Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has advice to share regarding travelling internationally to Formula Student? We are heading over there from Oz, and trying to find out stuff like how long it takes to get cars through customs, practice track availability, unexpected complications, etc.

We are also considering buying a couple of sets of tyres over there and then selling them after the comp. Anyone Euro teams interested in purchasing used 10 inch tyres after the event? We are on a tight budget and need to minimize space in the crate. Just a thought...

Cheers all, any advice most appreciated

Geoff Pearson
RMIT FSAE 2003

Design it. Build it. Write it off two weeks before the event.

Ill second all of that. As we are travelling over in the same crate as RMIT it effects us too. Free beers are on offer to anyone who offers quality advice.

We probably will also purchase tyres in Europe for use at the comp. If anyone is interested in some used 13's (ie the proper size hey Geoff )then let me know.

Look forward to seeing you all in July,

Cheers

Alistair McVean
Monash University

I don't know what the deal is Australia....but I can give you guys a pretty good point of view from Canada.

We have a CARNET, which is a passport for your crate to ship the car and tools. It costs about $200USD. This will allow your crate to go to the UK.

Ok. now the nitty gritty finances. It's a total of about $17,000 USD to compete. This includes
everything: registration (hella a lot of money),
airline tickets for 8 team members, 2 mid size car rentals for 2 weeks, accomdation for 1 week for 8 team members, the shipping crate, fumagation of the crate, customs documentation, and of course....shipping.

Lemme give u a quick break down:

Registration: $1700 USD
Airline ticks: $6000 USD
Car rentals: $1500 USD
Accomodation: $1000 USD
Wooden Crate: $1000 USD
Fumagation: $1000 USD
Documents: $500 USD
Shipping: $4300 USD

Tickets try to get really cheap if you book early. Car rentals...there's nothing u can do
to get them cheaper. Accomodation: same thing.
Documents: there's no way around it.....prolly less for u guys too. The crate, fumagation and shiping costs u can try to solicit sponsorship for...we did. It's good you guys are going together, and we got a company to cut our costs really low. One company built us the crate for free.....and the shipping company shipped it at cost to them.

The shipping:

From toronto, at $800, a truck comes downtown and gets our crate. It takes it to a rail terminal and from there it is on a train to the montreal shipping docks. On a boat it goes, for 12 days at sea, back on a train, a truck....and then dropped off at the track. same deal coming home. The total time in transit is about 22 days.

Practice track is available to teams at a cost before the event....but NOT even the day before setup day.....as we found out!

The Germans bring the good beer...... Look'n forward to see'n you guys. Lemme know if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Vinh

University of Toronto Formula SAE Racing Team
www.fsae.utoronto.ca

quote:

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Originally posted by Al:
Ill second all of that. As we are travelling over in the same crate as RMIT it effects us too.

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Do you think there will be room for all of you in there? I imagine it would be too crowded for such a long trip!

Sorry, that was just too easy, I had to say it.

Bryce

quote:

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Originally posted by Nashco:

quote:

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Originally posted by Al:
Ill second all of that. As we are travelling over in the same crate as RMIT it effects us too.

---

Do you think there will be room for all of you in there? I imagine it would be too crowded for such a long trip!

Sorry, that was just too easy, I had to say it.

Bryce

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As I said, we are really working on a tight budget. Saves on airfares. Although we have to pack in a few extra team members to allow for losses during fumigation.

Glad to see we are being taken seriously....

Geoff Pearson
RMIT FSAE 2003

Design it. Build it. Write it off two weeks before the event.

The Germans bring the good beer......

... not good beer, the best one, and for our friends from Monash and Rmit how helped us in 2001 and 2002 in OZ we will love to bring u aussies real beer, no V[ery]B[bad].

German beer makes german cars looks good

Frank Roeske

Thanks Vinh,

Much appreciated.

Frank, I'm told that German Beer even makes German women look good
PDR

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

quote:

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Originally posted by Frank Roeske:
The Germans bring the good beer......

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We're currently working on the details to get the car and sufficent supply of Flens, Becks and Augustiner hell to the US. Appearently the car's no big deal apart from money but the beer......hm.

What about Braunschweig, don't they have Feldschloesschen as a sponsor? Okay, not a proper beer but better than Heineken.....;-)



Tim

HMMMM a way to get beer arcoss the ocean...... Hey just strap a keg to your car and tell customs its a gas tank........

"A woman is a lot like a beer, they look good, smell good, and you would run over your own mother to get one." Homer Simpson

quote:

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HMMMM a way to get beer arcoss the ocean......

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We just figuered out a better way: Our gearbox works with a traction fluid......;-)



Tim

quote:

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Originally posted by Suddenlee:
Frank, I'm told that German Beer even makes German women look good
PDR

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

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OOOOOOOooooooooooooo!!!!!

Vinh

University of Toronto Formula SAE Racing Team
www.fsae.utoronto.ca

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Suddenlee:
Frank, I'm told that German Beer even makes German women look good
PDR

PAt, it is time for you to visit the land where the best beer, best cars and the best looking women comes from...come to Germany.

To get a preview order the 2004 Student Racing Team Calender with a good looking car and more than these good looking women as well.

visit:

http://www.student-racing.de

Frank

I'm sure if you asked some of your German beauties, not all the Becks and Feldschloesschen in the world would make Pat look good

Although if faced with the choice of a night with Pat or a night with a slab of V(ery) B(ad) as Frank puts it, that would be a pretty tough choice. I think vows of silence, abstinence, and retreat to a Tibetan monastery would win the day there.

Not sure what all this has to do with getting to FStudent. Oh well. One thing is for sure, if Pat is judging this year, we're stuffed.

Geoff Pearson
RMIT FSAE 2003

Design it. Build it. Write it off two weeks before the event.

Hey our Engineering Society is sponsored by VB and it's a fine drop (well when it's $1 each after a few you can't tell).

If water feels like concrete at 100kph, what does concrete feel like?

Anyone got any stories about how long it takes to get a car through customs over there? I know a few teams who came over here had some problems, just wondering if that is common. We are looking at sending our cars over about two weeks before the event, but we want a bit of time to build them up and possible do some testing.

And Pat, apologies for the previous post. I was having a bit of a dig, but on re-reading it has come across a bit caustic. Sorry bout that!

Cheers,

Geoff Pearson
RMIT FSAE 2003

Design it. Build it. Write it off two weeks before the event.

Geoff, I learned a long time ago that if you can't take it, then you don't give it (cheek, that is) So no offense taken
And I didn't really mean that about German women Frank.............only some German Woman (Like Irma Krebs in the James Bond movies)

Anyway, beer or no beer, I look forward to seeing you all in Bruntingthorpe, and to see how Geoff gets around the 20 demerit points he has gained for his team Hint: Bribery won't work
PDR

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

Mmm.........Augustiner....!!!!!

Maybe I can get Pat to lay in a supply of Cooper's or Tooth Sheaf stout for some of us...

<grin>

- Dick

gees, i'd never heard of "tooth's" til now



but then again i'd never heard of this "natural ingredients / no artificial preservatives" brew made in Melbourne



lol http://www.pi55.com

regards all

(Aussie) Frank