Traveling by Car

[Squeak 17]

So Kas and i were looking at a World map, and we are wondering how easy it is to buy a cheap car and drive from the USA, down to Mexico and onto Nicaragua, and Panama then onto South America?

Is it a doable drive or better to fly to South America?
Also what would be the best Airport to exit South America for Europe, I'm assuming Brazilia?

Any serious help appreciatedThanks

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[bluepill 0]

A car?

I thought you were a biker boy?

I expect that trip would be pretty dangerous.

BP

[Squeak 17]

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A car?

I thought you were a biker boy?

I expect that trip would be pretty dangerous.

BP

A car for accomadation and traveling with the wife, pl;us all gear


is Nicaragua still a hostile place? What about South America?

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[piisfish 140]

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Also what would be the best Airport to exit South America for Europe, I'm assuming Brazilia?

wrong assuming...

1/Sao Paulo
2/Buenos Aires
3/Rio

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skymama 37]

After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Squeak 17]

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After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

Why ? the chances of it happening again soon are remote to say the least

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[skymama 37]

Well, I heard a report that the runway is too short and the airport was already shut down once because of it. Pay your money, take your chances.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[wmw999 2,589]

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After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

That's not the same airport where a transatlantic flight would take off. Congonhas (the crash airport) is an in-city airport from the 20's or 30's, serving domestic flights. Guarulhos, the big airport, is modern with everything you'd expect from a modern airport. Well, except for the flights board...

But S. Paulo would definitely be number 1. I'd put Rio second (except that a lot of flights from Rio go to S. Paulo next or v. versa), and BA third. Just because BA is noticeably farther away.

Check the airfares.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Squeak 17]

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After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

That's not the same airport where a transatlantic flight would take off. Congonhas (the crash airport) is an in-city airport from the 20's or 30's, serving domestic flights. Guarulhos, the big airport, is modern with everything you'd expect from a modern airport. Well, except for the flights board...

But S. Paulo would definitely be number 1. I'd put Rio second (except that a lot of flights from Rio go to S. Paulo next or v. versa), and BA third. Just because BA is noticeably farther away.

Check the airfares.

Wendy W.

Thanks Wendy, airfares will be a moot point, It will be on a round the world ticket

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[piisfish 140]

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It will be on a round the world ticket

with which alliance ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[piisfish 140]

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After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

at least now they don't have a gas station in line with the runway anymore

Many airports have had their accidents...

And as Wendy said, it was not the international airport.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Squeak 17]

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It will be on a round the world ticket

with which alliance ?

Not sure yet, depends on price, we want to do all the continents but neither Aliance does all of them so either Africa or India will be a side trip

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[lekstrom10k 0]

As far as the car goes it sounds like you plan to sell it after you get it there. Do you plan on new or used? Will it be one they could get parts for? Or yourself in the middle of the trip spending a week waiting for a water pump or odd sized tires to come by bus etc.etc. It,s a thought to consider .If you buy a new cheap one under warranty ,does it transfer down there. What is a popular model there for a quicker sale. GM tried to sell Chevy Novas there without changing the name plate. Even after they were told Nova was slang for ASS-HOLE down there . Belligerence persisted and the lots were full of them.Hope this helped

[Squeak 17]

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As far as the car goes it sounds like you plan to sell it after you get it there. Do you plan on new or used? Will it be one they could get parts for? Or yourself in the middle of the trip spending a week waiting for a water pump or odd sized tires to come by bus etc.etc. It,s a thought to consider .If you buy a new cheap one under warranty ,does it transfer down there. What is a popular model there for a quicker sale. GM tried to sell Chevy Novas there without changing the name plate. Even after they were told Nova was slang for ASS-HOLE down there . Belligerence persisted and the lots were full of them.Hope this helped

I'm not worried about any of that

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[piisfish 140]

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neither Aliance does all of them so either Africa or India will be a side trip

didn't find what you want there ? www.oneworld.com

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[JustChuteMeNow 0]

I used to live in Panama and there is no road that connects Panama to Columbia. There is a cruise ship that runs from Panama City to Cartegena that is realatively cheap and it used to carry cars but I don't know if the company still exists. However, Central and South America rock and I'm sure you guys will have a good time.

Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that.

[ltdiver 3]

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After last night's firey crash, I think I'd take Sao Paulo off the list.

That's not the same airport where a transatlantic flight would take off. Congonhas (the crash airport) is an in-city airport from the 20's or 30's, serving domestic flights. Guarulhos, the big airport, is modern with everything you'd expect from a modern airport. Well, except for the flights board...

Thanks for the clarification, Wendy. I have a friend and her husband (he's Brazilian) who travel down to Sao Paulo quite alot during the year. When I saw that crash last night on the tv I got quite worried. They fly to Brazil from LAX.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[BIGUN 1,489]

Here's Google maps recommendation:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=austin,+tx&daddr=25.720735,-80.419922+to:san+paulo,+brazil&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=4&mra=dme&sll=3.601142,-64.863281&sspn=61.855318,81.738281&ie=UTF8&z=4&om=1

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Squeak 17]

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Here's Google maps recommendation:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=austin,+tx&daddr=25.720735,-80.419922+to:san+paulo,+brazil&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=4&mra=dme&sll=3.601142,-64.863281&sspn=61.855318,81.738281&ie=UTF8&z=4&om=1

Swim across the Atlantic Ocean ...Entering Brazil 5,721miles

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Phillbo 11]

I've driven to Guatemala and back .... 'Cheap car' and south america do not go well together. break downs can leave you stranded for a long time in a remote place.

[Keith 0]

You couldn't catch me driving a cheap car, or any car for that matter, through South America.

Keith

Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville

[cloudseeker2001 0]

I have read about many people doing this. It seems a guy did this with his wife in a Volkswagon and wrote a book about the adventure.....sounds like a cool trip!

You may be interested in this. About a year ago I read a book called the Head Hunters of the Amazon and it is about a guy who grads from college in the 1890's and went to the Amazon looking for adventure and money in the rubber trade. He somehow survived 6 years in the jungle and all kinds of cool adventures. Well worth the time to read!

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[wmw999 2,589]

I'd suggest would be to make sure and buy a car that:
-looks used
-isn't very big
-gets good gas mileage
-is a sedan (i.e. has a trunk to hide your stuff)
-doesn't look that different from other cars in S. A.

Which basically means a nondescript subcompact of some type. Streets are smaller and narrower all over the place, gas is expensive, and people are poor. Something sturdy and simple, so that anyone can figure out how to fix it.

Sounds like fun.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Squeak 17]

Thanks Wendy



Why is everyone giving me car advice I dont need car advice I need geography advice, both physical and political

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[wmw999 2,589]

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Why is everyone giving me car advice

Because we don't have anything useful to say on the other, and we all want to feel useful and smart, of course

That said, in Brazil at least, the roads I've been on have been largely pretty good. Bathrooms are sometimes iffy, and bring your own TP. But traveling by car is common there. Just one thing -- "Motels" are where you go for hourly meetings with ladies who charge by the hour. You want hotels.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)