After weeks of scouring AutoTrader and Gumtree in the UK for a car, we managed to stumble across the perfect one on the side of the road!
Some background; Sam, a close friend of ours currently living in the UK who will be tagging along with us for the journey through Romania, Turkey and Iran, volunteered to help us out to find the ideal vehicle. We still haven't exactly figured out how to fit him and his gear in the car’s limited space (short of strapping him and his belongings to the roof), but we are glad to have him as a part of the adventure.
We've been shortlisting various cars for Sam to inspect, in the process discovering a minefield of dodgy dealers! Cars advertised as “immaculate condition” have turned out to be hardly roadworthy enough to drive off the lot. This was the case yesterday when Sam went to check out a promising contender at a dealership and was yelled at by the dealer for “asking too many questions” and having the audacity to ask for a test drive. Sam was even accused of not knowing anything about engines - this despite him being automotive development engineer! Sam opted to walk away empty handed as the dealer was clearly trying to rip us off and the car was most probably shagged.
Slightly disheartened but with steely resolve Sam set off on the journey to the next car car on the list some hours away when he saw it. Like a mirage in the desert, he rubbed his eyes and pinched himself checking he wasn't daydreaming. There it stood; small but perfectly formed like Mila Kunis' breasts, dark like the night in gotham city and with just a dash of flair like a Steel Panther concert. A majestic black K11 Micra complete with tasteful orange and red racing stripes was for sale.
It was registered, it was taxed, it didn't leak, it ran well and the price was right (after some haggling of course), all it needed was a home.
...and it got one
May we introduce the latest addition to the Of Micras & Men team!
Some background; Sam, a close friend of ours currently living in the UK who will be tagging along with us for the journey through Romania, Turkey and Iran, volunteered to help us out to find the ideal vehicle. We still haven't exactly figured out how to fit him and his gear in the car’s limited space (short of strapping him and his belongings to the roof), but we are glad to have him as a part of the adventure.
We've been shortlisting various cars for Sam to inspect, in the process discovering a minefield of dodgy dealers! Cars advertised as “immaculate condition” have turned out to be hardly roadworthy enough to drive off the lot. This was the case yesterday when Sam went to check out a promising contender at a dealership and was yelled at by the dealer for “asking too many questions” and having the audacity to ask for a test drive. Sam was even accused of not knowing anything about engines - this despite him being automotive development engineer! Sam opted to walk away empty handed as the dealer was clearly trying to rip us off and the car was most probably shagged.
Slightly disheartened but with steely resolve Sam set off on the journey to the next car car on the list some hours away when he saw it. Like a mirage in the desert, he rubbed his eyes and pinched himself checking he wasn't daydreaming. There it stood; small but perfectly formed like Mila Kunis' breasts, dark like the night in gotham city and with just a dash of flair like a Steel Panther concert. A majestic black K11 Micra complete with tasteful orange and red racing stripes was for sale.
It was registered, it was taxed, it didn't leak, it ran well and the price was right (after some haggling of course), all it needed was a home.
...and it got one
May we introduce the latest addition to the Of Micras & Men team!
We can't wait to see it in person in July.
For those of you wondering why we chose such a laughably unsuitable car for crossing world’s most spectacular, remote and harsh terrain, here was the selection criteria courtesy of the Adventurists:
For those of you wondering why we chose such a laughably unsuitable car for crossing world’s most spectacular, remote and harsh terrain, here was the selection criteria courtesy of the Adventurists:
Perfect indeed. Now, off to pimp this ride with new wheels, a sump guard, spotlights and suspension amongst other things!