Help us drive a Fiat from Finland to Mongolia in one piece

***alli*** · 05-31-2012, 10:12 PM

I'm looking to get advice from the knowledgeable car mags. This summer I'll be doing the Mongol Rally with two other friends, and not being very mechanically inclined, I could probably use all the advice I can get. For those who haven't heard of it, it's a roughly 10,000 mile rally from Europe to Mongolia in tiny, stupid cars. Our team will be starting in Finland (where one team member and our car currently live), and drive south through Turkey, Iran, the 'Stans, then into Russia and Mongolia. We'll be driving a 2004 Fiat Stilo. We've had a mechanic check out the car and it's in good condition. The only things we'll need to change will be to fit it with a sump guard and get some burlier steel rims and some more heavy duty tires.

Jokes about the ridiculous car choice aside (the rules are 1.2L engine tops), we're now in the process of deciding what to bring in terms of spare parts, tools etc. Obviously we can't pack a whole lot (we'll have a roof rack but it's a tiny car and we're all pretty tall people), so we want to keep it down to bare essentials. Aside from a few spares, and kit to change the tire and fix a flat and of course lots of duct tape we haven't come up with a conclusive list of what other spare parts or tools we should bring. So, any advice would be much appreciated, especially from anyone who knows a bit about Fiat Stilos and what types of problems we'll likely encounter. I know we'll definitely break down more than once and most likely have a few catastrophic mechanical issues, but it would be great to know if it's more likely the axel will snap in half or if we should count on our engine blowing up instead.

**DasBlunt** · 05-31-2012, 10:16 PM

SOunds like a crazy trip Especially throughout Iran.

Maybe you can catch some euro cup soccer in the Ukraine, just watch out for the nazis.

**Beaver** · 05-31-2012, 10:37 PM

Fix
It
Again
Tony

Good luck.

***alli*** · 05-31-2012, 10:41 PM

So Beaver, duct tape and some zap straps ought to do it then?

**That was Pontus** · 05-31-2012, 10:51 PM

The Mongol rally is badass. Other than the spares, I'd say extra fluids are mandatory (oil, coolant, gear oil/ATF, brake fluid, grease) and perhaps a compressor & puncture repair kit for when you run out of spares. Also don't drive like complete idjits & pray?

**splat** · 05-31-2012, 10:51 PM

It's all about the bribe money...

***alli*** · 05-31-2012, 10:55 PM

Yeah, we'll definitely have a jerry can or two for extra gas (and a few for water), so the extra fluids are definitely a good call. Can't promise we won't drive like complete idjits though.

**TBS** · 05-31-2012, 10:56 PM

Rent a Toyota - much more dependable than a Fiat and more likely to find parts along the way
Sign up for all the insurance offered
If something goes wrong, report the vehicle stolen

**MakersTeleMark** · 05-31-2012, 11:24 PM

http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...7-Mongol-Rally!

ExPo is your friend.

**Yukonrider** · 05-31-2012, 11:34 PM

Right off the top of my head,I'd add an aux fuel tank, and get the best tires you can buy. Maybe a set of dirt rally car tires? I feel those would be burly, and you could get them in smaller sizes. Also lights, good lights, check out lightforce.

But of course I didn't read at all so I could be way off.

Sounds really really cool, I hope you'll keep us updated on your progress? Deserves its own thread for sure!

**Yukonrider** · 05-31-2012, 11:37 PM

Oh, and as for car mag advice

Sure the mechanic checked it out, but go on a Fiat forum, look up the cars weak points, what commonly goes wrong, etc.

Then inspect, and fix it YOURSELF! Maybe this isn't too easy if you aren't with the car, but even learning to change your own oil, and make sure the sway bar links aren't broken will familiarize you with the car before you are on your back in the mud at night on the side of a road trying to figure out if your muffler bearings went bad....

***alli*** · 05-31-2012, 11:44 PM

Thanks yukonrider. We'll be updating our blog as much as we can on the road, the website has links to our facebook and twitter as well. we've had some issues with our server lately so the facebook page has been a bit more active than the site.

www.themightyyaks.com

Speaking of tires, anyone got some good suggestions of some good sturdy ones?

**RootSkier** · 06-01-2012, 12:08 AM

Ghetto tubeless.

**pepperdawg** · 06-01-2012, 05:18 AM

Is it me or

"I'll be doing the Mongol Rally with two other friends, and not being very mechanically inclined.." <---Does Not Compute...

Good luck tho!!!

**HankScorpio** · 06-01-2012, 10:35 AM

My girlfriend's brother and his wife are currently driving from Jackson Hole, WY to the southern tip of South America. They're doing the drive in a Toyota Tacoma - he made sure to buy a vehicle that has parts available wherever they go. Make sure you can get parts for your Fiat wherever you are. He also showed me a book called the "Overlander's Handbook." Its an awesome book - 750 pages about everything from international gas prices to type of tires to what roads to expect in different places. Probably worth a purchase.

Good luck!

**Bobcat Sig** · 06-01-2012, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by VTsession

My girlfriend's brother and his wife are currently driving from Jackson Hole, WY to the southern tip of South America. They're doing the drive in a Toyota Tacoma - he made sure to buy a vehicle that has parts available wherever they go. Make sure you can get parts for your Fiat wherever you are. He also showed me a book called the "Overlander's Handbook." Its an awesome book - 750 pages about everything from international gas prices to type of tires to what roads to expect in different places. Probably worth a purchase.

Good luck!

That sounds like a rad trip - one for the bucket list, for sure.

**jamesp** · 06-01-2012, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

Fix
It
Again
Tony

Good luck.

+1.

Take a mechanic & make damn sure his name is Tony...

**iceman** · 06-01-2012, 09:13 PM

Bridgestone has developed some airless tires. They showed them at a couple of car shows and suupposedly they work really well, the problem is figuring out how to get the large-scale manufacturing process dialed. But this race would be awesome pub for their product, you should see if you can get them to sponsor you (or at least give you a set of the tires). Wicked longshot, highly unlikely to happen but you don't know until you ask, right?

**Mazderati** · 06-01-2012, 09:43 PM

If the Bridgestone pitch doesn't work out, I would actually recommend using tubes inside whatever tire you choose. Take a page out of the demolition derby handbook. Duck tape and zip ties for sure. Extra tubes if you decide to go that route. Fix-A-Flat, maybe an extra set of radiator hoses and a roll of hose line.

Definitely keep an update going. Sounds fun.

**BigDaddy** · 06-02-2012, 11:40 AM

Yes, keep us posted. Sounds tough, but great.

To be honest, though... as a former FIAT owner, I doubt you'll make it out of Finland.

**keipow** · 06-02-2012, 04:43 PM

a set of fuses, a set or 2 of spark plugs, belts, hoses, all oil/fluid caps/o-rings/gaskets, bolts/screws for the shocks (not shocks) heat resistant tape, zip ties of all sizes. rope, tie-down straps, battery terminals, brake pads, windshield wipers

it's not the big parts (shocks/brake discs/sway arms/engine) that's the problem, but bring the small parts.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RQOKOE and cooking pots/eating utensils.

http://www.fiatforum.com/stilo/27160...op-manual.html

***alli*** · 08-07-2012, 03:48 AM

So ive got some downtime in uzbekistan on account of a bout of food poisoning (or similar), so I thought I'd give a quick update for anyone who's interested. we've made it so far with relatively few issues, and the only repairs we've had to do were replacing the pads and rotors of all four brakes after a semi ran us off the road in bulgaria. that only took 6 hours though and didnt even set us back a day, and we've basically been good through turkey, iran, turkmenistan, and now halfway through uzbekistan.

The highlighs of the trip so far have been couchsurfing in Iran, having a dance party with the border guards at the turkmen/uzbek border crossing, and partying with 15 other mongol ralliers in the middle of the desert in Turkmenistan near the gates of hell (a massive flaming gaseous crater) where a Scottish guy brought up his kilt and bagpipes. Of course there's loads of other incredible and funny stories, but too many to put into a quick update. The people we've met along the way have been fantastic, but Iranians have been by far the most warm, welcoming, and hospitable. The roads at times have been pretty autrocious, the worst in a stretch of Turkmenistan but we figure we're just hardening up the car before Mongolia. The brakes don't sound paricularly healthy, but our engine is good, no coolant leaking, no overheating, the oil pan and muffler are still in tact, so compared to a lot of other teams we're in really good shape at this point in the rally.

Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbek have been some of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to, and after Tashkent the next stop is in the Ferghana valley and up through the mountains in Kyrgyzstan. Internet has been extremely patchy through Iran and Turkmenistan, but once in Tashkent tonight we'll be uploading more blog posts and pictures, so if anyone is interested in following us along let me know. Cheers everyone, and if you can spare some good vibes wish us luck through the mountains in kyrgyzstan; the car doesn't particularily like hills and complained a lot going through the mountain passes up to Alamout castle in Iran.

**BigDaddy** · 08-07-2012, 05:24 AM

First Curiosity lands successfully on Mars, then Fiat makes it through Iran... Looks like I was wrong!

Sounds amazing, would love to see pics and hear more.

.

**AdironRider** · 08-07-2012, 09:53 AM

You should learn that trick from the Icelanders on Top Gear, using hair spray to reset a tire on the rim.

If only for a sweet party trick in Uzbekibekistan.