Just a random thought, but, i'm trying to work out the best way for me to explore Mongolia, unfortunately this time i wont have the time to drive all the way there and back. One (slightly fueled) thought was to jet into UB and buy a Niva.

Discuss!!

Seriously though, if anyone has any experience of buying vehicles in Mongolia (or close by) or just wants to tell me i'm being stupid, it would be much appreciated.

Sam

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Sam: The standard vehicle for getting around Mongolia is the UAZ (pronounced woz) Jeep or Van. There are some Nivas, but they are not common because they are less tough than the UAZ. The UAZ jeeps are legendarily tough and while not exactly reliable, they are easy to fix far from civilization. The catch is that you have to be a good mechanic to keep it going. They are 4WD, relatively light with decent ground clearance and will go almost anywhere. Mud, snow, sand, rocks= no problem. Even a crank start for those cold mornings.

Unless you are a great mechanic and very familiar with Russian vehicles/engines, my suggestion is to go to Mongolia and rent a UAZ with a driver. UAZ drivers are pretty much all decent mechanics, through necessity. By traveling with a driver you will have someone with you to fix the vehicle, plus you will learn more about the country by traveling with a local. One additional problem is that very few drivers speak anything besides Mongolian and Russian. So you might also have to bring along a translator. But I think you could find a university student in UB who would be willing to do it for relatively little pay. They get to practice their English with you while helping you see some of the country.

If you really want to drive I'm sure the driver will let you do it, though they will think you are a silly foreigner for paying a driver and then driving yourself. My driver definitely thought it was funny that I wanted to drive, but I loved driving in Mongolia so I did it all the time.

There are more and more Japanese vehicles in Mongolia so if you have more money you could buy a Land Cruiser or Patrol and drive that, but they are not cheap and most in Mongolia have seen a very hard life. I say go the UAZ route for the real Mongolian experience.

Here are links to the UAZs:

UAZ Jeep: UAZ-469 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

UAZ Van: Image:UAZ-Bus.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hope this helps,

Scott

I have been in Mongolia but have seen no a Niva. The best car for Mongolia is UAZ. You can find a mechanic and spare parts all over Mongolia. I live in Togliatti. It`s a place where a Niva is made. I have asked a mongols about a Niva. They told it`s poor for Mongolia.

Alex

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If you see in Niva, its usually a tourist or an expatriate that owns one.


its not considered tough enough, but a Dutch couple I travelled with(in Mongolia) took one with no issues...other than having to repack the wheel bearings in Kazakhstan...

Camping in Western Mongolia...
img_1084.jpg


Their website...
David, Ingrid & Lada Niva to Siberia

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Thanks a lot guys, i guess i need to look into a UAZ.......i'm always up for a new challenge, learning as i go how to keep a UAZ rolling could fit the bill nicely.
I do have a bit of a thing for Nivas, this is my last one in Mali

IMG_2 (563) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Guess i need to move on!!

Do you have any idea what i'd pay for an, only mildly knackered, UAZ Bus???

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I would guess you could get a UAZ bus in OK shape for a few thousand US dollars. But I don't know for sure as I was last in Mongolia 2 years ago.

Once you arrive in UB your best bet is to head to the big open-air "technical market" north-east of the city center. That is the place where everyone goes to buy and sell vehicles and spare parts.

Scott

Thanks for all the great info Scott
I think a plan is starting to come together!
A group of friends i travelled with last year are driving to Mongolia and back next summer, i just can't spare all that time off work at the mo.
Would be great to meet them and travel around for few weeks.
How do you rate my chances of selling it again before i left? (Obviously this would take some time and no doubt involve an english speaking helper)
Or do you still think renting would be better? (I'm not worried about the mechanics part of it, as long as i could get parts)

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I think it would easy to sell provided you were willing to lower the price a bit. One solution would be to buy it from someone with the understanding that they would buy it back from you for a lower price when you are ready to leave (provided you haven't wrecked it!). A tour company or guest house might be willing to do that sort of deal and that way you would have someone who speaks some English to help you with the paperwork. There are dozens of small Mongolian tour companies and/or guest houses in UB.

Unfortunately I don't know anything about the paperwork involved in buying/selling vehicles in Mongolia, as I brought mine in with me.

Scott

No worries Scott
A massive thanks again

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