has done the Mongol rally and from me who was down to do the Dakar rally but for the birth of my son.
The comments on barges and comfort are one way of looking at it but here is the other way.....
The further away from the EU you get going to Mongolia the worse the roads get and the cheaper the fuel gets, a barge will be fine on fuel but not so good on bodged fix ups, you need a very simple car and the suggestions of 80's cars are bang on the money. Easily fixed of temporarily fixed.
My friend did the Mongol version of the rally in a Nova, on the advice of previous entrants all he did was beef up the suspension, steel rims and a sump shield. he took a good selection of tools, some spare parts (filters etc) and 2 spare wheels with tyres. Yes the Nova is small but they took tents and had an adventure, he told me that once you are out in places like Mongolia things like hotels, hostels and meals are cheap beyond belief.
As for the rally itself, well, just be very careful who you go with, some of these "events" are more about business than charity. They ask for fees but admit to provide no actual support, just some help with visas that you can easily do yourself.
My mate came across 2 lads in Ulaanbaatar who had sorted the whole thing themselves through justgiving and local media/businesses, they knew that certain vehicles were genuinly needed out there and drove.........
an ex M.O.D minibus and an ex BT Cherry-picker all the way, they were welcomed like heroes.
Good luck with it all mate, if you really go for a barge I would say an 80's Merc Diesel.
Cheers for the advice guys, at the moment I can't think of anything better than an omega, providing they are as straightforward as I imagine. As we are totally new to this game, one concern I have is the general safety of travelling through some of these places with regards to crime levels, political instability and possible hostility of locals. I suppose the likes of the Mongol rally (which is run by a charity I gather) will encourage travelling in large groups?
Done a couple of banger rallies myself.
If you are doing a tarmac road event then go for a big car because they can be had for a lot less money than smaller cars which leaves you with plenty of cash and room to take spares. Big cars generally tend to be better built, more reliable and well looked after.
If the rally is a lot of off road work you need something with plenty of suspension travel, not too heavy, tall profile tyres on steel wheels and with springs / dampers you can change easily at the roadside.
My choice so far has been BMW E32 7 series & Merc 190.
If you are doing a tarmac road event then go for a big car because they can be had for a lot less money than smaller cars which leaves you with plenty of cash and room to take spares. Big cars generally tend to be better built, more reliable and well looked after.
If the rally is a lot of off road work you need something with plenty of suspension travel, not too heavy, tall profile tyres on steel wheels and with springs / dampers you can change easily at the roadside.
My choice so far has been BMW E32 7 series & Merc 190.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff