hairnet Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 A brummie confused in Birmingham How do ya think we feel lol Junkman and egg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticvandan Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Just how much was this wonderful conveyance? Frankly no number is too high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Day of departure, and TataBobu brought another piece of outstanding shite to say goodbye - a Daewoo Cielo, which is a Nexia, but built in Romania. Cats used his beard to sense which direction we should head. The long distance drive home started well! Thankfully, that was just the windscreen washer pump shitting itself. I taped it together with gaffer tape. Sorted. Then we met up with young Claudiu again, to try and fit the restrictor plate that stops you being able to select reverse when aiming for second. We had to give up. So, we drove across Romania, finding amazing things. Like a view of Serbia across the Danube. A short while later, we were the other side of the Danube. Then we went to Bosnia and got fined for something. Not really sure what, but I'm very sure it wasn't a fine... We also broke down there in a really busy town, which just capped off a shitty start to Bosnia. I spent the whole time there on edge, feeling like this was an incredibly stupid idea. You have dark moments on trips like these, but I was hoping not to have one so early on. We stayed that night in a crappy motel, though the barman was friendly. He spoke no English, but smiled a lot, which translates well. The owner of the place was a right miserable sod. It was almost unbearably hot, and this hotel had no air con AND glass panels in the roof! Clearly designed by an idiot. The next day, the Dacia wouldn't start. We quickly identified claggy plugs as the issue, and gave them a clean. Starting issues remained for the entire trip, but we mostly just tried to ignore it. We considered buying spark plugs, but somehow didn't. Needless to say, replacing them (thanks Talbot!) this morning has made a huge difference... After another Police fine (this one because I'd forgotten to turn the headlights on, fair enough. He was at least friendly and accepted 30 Bosnogroats rather than 30 Euros), we hopped across the border into Croatia. It was really, really hot. We went to a LIDL and spent as long as we dared in the chilled foods section. There was a tractor. There was also stuff like this, which leads to deep thinking on a stupid adventure. We started to get good at taking sneaky photos of the Police. This one stopped us, checked our documents, then got horribly embarrassed when the car inevitably wouldn't start. We sat on the grass and he eventually rode away... STYLISH. AirBNB achieved near Zagreb. We failed to see Zagreb, because too tired. So, we headed to Slovenia instead, where we failed to see Ljubljana. This followed on from Bosnia, where we failed to see Sarajevo. We found gravel. Cats had much fun. We saw a Favorit. We got arrested. They wouldn't let me take their picture. We also discovered that the headlights are awful. As are the dash lights. We were given tea and coffee. Things got very scenic. OH HAI. Note pre-emptive bonnet opening, as we still thought fuel vapourisation was the issue. OMG SUPERMARKET SPOT! Stunning Slovenian scenery. We found the tiniest road into Italy, and hoped to avoid the rozzers. This worked! We went and refuelled and got confused about Italian petrol. We went on the Autostrada. The payment machines are so shit we decided to avoid them in future. We stayed in this hotel. Poor Cats booked it. He wasn't to know how spectacularly shit it was. At the top, see those two small windows? That was our room. The windows were about 12ft up the wall, and couldn't be opened. Needless to say, the air con was awful. This was another low ebb for me, and Cats had to put up with me stomping off. I just could not be in that room. Even 10pm ice cream failed to improve matters. I sat in the car, which was only slightly cooler, and grumped at Mrs DW. She couldn't help much. I then realised that I was sat looking dodgy in a Romanian car. I ambled back to the room and slept fitfully. The next day dawned brighter. In fact, it steadily got better. We drove over 580kms across Italy. It wasn't meant to be that far, but a sat nav fail added 2.5hrs onto the day, so we arrived late in Chamonix. We hadn't really planned to be there, but that's where we ended up, after a stop by the Italian Police. We ignored their guns and merrily cleaned the car. I booked an apartment with not enough beds. We did a fair bit more France the next day. There was moody sky, with thunder. The Dacia refused to start. Again. There was rain. We reached Orleans. Then we drove to Le Havre, having booked the ferry for £109 the night before. We followed this off the ferry. Another shot of the welcoming committee. Fitting room number. We drove home. Bye bye Cats. Time for tea. Plasticvandan - the car cost a smidge over 1000 Euros, which our Bucharest host thought was absolutely hilarious. He spent ages showing me much cheaper ones online. However, most were not estates, most were later ones (import issues and hideously ugly) and I doubt they'd only covered 36,000 miles. It came with two front wings, a replacement dashboard (in the correct blue) and a used wheel cylinder oddly. It's been thoroughly amazing, hugely draining at times and made all the more bearable by having someone nice to share the journey with. The thought of individually driving so far just isn't worth contemplating really. We never really got to relax as a passenger (until Italy where we finally gave in and used sat nav), but having a break from driving was appreciated nonetheless. binbag, Adrian_pt, Scruffy Bodger and 45 others 48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 now you are home get your OCD working and get the fappin bonnet to sit flush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 now you are home get your OCD working and get the fappin bonnet to sit flush Bad news. I don't have OCD. Apart from wipers, and they're ok. Well, the rear one doesn't work, and the front ones don't park and the variable intermittent function doesn't opertate (presumably linked) so actually I've got LOTS to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Thanks for the summary. I think maybe start in Slovenia 'next time' Kringle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 of course with a dacia 1310 Renner 12 being unpower assisted does this mean a certain Mrs R Wobbly may lay claim to it? Wingz123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Oh and I've been invited to Daciafest in August! Eddie Honda, egg, binhoker668 and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Bad news. I don't have OCD. Apart from wipers, and they're ok. Well, the rear one doesn't work, and the front ones don't park and the variable intermittent function doesn't opertate (presumably linked) so actually I've got LOTS to do. did they change the electics on these later types? our 1972 renner 12 break had those spring loaded brass contacts that only make circuit when closed -which can have a habit of getting dirty/breaking (but having said that ours didn't have a wiper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Oh and I've been invited to Daciafest in August!quite right too! cpjitservices 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Bad news. I don't have OCD. Apart from wipers, and they're ok. Well, the rear one doesn't work, and the front ones don't park and the variable intermittent function doesn't opertate (presumably linked) so actually I've got LOTS to do. talking of wipers is the wiper motor still inside the car on this and sound i bit like clockwork? ours did, oh those frenchies cpjitservices 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimo Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Your Secret Police tail cruising past the trolley bus? dollywobbler and Junkman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 DW, how did you find this car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig the Princess Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Oh and I've been invited to Daciafest in August!Are you driving it back to Romania for that? Seriously though, cap well and truly doffed for a completely mad adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I was impressed how DW and Cats found a way to get in contact every day - impressive Europe wide connectivity (no Minitel required) cpjitservices 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures? The only one that shows up for me is the DS at the border. All the other images are just image links and when I click on them, nothing opens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 DW, how did you find this car? I found a Dacia nut in the UK, and asked him if he knew anyone in Romania. Turns out he did, as he's bought a 1310 break from the same chap! It didn't take too long to realise that without a 'fixer' in the country we were trying to buy in, a sale was extremely unlikely. I was impressed how DW and Cats found a way to get in contact every day - impressive Europe wide connectivity (no Minitel required) Bulgaria was outstanding for connectivity. Romania was pretty good, as was Croatia and Slovenia. When we got to Italy, I found it harder to connect and France was mostly bloody hopeless - perhaps because we spent a lot of time in rural parts. holbeck and egg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Is anyone else having trouble seeing the pictures? The only one that shows up for me is the DS at the border. All the other images are just image links and when I click on them, nothing opens. Just you again I think. They're all Twitter links apart from the one you can see, which is Facebook, and therefore likely to be broken in a few weeks' time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Well, my cap is doffed sirs! oldcars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I wish I knew wtf was causing this image problem. It's spoiling my free entertainment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 That yellow 4 door taxi you spotted (shot just above that Mercury) is a Lada 112 by the looks, top photos Ian, you and CITW are heroes for this epic quest, surprised the good Dr Wobbler hasn't had the pair of you certified LOL, and George, well you should have got him a packet of Dreamies LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I want to say something inspirational about how amazing this all was but can't find the words, all I will say is give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done, you kept many people entertained and I'm sure i speak for us all when I say thank you. cpjitservices, oldcars and binhoker668 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drum Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 This thread is finer than unified extra fine. Also, I'm now calling them Dachyas. Kringle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodders Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Absolutely excellent job chaps. Words cannot describe how amazing your journey back was, especially considering it was conducted in a vehicle, bought sight unseen over the internet, based on an almost 50 year old design. Although I was very disappointed to not make it out with you, seeing your posts throughout the trip made it much better. It also proved that I wouldn't have had a chance in hell of making it back alive through a combination of corrupt police officers and trying to get back across Europe too quickly. Thoroughly entertaining, brilliantly written and with superb pictures of shite. This is a certainty to win collection thread of the decade. Mrs6C, trigger, djim and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 this may sound nuts but my dad bought a renner 12 estate as Which did a family estate test and it held its own (2nd place iirc) versus tinacorner, avenger & marina all in 1.6 or 1.8 flavour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowsilver Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 I wish I knew wtf was causing this image problem. It's spoiling my free entertainment! If I just left-click the links I get a central white box with a spinner in it and nothing else, but if I right-click the link and select "view image" they come up OK. Worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 Is that the Romanian Trigger on the tellybox? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandeth Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 That Dacia looks really smart actually. With a decent polish and a little fettling it could look like new...but not TOO like new. White is a tricky colour to get a decent shine on, but does look really good when it's done. It's one of those estate cars that is just really pleasingly proportioned I think. chaseracer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingz123 Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 That Dacia looks really smart actually. With a decent polish and a little fettling it could look like new...but not TOO like new. White is a tricky colour to get a decent shine on, but does look really good when it's done. It's one of those estate cars that is just really pleasingly proportioned I think.A good mop and some g3 would do the trick nicely Surprisingly fly-free on the front of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsinthewelder Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 They mostly had time to get out of the way Tickman, chaseracer, puddlethumper and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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