FAQ



WHAT IF MY CAR BREAKS DOWN?

Probably the most asked question we get. Firstly most cars will make it, secondly your fellow ralliers will very likely come to your aid. If you are really worried about breakdown, people like the AA will offer European cover. The main thing to remember is it is an adventure.

WHO ARE YA?

We are a professional event and tour organiser, the Wacky Rally has been running for 15 years. These events are a culmination of our own passion and experiences.

WHAT IS A WACKY RALLY?

A good question that only you can really answer. Far be it for us to dictate your idea of what fun is, it is down to you and the rest of the occupants of your car. The main thing is to enter into the spirit of the event and make a little effort. Just like life (and just like the rally) the more you put in the more you get out.

WHAT CAN I SPEND ON MY CAR?

Your car should be cheap - after all it is a banger rally! How much you spend on it afterwards is entirely down to you. A couple of old tins of emulsion and some imagination can produce some interesting results. A novelty horn tends to be part of the uniform as well. Check out some of our previous competitors to get your creative juices flowing.Light and smoke effects are always sure to win over the crowds. The simple fact is that if your car is not a banger no one will respect you. That newish BMW that had the clutch missing and you repaired it just wont wash with other contestants, they are far bigger judges than we are.

HOW MUCH DOES THE WHOLE THING COST?

Of course there are things like petrol, food and accommodation to think of. It really depends on you to be honest, how you drive, what car you have and where you stay. You can camp for less than £10 a head and drive a 1 litre car that will cost pennies to run. However, if you are like us and wont drive anything under 3 litres and like to stay in nice hotels it will of course cost a little more. We estimate 4 tanks of fuel.

CAN I USE MY OWN CAR INSTEAD OF BUYING ONE?

Yes, but it would be great to see you wacky it up, even just slapping a few stickers on it, as we said before it's not us that will judge you.

WHERE DO I GET SUCH A MACHINE FOR SO LITTLE?

Ebay\Autotrader etc would be our first call, remember to modify your search (ie filter out by price and distance) otherwise you will be scrolling through loads of pages. You'll be surprised what you can pick up. Local garages take in part-exchange and there are always those roadside cars, these are surprisingly good. Your car must have a valid MOT until the end of the rally.

WILL MY CAR MAKE IT?

Nearly all cars make it through the entire trip. If your car will run without too much clunking and smoke, it should be fine for the 1500 miles or so. Of course please make sure that the brakes and clutch are in good order.

ARE YOU SIMILAR TO OTHER RALLIES?

There are a few rallies out there, be careful to choose one that knows the route, there are one or two that will send you all the way down toll motorways. costing £100's in the process, whilst we don't keep you off the tolls completely we certainly do a good job at keeping tolls to a minimum. We provide venues every night for the telling of stories and laughing at other's misfortunes! We like to think we provde some amazing challenges and routes. But you will be the judge of that.

DO I NEED TO BE A MECHANIC?

No! Although we would suggest taking along a car manual, you really don't need to know how to strip an engine and re build it. There will be people on the rally who will be happy to help out if anything happens.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED?

Insurance, MOT, driving license, warning triangle, luminous jackets, fire extinguisher, first aid kit to comply with EU law. Oh and you are no longer allowed to drive in France with high heeled shoes....

WHAT ABOUT INSURANCE?

If you have fully comprehensive cover on your current car you may already have all the insurance required but it is your responsibility to ensure you, your car and all drivers are insured. A good resource for temporary cover is http://www.insuredaily.co.uk/cover.html or https://www.hertsinsurance.com/

REFUNDS

If you cancel your entry within seven days of booking we will refund you in full.

CAN I CHANGE PEOPLE, CARS, NAMES, HAIR COLOUR, SOCKS ETC?

The answer to all of the above is yes

WHY MINIMUM DRIVERS?

The minimum is two drivers. Its for your own safety. It is a far better experience and you shouldn't drive too long without a break, especially in a foreign country where you have to concentrate a little more. Finally, you don’t want to break down on your tod. Can a non-driver go? Yes they can as long as there are two drivers in the car. You can take as many passengers as your vehicle has seats for. Additional costs per passenger are detailed on the rally page.

SUPPORT

Support is mostly each other, we don’t have breakdown cover but if you phone us we will let all cars know your location to see if they can help (more often than not they will). We will pop by if we can.

CAN I USE A SAT NAV?

Of course you can - but road-maps are much more fun (and also won't stop working up in the mountains!) Just make sure it is a current detailed map that covers France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain (may as well throw the UK in that list as well)

DO I NEED A CAR BEFORE SIGNING?

No

DO I NEED TO PAY A DEPOSIT AS SOON AS I SIGN UP?

Yes, £100 and £500 for floating adventure.

WHEN IS THE CLOSE DATE?

There is limited availability on this years rally, so the sooner the better. However, we will always try and accomodate. Please bear in mind it does take a minimum of 4 weeks to get the DVLA paper-work sorted.

ARE THERE ANY RULES ON CAR THEMES?

No. However please make sure its not going to offend anyone and take into consideration the various countries you will be passing through.

WHEN DO I NEED TO PAY THE WHOLE AMOUNT?

12 weeks before the event start date.

WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE ATTEND YOUR EVENTS?

Anyone and everyone

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

Minimum of 2 drivers per car (with valid driving licences). You must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the event (including all passengers). Obey all rules pertaining to the country you are in.

I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF THE UK, MAY I JOIN?

We welcome anyone from any country and you are very welcome and encouraged to join.

WHAT ABOUT ACCOMMODATION?

We would recommend you let us book the hotel accomodation for you. We have vetted all the hotels we use and have secured beneficial rates, and it is great for everyone to stay in the same place as the camaraderie builds. There is no pressure to do so, so if you would prefer to book your own accommodation, camp or even sleep in your car, you are very welcome to do so.

CAN I BE DISQUALIFIED

Yes, there are a few simple rules. If you are a moron you will be sent to Coventry and disqualified from the rally. Being a moron means the following: disrespecting or abusing anyone on the rally (if you don't like someone just talk to other people). Drinking is not an excuse for being a numpty. Do not interfere with someone else's car, whilst bashing bumpers may seem like a laugh to you it could be different for the recipient, same goes for any additions to their paint jobs. And don't forget, some people are doing this to raise money for charity so will have decorated their car appropriately.

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY CAR AT THE END?

We have a scrappy waiting for you at the end of the rally. He will give you 50 euros for your car, stamp your registration document and arrange a lift to your hotel or airport for you. If you wish to drive back or simply keep on going then thats fine with us and we wish you a safe onward journey.

I'VE GOT MORE QUESTIONS...

Email and we’ll answer it; if the answer is likely to be useful to other participants we will include it in this FAQ.