Frequently Asked Questions
What is a banger rally?
Basically it is all about a group of like minded people getting together, driving some old or battered cars to places they wouldn't normally visit and generally having fun.
When does the rally actually set off?
The start date for the Rimini 2010 Rally is 4 September 2010.
The start date for the Prague 2010 Rally is 4 September 2010.
These are the days that we all meet in St Omer. The meeting will be in the evening and all teams will be advised of the venue nearer the time. The actual driving commences the following morning.
What do we do about accommodation?
You have 2 options:
Option 1 - Let us book your accommodation:
As with previous rallies, the accommodation can be arranged by us for the duration of the rally and is of an excellent standard. Plus we get discounts from the hotels for bulk bookings, which we then pass on to you. If you take this option you will be asked to pay a deposit of £100 with the remainding full cost of the hotels paid a couple of months prior to the start of the rally. The accommodation is used as the 'base' and meeting place for the next day's events. These arrangements allow us to keep teams together and makes for a much better rally, especially if cars need TLC. People can poole their resources - bits of rope, tie wraps, gaffa tap etc.
Option 2 - Book your own accommodation:
You might want to camp, book cheap hotels & hostels, or any other sleeping arrangements you can think of! If money is tight then methods such as camping will make it cheaper for you and more appropriate for your budget.
If you want to book your own accomodation, just let us know on the registration form.
If you are booking your own hotels / camp site, these are the locations the majority of "Motoscapers" will be staying in our pre-booked hotels (due to the exchange rates & conferences etc. we cannot confirm the exact hotels until around 4 weeks prior to the rally):
Saturday 4th Sept - St Omer is a picturesque market town and we will be located within walking distance of the town centre.
Sunday 5th Sept - Koblenz is a large city and we will be located around 2 miles west of the main centre.
Monday 6th September - Prices in Switzerland are expensive so we will be located 2 to 3 miles west of the centre of St Gallen.
Tuesday 7th Sept - Renon (Ritten) is a quaint beautiful mountain top location, so anywhere close to the centre is acceptable.
Wednesday 8th Sept - Rimini is a seaside location and most hotels are within walking distance of the Marina Centro (the beach).
Thursday 9th Sept - Bled is a stunning lakeside town and most hotels are within walking distance.
Friday 10th Sept - Prague is a big city and the final nights meal is booked in the city centre. Most people would stay out of the city centre and get a taxi / bus in.
What makes your rallies different from the others?
We have been going since 2006 and believe very much in attention to detail. Some of the other rallies out there give you very little information and just expect you to know everyone there is to know about driving in Europe. It's not much fun getting stopped by the feds on a motorway in Austria to be told that you need a permit and because you haven't got one that will be 300 euro danke schön. We aim to provide with all the information you require to make your trip as easy as possible.
We have a great deal of experience and believe that our routes can't be bettered. We keep the driving down to around 5 - 6 hours per day which means that you are not getting to your next destination when it's time for bed. This way you get chance to see some of the great places we take you and of course to meet up with your fellow Motoscapians and have a few beers. There are some rallies out there that will have you driving 500 miles in a day.
What if my car cost £300?
The spirit of this event is all about getting together with like minded people and having a laugh. There is always a degree of flexibility in the value of the car. Are we going to ask you to prove how much you bought the car for? No we are not. However, if your car looks as though it cost a lot more than £250 then it is your peers that will judge you.
What if my car isn’t quite 20 years old?
Again there is a degree of flexibility so email us and let us know what car you are hoping to bring.
What happens if I break down, do the organisers provide backup?
Out of all the cars that enter, only a small number will break down. The organisers can't promise to provide backup but have in the past assisted stranded teams and taken them on to their next destination where they have then linked up with fellow Motoscapians for the remainder of the trip. The organisers of some of the other rallies out there have a 'tough luck' attitude and 'it's your problem not ours'.
You will be given the organisers contact numbers who will wherever possible try and assist you so that you can continue on your trip. What we do recommend however is that you take out European breakdown cover and make sure that it covers all the countries you will be travelling through.
Do I need to know anything about cars?
Like we've said above, there is a great deal of camaraderie on these trips and it is very rare for teams not to make it to the final destination one way or another.
What happens at the end of the rally, do I scrap the car and drive back or do I fly?
It's up to you. Some people drive back, some people go on elsewhere and some fly back. If you are flying back, it's a nice idea to give the car to a deserving waiter / waitress. It would certainly make their day!
What is the best option?
Well if you want to drive back, the most direct route to Calais from Prague, is just short of 700 miles and from Rimini around 840 miles. This should take about 10 hours and 15 hours respectively if you drive continuously. We do however not recommend this - although many teams have done it in less than this.
If you want to fly back, there are a number of budget airlines that fly to the UK. The following list may not be exhaustive but there is plenty of choice.
PRAGUE TO UK:
Easyjet Bristol, London Gatwick, London Stansted and East Midlands.
Ryanair to Birmingham.
Jet2 to Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford and Manchester.
bmibaby to Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester and East Midlands.
Click4sky to London Heathrow and Manchester.
Wizzair to Liverpool and London Luton.
Germanwings to London Stansted.
RIMINI TO UK:
Ryanair to Bristol and London Stansted.
Flythomascook to Manchester and London Gatwick.
BOLOGNA FORLI: (34 miles from Rimini)
Windjet to London Luton and London Gatwick.
ANCONA TO UK: (95 miles from Rimini)
Ryanair to London Stansted.
FLORENCE TO UK: (98 miles from Rimini)
Meridiana/Eurofly to London Gatwick
PARMA TO UK: (130 miles from Rimini)
Ryanair to London Stansted
Do you have any contacts for scrapping the car?
We aim to provide you with a list of brokers for scrapping your car. In the past, some of the teams have given their cars away to locals or staff at the hotel or even sold them to a local garage. We do not however negotiate this for you and it would be entirely your responsibility.
I've heard some rallies just contain driving on motorway and toll roads, is Motoscape the same?
Definitely not, you could actually do this rally without going on the motorways and avoid tolls completely! There is however a balance needed between the time you save and the extra cost. Tolls are recommended on parts of the journey but they are kept to a minimum. This rally is specifically designed for you to get a feel for the countries you are travelling through during which time you will experience the most spectacular scenery in Europe.
How much driving is there each day?
We travel through stunning scenery and stay in some fantastic places. We have therefore worked out a route so that the maximum driving in any one day is about 5 - 6 hours. This therefore gives you plenty of time to get there, relax and explore. It's not a school trip, it's an adventure you can certainly personalise it to suit yourselves.
I'm not from the UK, can I still come on the rally?
Absolutely, we welcome entrants from all over Europe. As we are from the UK though this is an English speaking rally.
Do I have to raise money for charity?
No, that is entirely up to you. It is not a requirement, some teams just take part for the shear "hell of it" but some are more charitable.
I've heard that most people decorate their cars and some even wear fancy dress. Is this true?
Yes this is quite true. It all adds to the fun. Some teams choose a particular theme; others just cover their car in stickers and add their team name. There will be a prize for the best decorated car so get your thinking "cap" on as it could get you some bonus points.
Do I get a team number?
No, your team will be referred to by name. We don’t give you a number as this tends to imply that it's a race, which it is not, it's a rally!
Can you provide any sign writing / logos for my car?
Yes we can provide customised graphics for your team available for a small fee, the graphics will be provided as vinyl transfers for your car.
Will I have to sign a disclaimer?
Yes, all team members will have to sign a disclaimer. This is standard practice in banger rallies.
What can you tell me about the prizes?
If you want to win first prize then you have to finish top of the Motoscape Challenges Points Leaderboard. Rather than have second and third place prizes we have introduced prizes of £100 per day. This way if after the first couple of days you are out of the running for first place you can still win a prize. This way we keep everyone interested in the challenges.
First place = £700
Daily Challenge Prizes = £100 per day
Best decorated card = £100
What do the challenges involve?
Now that would be telling, you'll just have to wait until the rally begins. Every team starts on an equal footing, even teams from previous years have no advantage, because we change the challenges each year.
If the above does not answer your question, you can e-mail us at contact@motoscape-rally.co.uk.
