{"id":1549,"date":"2014-09-25T20:25:12","date_gmt":"2014-09-25T19:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.motoscape-rally.co.uk\/?page_id=1549"},"modified":"2024-03-09T23:22:12","modified_gmt":"2024-03-09T22:22:12","slug":"frequently-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.motoscape-rally.co.uk\/about\/frequently-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What the Motoscape Banger Rally is\u2026<\/h2>\n

\"About<\/a>Basically it is all about a group of like minded people, getting together to drive some old battered cars or classic cars (any car around 20 years+ of age) to places they wouldn’t normally visit and generally having fun! Whilst the organisers provide suggested routes and places to visit, you are responsible for finding your way around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Who can take part ?<\/h2>\n

Well anyone and everyone, while it’s a banger themed rally, we don’t place restrictions on an exact criteria to be met. If you want to enter a \u00a3999 or there abouts then great, some may have or opt for a 20yr old car, or you may wish to bring your daily car, no problem all are welcome. We have had Jaugars, Bentleys, Porsches and Lamborghinis. At the end of the day we want everyone to have some fun and get to experience something magical and create memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. <\/p>\n

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What the Motoscape Banger Rally isn’t\u2026<\/h2>\n

It is NOT a package holiday! We are not holiday reps mollycoddling you all the way to the finish. You do need a certain amount of common sense and the ability to find your way around in our European rally.<\/p>\n

REMEMBER, THIS IS A CHALLENGE AND A ONCE IN A LIFETIME ADVENTURE!<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve heard of the Gumball Rally is it similar<\/h2>\n

The only thing about the Motoscape banger rally 2024 and the Gumball rally 2024 that is the same, is that you need a car to take part. The Gumball rally cost is? Anyone care for a guess. Try \u00a340,000+! So with an entrance fee of \u00a3295 and cars costing less than \u00a3999, the Motoscape banger rally is a rally for the rest of us. The other main difference between the two events is that the Gumball rally is a race whilst Motoscape’s great European rally is just that, a rally to be enjoyed by all.<\/p>\n

When does the rally actually set off?<\/h2>\n

\"BangerThe start date for the Venice 2024 car rally is Saturday 31st August 2024.<\/p>\n

The start date for the Prague 2024 car rally is 31st August September 2024.<\/p>\n

This is the day that we all meet in St Omer. The meeting will take place from lunch time onwards and all teams will be advised of the venue nearer the time. The actual driving commences the following morning.<\/p>\n

How much will the rally cost?<\/h2>\n

Entrance Fee<\/strong> – The cost to enter either of our car rallies in 2024 is \u00a3295 for a team of two people. If you wish to add persons to help reduce the costs, we ask for another \u00a384 per person. The entrance fee includes a Motoscape branded garment for each team member and a few other freebies.<\/p>\n

\"BunsenAccommodation<\/strong> – The accommodation (see more info below) we arrange is an excellent standard and will work out at around \u00a375 – \u00a390 per person per night based on 2 people sharing (7 nights in total on the Prague rally and 5 nights on the Venice rally).<\/p>\n

Banger rally or classic car rally in 2024?<\/h2>\n

You can choose whether to make your rally, a banger rally or a classic car rally in 2024. If you bring a banger then it should cost you \u00a3999 or less. What you spend on the car after you’ve purchased it is up to you, just so long as it still looks like a banger after you’ve finished. You may decide to pimp it up with an awesome design or perhaps spend the money on just getting it roadworthy! If cost is an issue, you can get a few cans of paint and do a spray job yourselves. The second option is to bring a classic car (our definition of a classic car is any car around 20 years or more old). In the past we have had the following classic cars, old Merc’s, Beemers, Volvos, MGB’s, a Triumph Stag, VW Beetle, a London Taxi, a VW camper and yes someone even had the bottle to bring an Austin Maxi one year! Whatever you choose you can be sure that it will make it a European rally challenge. If you really are worried about driving abroad in a banger then you can also bring the car of your choice regardless of age and condition.<\/p>\n

Other costs are:<\/h2>\n

Ferry crossings<\/strong> – pretty cheap if booked well in advance (check prices). Alternatively, book the channel tunnel for faster transport.
\nEuropean breakdown cover <\/strong>– (optional).
\nPetrol costs <\/strong>– allow 1450 miles to Prague and another 700 if returning by car. This is the mileage you will cover in Europe (diesel prices similar to UK, petrol slightly higher).
\nSpends <\/strong>– money for food & drinks.
\nTolls<\/strong> – there are a few tolls but nothing excessive, you will be looking at around \u00a350 in total. You can get away without going on the toll roads, it just takes a bit longer!
\nVignettes<\/strong> – To drive on the motorways in Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Czech Republic you need a Vignette. They are not expensive and the motorways can be avoided in some countries.
\nFlights<\/strong> – If flying back.<\/p>\n

\"The Venice Rally will work out a little cheaper as it is 5 nights in total. You need to allow around 950 miles to Venice and another 870 if returning by car.<\/p>\n

What do we do about accommodation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unlike most other car rallies, Motoscape arranges all your accommodation for you, so that means all you need do is turn up at the starting line with your banger.<\/p>\n

As has been the case on all our previous car rallies, all accommodation arranged by us is for the duration of the rally. It is of an excellent standard (3* plus on average), plus we get decent rates from the hotels so it all ends up as good value and far less hassle. The registration deposit of \u00a3295 also secures your hotel space with the remaining balance for the entrance fee and cost of the hotels due a couple of months after registration. The hotels we use also act as a  \u2018base\u2019 and meeting place for the next day\u2019s events. Because we book all the hotels this allows you to be with the rest of the teams taking part in the rally. This leads to much more fun, far greater camaraderie and therefore makes for a much better rally. Plus, if your car needs a little bit of TLC, there are generally people around willing to help with radiator sealer, tie wraps, gaffa tape etc.<\/p>\n

What do I need to compete?<\/h2>\n

\"IcecreamObviously you\u2019ll need insurance, all those who are driving will need a driving license (note the minimum age for driving in Europe is 18) and an MOT certificate. There are other things that are compulsory when driving in Europe so check out the following site for up to date information.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.theaa.com\/motoring_advice\/overseas\/countrybycountry.html<\/a><\/p>\n

You will also need to bring your passport and travel insurance for travelling through Europe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Note<\/strong>: some old cars are exempt from MOT so this wouldn’t apply, therefore just make sure you have enough paper work about car ownership, latest service history and insurance paperwork. This is mainly for the purpose if you were to get stopped at any point via the local happy officer (police) then, to make it as pain free as possible to get back on the road. <\/p>\n

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What\u2019s the best way to arrange banger rally insurance?<\/h2>\n

You should be able to take out a standard car insurance policy with added European cover. Remember, this is a motoring tour, it is not a race \/ speed rally, so do not mention anything to do with speed, rally and races as insurance companies do not cover this.<\/p>\n

\"AlicePrevious entrants have in the past, swapped the insurance over from their own cars to the banger. This however is no longer allowed, as all cars need to be insured unless they are declared as being off road. Some take out a new policy on a pay monthly basis and then cancel it when they get back home (check the terms and conditions that the policy can be cancelled within a set period). This way it will cost you one month\u2019s insurance.<\/p>\n

Alternatively you could contact a specialist insurance broker such as Herts Insurance<\/a> who do a specific policy for banger rallies. It may be a little bit more expensive but at least you have peace of mind knowing that they are fully aware of what a banger rally is all about.<\/p>\n

What makes your banger rallies different from the others?<\/h2>\n

Motoscape has been going since 2006 and we 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 everything 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 sch\u00f6n”. We aim to provide you with all the information you require to make your trip as easy as possible.<\/p>\n

\"CarWe 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 (some days even less) 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 to and of course to meet up with your fellow Motoscapers for a few beers. There are some rallies out there that will have you driving 500 miles along the motorways in one day.<\/p>\n

Why is the value \u00a3999?<\/h2>\n

On previous rallies the value has been \u00a3500, but with the price of scrap soaring we have increased the value to reflect this!<\/p>\n

What if my car cost \u00a31001?<\/h2>\n

The spirit of this event is all about getting together with like minded people and having a laugh. If you have entered the banger category then 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 \u00a3999 then we reserve the right to move you into the any car category which excludes you from taking part in the overall rally winner. <\/p>\n

\"HucknallsWhere can we find banger cars for sale and for so little money?<\/h2>\n

You\u2019d be surprised what you can get for your money. Ebay would have to be one port of call. You could look on the Autotrader website or even venture down to your local car auction. You could also visit your local dealers to see what they have taken in part exchange or ask friends and work colleagues if they have any suitable donor vehicles laying idle. One tip though, buy a car which has enough MOT to take you beyond the finish date.<\/p>\n

On previous rallies some teams have managed to get their cars donated for FREE! They simply explained to local car dealers that they were doing the rally for charity, and with the gift of the gab they were sorted! If you don’t get one for free, you’ll probably still get some discount.<\/p>\n

What if my car isn\u2019t quite 20 years old?<\/h2>\n

It’s all about entering ‘in the spirit of things’ so there is a degree of flexibility, just email us and let us know what car you are hoping to bring and we can advise.<\/p>\n

What happens if I break down, do the organisers provide backup?<\/h2>\n

\"BangerOut 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 Motoscapers 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’.<\/p>\n

You will be given the organisers contact numbers who will wherever possible try and assist you so that you can continue on your trip (remember though, when there’s over 100 people you need to contact us to advise on any problems!). What we do strongly recommend however is that you take out European breakdown cover and make sure that it covers all the countries you will be travelling through.<\/p>\n

Can I use a Sat Nav?<\/h2>\n

\"WootonWe actually recommend that you do bring one as the last thing you want after a day\u2019s driving is spending another hour trying to find the hotel. It just means so much less stress. Note:<\/strong> if you are going to Prague you will need Eastern European as well as Western European maps on it.<\/p>\n

Do I need a Map?<\/h2>\n

Again we recommend bringing an up to date map book that covers the countries you will be visiting en-route. It’s worth having as a backup to your Sat Nav at the very least.<\/p>\n

Do I need to know anything about cars?<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Can I bring a CB radio?<\/h2>\n

Yes you can bring a CB radio. Some teams taking part will do likewise and a channel number will be allocated for teams to keep in touch with others.<\/p>\n

What is the best way to get to France?<\/h2>\n

The two main ferry operators are P&O<\/a> who sail hourly from Dover to Calais and DFDS<\/a> who sail to both Calais and Dunkirk. If you live in the north then another option is catch the overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge on the Friday night with P&O.
\nThe quickest crossing is via the channel tunnel.<\/a> It may be a bit more expensive but it is really efficient.<\/p>\n

What happens at the end of the rally, do I scrap the car and drive back or do I fly?<\/h2>\n

\"PubIt’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!<\/p>\n

What is the best option?<\/h2>\n

Well if you want to drive back, the most direct route to Calais from Prague, is just short of 700 miles and from Venice around 870 miles. This should take about 10 hours and 12.5 hours respectively if you drive continuously. We do however not recommend this – although many teams have done it in less than this.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Prague to UK<\/strong><\/p>\n