by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 10/23/2017 at 06:38
by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 10/23/2017 at 06:38
Tags: cars vs america
; oppomeet
; Europpomeet
STARS: 10
After watching the first episode of Jalopnik’s “Car vs America” show and thinking about a big (likely dozens of Oppo readers) trip we’re organizing/planning right now, an idea came up which might be an excellent and rare opportunity for a potential episode for the next season of “Car vs America”.
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First of all let me present you the Oppo meet we’re planning for 2018. After our recent meet-ups, including the 19-people one at Spa (Belgium) and the Nürburgring (Germany) in March 2017 and the Oppo Alps Trip (Austria, Switzerland, Italy) in June 2017 we’re planning an even bigger and better one for 2018. We will be going to Wales (home of fluffy sheep and fantastic driving roads), dates for this event will be March 26-30th (Monday-Friday). However people are free to join the meet on fewer days if they can’t make it for the whole week. These week days gives anyone from Continental Europe plenty of time to travel to Wales and get back home after the event ends, there might also be time for additional activities on these weekends! Right now we have over 30 people who have shown interest in joining, there are more on the mailing list though, and late March is still 5 months out. Given the turnout of 19 people at the Nurburgring/Spa last March we can expect at least the same numbers to show up again for Wales, and maybe more.
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The last meet ups involved plenty fun and scenic well planned roads during the day, some great side activities (like visiting the Nurburgring, naturally not without racing on the world renown Green Hell, but also this actual track ), and included breakfast and lunch while chatting about obscure cars as well as learning about the local brewing qualities at night. We’re planning to continue this tradition, with a few optimizations learned from the previous events.
One especially interesting thing that occurred to us during planning was that:
1. Some people will be flying in and will need transport for the week
2. Used cars in the UK are incredibly cheap. Like dirt cheap. With a little research we figured out that, with the help of local UK Oppo members, depreciation + insurance + tax + mild repairs on an old banger will likely be cheaper than a half-decent rental for the week. This is valid for non-UK citizens, like myself, as well. You can easily find a decent, fully working (yet properly Oppo) car in the UK for under £300. As seen below.
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So, we’ve got Jalopnik filming a TV show and we’ve got a group of European Jalopnik readers organizing a large multi-day event, for which many members will show up in obscure cars, some with beaters bought just for this one week of gear head madness. 1+1=2, right? Why don’t you, Jalopnik writers, join us? We’re sure it’ll be worth your time. :)
And to make things even more interesting: Depending on how many of you are mad happy enough to join us, we could get you the (street legal) old euro shitbox you always dreamed about (which you (writers) might or might not be stuck with during that week). Should you decide to use the opportunity to head over to the continent (nothing like racing on the ‘ring in a 25 year old Citroen AX) I’m sure some of our members will be happy to join you. You get to choose the cars (or for an additional challenge, let us chose yours) and we will be (somewhat) responsible for getting them running before you arrive and during your stay. You also get to set the budget (the lower the better!, right?). And to make sure things don’t get too boring, I’m sure people will be able to come with a few interesting challenges in these lovely cars by then as well. :)
Random suggestions:
Fiat Seicento Sporting for £295 :
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A turbo diesel hydropneumatic Citroën Xantia for £250
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A Fiat Multipla for £350
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A BMW E46 compact for £299
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Mazda 323f
(1992; take it with you to the US afterwards!) for £265
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MG MGF (rear engine!) for £400
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We have multiple
experienced
mechanics, at least one video journalist
with Orlove experience
, many people highly experienced in
buying
questionable old beaters and just a great group to spend time with.
So, what do you say? Join us?
(That’s an invitation for everyone else as well obviously. Also note that if you were to book now, a 2-way direct airline ticket
NYC-London
at appropriate dates can be had for roughly
$500
. Try Norwegian. Also, if it wasn’t obvious, you’re free to join in your daily, your rental or even as a passenger)
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
10/22/2017 at 07:51, STARS: 1
Oh man the buy a cheap car and drive it around with like-minded crazy people sounds so much more enticing! That’s not sarcasm! Only issue though is I won’t have enough vacation time to make it work. I’m using two weeks soon to drive across the US and I’m taking a week off in mid February to go to Hawaii. So I will have a total of like 2 days available by this time if I’m lucky lol.
Totally jealous though!
"MultiplaOrgasms" (themightymultipla)
10/22/2017 at 09:57, STARS: 0
That Fiat is too perfect.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 0
Which Fiat? *Looks at name* I bet you like that Seicento Sporting!
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
10/22/2017 at 10:02, STARS: 0
They have to get something like the Multipla. They have to.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 0
They’ll have to participate first ;)
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
10/22/2017 at 10:14, STARS: 0
That’s true. I don’t know if the Univision overlords will even pay for them to go internationally. Barring that, They better agree.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
10/22/2017 at 10:23, STARS: 0
This is a crazy good idea. If it weren’t for family responsibilities I’d be looking at used car listing right now...
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
10/22/2017 at 10:30, STARS: 1
£300 E46? Sheesh!
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 10:36, STARS: 1
You just need to come along. Old bangers are fun, but secondary to actually participating.
"Rainbow" (rainbeaux)
10/22/2017 at 10:40, STARS: 0
I’ve recently been reconnecting with a rich friend who travels a lot.... depending on when this is, there’s a slight chance I could get her to take interest and help me with my ticket and/or give me a loan on the car. And obviously she would come too.
Unfortunately, due to my current job situation (60+ hours a week for $500 with about $450 in expenses, fucking sucks) my only hope is to get someone else to bring me along. Oh well; I can still dream.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 10:44, STARS: 0
$500 airline ticket from NYC, $200 car costs (insurance, one month tax, some basic maintenance and some depreciation) excluding fuel. Add boarding, food, fuel. Not all that cheap but it won’t break the bank.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 10:49, STARS: 1
When: last week of March.
Costs? I just found out a 2-way ticket NYC-London is roughly $500. The car can be sold again, so depreciation will be marginal, but you do need insurance and tax. Tax will be a low to mid 2-digit amount in Pounds (1 month minimum), insurance for a non-Brit is something mister Biturbo figured out. I don’t recall exactly what it was, but it won’t break the bank.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/22/2017 at 10:51, STARS: 0
Yeah, you’d be cheaper off flying to the UK and buying one there than getting one in Germany. It will leave you with that little steering wheel on the wrong side issue though.
"FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem" (fuelstratifiedinjection)
10/22/2017 at 11:04, STARS: 0
It’s damn tempting for sure. Used car prices have become ridiculous here.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
10/22/2017 at 11:19, STARS: 0
Ah, for me, it’s the getting there that would be the hard part. Would require a sea change in my employment situation. But I’m sure it will be a blast—
"Birddog" (maintmgt)
10/23/2017 at 03:47, STARS: 0
Haven’t watched it yet.
"Shoop" (shoopdawoop993)
10/23/2017 at 06:15, STARS: 0
Wales (home of sexy sheep
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
10/23/2017 at 06:35, STARS: 0
If that’s your preference, who am I to judge?
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
10/23/2017 at 10:25, STARS: 0
If it wasn’t for my wife likely questioning this, the high price of flights, sketchiness of these cars, and potential auto insurance issues with this, I’d love to do it. It’s just hard when the best flights are a mix of a VA flight direct to LHR (screw LHR, that place is garbage) and a return flight on Iceland Air (which stops in Reykjavik, but is still faster than all the others) from LGW for over $700 (plus the huge UK landing tax) on top of everything else. This is at least a $2-2.5k USD trip from here...