Northern Auto Tech - ECU and Blue & Me Repairs

General Mongol Rally 2025 - which Panda to buy?

Currently reading:
General Mongol Rally 2025 - which Panda to buy?

AB100 said:
If the 1200cc is a hard rule then perhaps consider the 1.1 Panda. Low power but great fun to drive. Non-interference engine, if the cambelt pops. No aircon to worry about. Fewer moving parts and 3 blokes can more easily push it when the going gets tough.

Used Fiat Cars for Sale in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire | Gumtree

Find amazing local prices on used Fiat cars for sale in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire ✅ Shop hassle-free with Gumtree, your local buying & selling community.
www.gumtree.com www.gumtree.com
Click to expand...
This is a good call.

Spike
 
One thing about the mongol rally is that, reportedly, they’ve stopped participants buying wrecks, or vehicles they can’t get parts for readily there, as folk were: doing the rally; gifting the vehicles or; dumping them there and flying back leaving them with the problems. I remember seeing a photo of abandoned ex-ambulances allegedly abandoned by participants…if you’re driving there and back then you can take anything, at least that was my understanding a bit back wehn we were contemplating a run.
 
porta said:
One thing about the mongol rally is that, reportedly, they’ve stopped participants buying wrecks, or vehicles they can’t get parts for readily there, as folk were: doing the rally; gifting the vehicles or; dumping them there and flying back leaving them with the problems. I remember seeing a photo of abandoned ex-ambulances allegedly abandoned by participants…if you’re driving there and back then you can take anything, at least that was my understanding a bit back when we were contemplating a run.
Click to expand...
Yes, I've heard similar
 
Detail here from the Organisers' blurb

GETTING YOUR VEHICLE HOME FROM THE FINISH LINE​

No rally cars can be left or scrapped at the finish - you must either drive your car home, or we can join the bulk shipping we co-ordinate for it to be put on a train back to Eastern Europe. Once there you can choose whether to scrap it or collect it and take it home. Costs for this will vary slightly from year to year but we're hoping to get it down to around £1000. Bear in mind if shipping, you’ll need a couple of working days at the finish line for freight procedures, so don’t book flights home straight after.
 
Bonefish Blues said:
Detail here from the Organisers' blurb

GETTING YOUR VEHICLE HOME FROM THE FINISH LINE​

No rally cars can be left or scrapped at the finish - you must either drive your car home, or we can join the bulk shipping we co-ordinate for it to be put on a train back to Eastern Europe. Once there you can choose whether to scrap it or collect it and take it home. Costs for this will vary slightly from year to year but we're hoping to get it down to around £1000. Bear in mind if shipping, you’ll need a couple of working days at the finish line for freight procedures, so don’t book flights home straight after.
Click to expand...
Ahhh they’ve tightened it up even more so since…
 
jrkitching said:
Except, of course, the TA, which would seem to be a loophole in the regs. And anyway, turning up for the Mongol Rally in a TA cross would likely get you lynched by the rest of the participants.
Click to expand...
Poor sportsmanship! Rules is rules.
The only problem would be if the brand new Panda Cross broke down. Just imagine the ribbing you would get.... Merciless.
 
tunkeyandthemonkey said:
Assuming that’s the case how difficult /£ is it to replace the propshaft and clutch?
Click to expand...
Propshaft centre bearing £80 last time I got one, separating the propshaft is easy or hard, mine was easy and took 45mins with two coffees, others have struggled..never had a clutch done, that goes for my old 150k plus 2005 4x4 also!
 
The Panda Nut said:
total steal by the looks
Click to expand...
cf the MOT History. Am not trusting it much - it fails with a long list including plenty of significant corrosion, then goes away for a month, and passes without so much as an Advisory. I know I'm a suspicious old Hector, but that sets my Spidey Senses twitching. Dealer would be stickering it well North of that if it was kosher, I'd reckon. What say colleagues?

Continuing my Japanese fetishising if I was set on a 4x4 and could get it past the organisers this is where my spend would go. Some work to do, but an honest car, and one which, if my elephantine memory serves me well, I very occasionally see in Buckingham (I notice the unusual, and you don't see many silver Terios around!), which would support the low miles over the last couple of years as their daughters have moved onto other vehicles:

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!
www.autotrader.co.uk www.autotrader.co.uk
 
Bonefish Blues said:
cf the MOT History. Am not trusting it much - it fails with a long list including plenty of significant corrosion, then goes away for a month, and passes without so much as an Advisory. I know I'm a suspicious old Hector, but that sets my Spidey Senses twitching. Dealer would be stickering it well North of that if it was kosher, I'd reckon. What say colleagues?

Continuing my Japanese fetishising if I was set on a 4x4 and could get it past the organisers this is where my spend would go. Some work to do, but an honest car, and one which, if my elephantine memory serves me well, I very occasionally see in Buckingham (I notice the unusual, and you don't see many silver Terios around!), which would support the low miles over the last couple of years as their daughters have moved onto other vehicles:

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!
www.autotrader.co.uk www.autotrader.co.uk
Click to expand...
I noticed the same re the MOT history and the risk of a friendly test has got to be high. Sadly there is no chance of getting a 1.5 through. I have written to get clearance on a 1.2+! If any good panda 4*4’s come up I’ll pounce!
 
Pugglt Auld Jock said:
Sorry, clicked here by mistake! All good luck to the OP though.
Click to expand...
If you're set on 4WD and Bonefish's 1.5L Terios is out of the question then you could go 660cc Kei car. Smaller than a Panda but built like a 4x4. Plenty available from Japan as imports (never sold in the UK).

www.ebay.co.uk

2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Petrol Automatic | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Petrol Automatic at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk
 
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
AB100 said:
If you're set on 4WD and Bonefish's 1.5L Terios is out of the question then you could go 660cc Kei car. Smaller than a Panda but built like a 4x4. Plenty available from Japan as imports (never sold in the UK).

www.ebay.co.uk

2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Petrol Automatic | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Petrol Automatic at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.
www.ebay.co.uk
Click to expand...
That’s a really good call. Just watched a few YouTube videos and the spec looks to have potential. Only concerns being - 1. It’s not a panda 4x4 and 2. 660cc engine makes the 0.9L TA look powerful. It’s 12,000 km and I need to take a fair bit of gear - I’m concerned about lack of power, weight and parts availability - what do you think?
 
This post contains affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
tunkeyandthemonkey said:
That’s a really good call. Just watched a few YouTube videos and the spec looks to have potential. Only concerns being - 1. It’s not a panda 4x4 and 2. 660cc engine makes the 0.9L TA look powerful. It’s 12,000 km and I need to take a fair bit of gear - I’m concerned about lack of power, weight and parts availability - what do you think?
Click to expand...
OTOH they weigh less than a buffalo's fart*, so 60-odd hp is reputed to be sufficient.

*Unit of measurement that popped into my mind. I'll ask my therapist about it later :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

The Panda Nut
General Buying Pandas
Replies
0
Views
80
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
M
General Advice on buying Panda TwinAir Cross
2
Replies
35
Views
916
Bonefish Blues
Bonefish Blues
B
General Proud to be a panda owner
Replies
0
Views
151
Big gerry
B
P
Tuning Panda 1.2 to 1.4 abarth swap
Replies
0
Views
243
Pandapowerrrrrrr
P
F
General Buying a panda 4x4 2017-2019
Replies
4
Views
614
The Panda Nut
The Panda Nut
Back
Top