Mongol Rally 2012 Tips & Tricks

[Aamirriaz]

Hey all,

Don't know if anyone has ever heard of this, but it's essentially a charity rally to Mongolia in a car with an engine less than 1200cc (so taking my trusted clio with 1149cc).

I've got a 100'000 miles on it (had 60k when I bought it 4 years ago), 2003 plate, and more or less been really good to me, tried to maintain well, and getting a proper service next week and a check-up to see if anything needs fixed before we leave in July.

But just wondering if anyone hear might have done it before, and if not, can anyone offer any suggestions for 4 lads, who are doing a 10'000 mile trip in a 3 door renault clio? (we've got a roof rack - actual roof bars, modified a roof rack to fit on it though, and it works so far.)

Our route is http://www.flyingscotsmen.co.uk/the-route.php , so you can see it's a long trip (we're guessing 3-4weeks).

Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Cheers

 

[Fred@BTM]

if you make it there in a 1.2 16V with no break downs i'll be surprised, take a volvo

 

[Owen92]

A list of garages and a good translation app for your phone?

 

[crombie1]

i did it last year with 3 friends altho we used a 98 mercedes 230 2.5 diesel. it was the best laugh ever. we were suppose to share the driving but i only managed to do 50 then got bored of the auto box so it was bottles of beer for the next 6 days

 

[BoatNonce]

You'll break all sorts of s**t by the looks of it. Make sure you have a means of extraction even when there isn't a phone mast nearby. s**t inevitably happens when you're in the middle of nowhere.

Take plenty of bodging stuff - rope, cable ties, tape, WD-40 e.t.c. as well as electrical supplies such as wire and fuses.

Also learn as many Bush Mechanic tips and tricks as possible. For example, chewing gum can temporarily seal a radiator.

 

[Daniel]

if you make it there in a 1.2 16V with no break downs i'll be surprised, take a volvo

Which volvo's were under the 1200cc limit Frederick?

 

[Fred@BTM]

oh you have to use a shitbox, good luck!

 

[Martin_172]

1.2 clio to mongo land screw that id have opted for a starlet or something

 

[Alex5]

Iv always wanted to the the mongol rally I'm so jel of you. You realise you give your car away to charity when you get to Mongolia right so why not get your mates to all chip in and buy a car just for the rally?
Take spare wheels and tyres with you and make sure you get a satellite phone!

 

[Aamirriaz]

Got a some spare wheels last year (hit a pot hole and found it the same price to buy a set of alloys as it was to buy a second hand renault alloy). so have 4 spares
Got a Spot 2 Messenger, which means that we'll be tracked by gps to within 100ft, with our signal being sent every 5 minutes. (got an SOS feature, so we can call for help via GPS).

The Bodging stuff sounds good, will be able to get quite a bit of that out of my work (definately might add some spansets and shackles to that list)
Any thoughts on where I might be able to learn these things practically, as opposed to off the web and youtube, would rather learn by doing (that and i'd definately pay more attention).

Well the rule of the rally is now that the car has to be under 10 years, and has to have an engine size of less than 1200cc, which is why we're taking a 2003 1149cc car. My car is pretty much at the age limit for the trip, that and I planned on upgrading last year, so kept the car for another year, and giving it a right proper send off, and then get something new when I get back (what...I don't know yet). + if we've got anything left from our funds for the trip it's coming to me to cover the costs of the car, but it's my own contribution to the group,, so not to worried about it.

 

[JD]

A clio? Really?

This is what you need;

Tips;

Make friends. As many as you can. Take spares.

Have fun!

 

[JD]

i did it last year with 3 friends altho we used a 98 mercedes 230 2.5 diesel. it was the best laugh ever. we were suppose to share the driving but i only managed to do 50 then got bored of the auto box so it was bottles of beer for the next 6 days

6 days? Not sure you were doing the Mongolian rally as the record is/was 8 days. And that was constant driving except for fuel stops...

 

[BoatNonce]

Any thoughts on where I might be able to learn these things practically, as opposed to off the web and youtube, would rather learn by doing (that and i'd definately pay more attention).

Dunno if these lot are still going: http://www.bushmechanics.co.uk/ Give 'em a call.

Land Rover tend to do a bit of this as well, might be worth giving them a bell and seeing if you can pay for a course (a fair few of their instructors are pretty knowledgable).

Oh, and JD, they gave up after 50 miles, or at least that's what it looks like.

 

[AJRFulton]

You're the lad that emailed me a month or so ago, from near Glasgow.

I'm also doing it this year, in a silver 1.2 Clio.

My main concern is the cars lack of power and economy with the roof box on. Test drove the car with Rally load weight, and roofbox on from Glasgow down to my work in Wales. MPG was ~32mpg, driving at an average speed of around 67mph and the car really struggled over the Shap area of the M6. Same journey made with no roof box and no load, I'd average 45mpg and the car, whilst not fast, doesn't struggle anywhere near as much going uphill.

You're going to have an extra man in the car as well. I'd recommend making sure the clutch is in good order. Seeing how much I was having to work the gears, once I got off the motorway and into Snowdonia, it's a must do for me now. I doubt my car has ever had a new clutch (65k on the clock), and driving a loaded 1.2 10k miles, I can see it wearing along the way.

 

[Martin_172]

our driving school learner cars do 140k on standard 1.2 16v clutches and they get abuse! so i wouldnt worry about it unless the car has had a mega mega hard life!

 

[MatthewR]

Would so love to do this, thinking of sorting something out for next year.

Good on you and Good Luck!