Thanks for the replies.

I'm hopefully of to France annd Germany, and would love to include Russia for the complete war in northern europe/Russia.

Thanks

David

[Edited by Shark - 7/4/2003 3:56:29 PM]

I am thinking about a driving trip deep into Russia, to Volgograd, Stalingrad.

Has anyone done this?

Advice please !

Thanks

David

PS - not sure what forum this should be in mods - so move if needed

take a bodyguard with you!

Dont worry about taking it......
























































Just worry about if you will ever leave with it.

Well, I'm from Russia. Drive my STI7 ppp daily, though not in Volgograd, but in Moscow. What exactly you want to know?

Do they have Shell Optimax out there - 50RON petrol in your STI!!!!

In Moscow 98RON is widely available from different gasoline station brands. And it's around GBP 0.25 per Litre, so go wild and jelous...

David - WHY?

I'd be nervous to say the least. At minimum, I'd get the windows blacked out so you look like a gangster, maybe then you have less chance of getting jumped by another gangster.

For fuel, check the octane availability and take booster. Russian fuel comes / came in 2 types, 90-something and 71 RON.

Volgograd is a hell of a place, the Mother Russia monument is breathtaking, and the small section of the city that they preserved after the siege shows you just how bad it was. There is also a monument with a hand holding a torch maybe 30 ft high, in a hall of perhaps 100ft diameter, with carved scrolls all around the walls of the names of those who died in the siege.

Risky, but enjoy it if you do it!

Brendan

Hiya,

If you come to Germany, come to Munich or Stuttgart and say hello to us lot! :D:D:D

I'd think very seriously about going further east than the east German border though :( A Scoob is common in the UK, rare in Germany, and almost unheard of beyond that. I drove just over the border to the Czech Republic for a few hours, and everyone was pointing and staring! Nice for a bit, but after a while you feel like there's no way you would leave it anywhere :(. The guys at work said the same thing... your choice though. Personally I wouldn't.

Anyhow if you do get chance to come and say hello, then it would be great! There are a couple of us in Munich, and a few more in Stuttgart (I'm sure they will post here now :)).

Cheers
Richard

Ditto to what Richard said, if you are in Stuttgart then I have a spare bedroom if you need it, but like Rich said the further east you go the rarer these cars are, I also took mine to Prague and did not see another scoob but saying that there is a Subaru dealer in Prague. I did not have any problems but better safe than sorry just think of the inconvenience if it gets nicked, you will never see it again!!!

Cheers

Steve

Hi & Privet!

I am Russian but driving my Scooby in the UK.

If you are not going in X5, A6 or a similar car -- I wouldn't worry too much.

Mobydick - who and where are you?

Cheers & Poka :)

Andrei

I just sold my baby to a guy in Russia - nice bloke and nice car... Hope she lives well over there :)

You sold your baby to get a nice car? ;)

Not been to Russia in a car but several times in a truck. Fuel may be a problem depending on your route and that should be planned and sorted well in advance. Take a spare fuel can and plenty N.F. or similar.
As regards your security use common sense. Most places are OK but you could run into difficulty in large cities like Moscow if you attract attention to yourself. Many of the people are friendly and many of the younger ones speak good English. The fact you are in a RHD car will be a novelty never mind it is the same shape as a WRC.
If you can make it to St. Petersburgh you will not be disappointed.
Bear in mind that all the scams and probably more that face foreign tourists in Soho can beset you in any large town or city.
keep an eye open for polis who are usually in green and white cars, often Polski Fiat types but more lately even /Volvos and better. Some of the roads were built as runways,could be very wide and you may be the only car in sight.Best check out the speed limits and stick to them as pulling foreigners seems like a national sport.

Good point about the police. Pulling over drivers is not a "sport" but their main source of income (as the official salary is very low). I suggest you have with you a set of US Dollar notes to pay off. The rates vary depending on the offence. You can get away with a tenner for a minor incident (like you being the only car on the road ;) ) but expect to pay 100+ for drink driving, no license, etc. I presume you don't speak Russian and it will be very obvious that you are a foreigner so expect to be 'charged' a higher rate ;)

Be careful not to have a smash with an expensive car driven by shaven-head, no-neck, black-wearing chaps. This would be very bad news!!

I never knew Scoobynet had a Russian quarter! ;)

Although I have never lived there I have visited several times and would recommed that you do not drive there unless you can speak Russian or have someone in the car at all times who does.

If you drive into a big town like St Petersburg you will be stopped. I hired a driver when I was there. We were stopped most days. Always stupid little things like "Your tax disk is in the wrong corner of the screen"

The driver never paid any of them anything. Everything is arguable/negotiable it would seem, but unless you speak the lingo its difficult to argue.

Having said that, St. Petersburg is the most fantastic place I have ever been. You must go there but why take the car? You can go anwhere on the metro or bus for about 15p

If you still decide to go; just one little tip about St Petersburg. Most if not all the river bridges can be raised. They usually only do this late at night but if you are on the wrong side when they go up it can be 4-5am before they come down again. Thats a lot of coffees in the all night cafe. So don't just ignore that big signe on the wall of the nightclub with the bridge times on it like I did!

Whatever you choose to do have a great time!!

Cheerski!

PS I think there are is a special section on the entry declaration about cars but this may only be necessary if you intend to import permanently. Check this out mind because Russian customs folks have no sense of humour.

pps Another place you could visit is Novogord - about 200 miles south east of St Petersburg. Volhof Hotel had a carpark with a guard. Rooms about 40$. Very old town 11th century some of it. Check out the depiction of hell in the monastery!

Thanks again for the replys and offers of help.

If we pass near any of you I will let you know.

Cheers

David

Good Luck if you do this...I think you will need it.

Anyway...I would love to stop and chat but I Moscow now!


Stringpants

Something about driving in Moscow....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3071211.stm

Ouch! Yes, the style of driving is close to that of taxi drivers in Paris or New York, if you know what I mean ;) I was surprised not to see France in that chart. I think the high death rate has more to do with people not wearing seat belts, poor safety of Russian cars (no airbags, no crash tests, etc...) and Russian roads (e.g. no central reservation area on motorways resulting in lots of head on crashes).

Take care!

Shark

Are you back? How was your trip?