First topic message reminder :

Now that the sale of the house looks like going through this time (though you can't say for definite till exchange) we are starting to think ahead to next year. Once we move into our temporary rental and settle down for the winter, we will be thinking of our potential new life in Bulgaria.

One of the things Mr Eq is worrying about is transport. We are wanting a 4X4 for the winters especially, and for general use. So we do not need anything huge, just something to cope with snowy roads in an emergency, but will be useful through the year for a general form of transport, though we are not planning to do any more driving than we really have to. We have no experience of these vehicles, so please bear with us.

So what we need to know is, what to you drive and why? And what would you avoid and why?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Mrs Eq

I don't know about your village but to go anywhere here by public transport as there is none.The locals are always thumbing lifts to get into Vulchi Dol to get a bus to Dobrich or Varna or just Vulchi Dol. My 4x4 cost me £5000 last year and it was my transport to Bulgaria.I wouldn't be without it as I have saved myself a small fortune in delivery charges shifting for example small pieces of furniture which you wouldn't get in a boot of a car and fridge freezers along with hay for my horse.It depends where you live and what your amenities are you must be in a well served village oldun.And it also depends on your needs for a 4x4 and here and Canada are places that you need one as opposed to 90% of the UK population that use them for school runs and a status symbol. Not only that we do not have a doctor in our village if I need to go out in the bad weather to go to the doctor or take one of the locals I know that my beast will handle the road conditions. So in summary if you don't need one then good for you but it's courses for horses as the old saying goes.

As Speedgunner says, we will be driving out with the two dogs (lab and lab cross) and immediate effects, so will need a good sized car. We also need to know we can get out in an emergency in bad weather, and get stuff for all the animals, and any hardware we might need etc etc (even help out the other residents if they need it) not be restricted to where we live by whether it has a bus route. There is no way I will be bringing feed home on the bus! I'm sorry, but yes, we have been brought up with easy transport available, but don't think we should be condemned for that. We would also like to see as much of the country as possible while we are able to, as we do in this country, including the mountains. There is so much to see, here and there, and as keen nature lovers and snappers, (and Mr Eq paints too) we need to get about, with the dogs too. If I could only get out to do shopping I would go mad. I would rather avoid shopping too often and do an "
essentials"
shop occasionally, especially once our productive garden gets going....we will be growing and preserving most of our own food, as we do now.... and the animals have settled.

We do not intend to use the car as much as we would here on a day to day basis, as we will have our life around us. But we want to see as much as we can before we leave this earth, otherwise there is no point in moving to another country. Too many people are dying young in both our workplaces, and they have not had chance to enjoy retirement. :Very sad:We have no kids so our enjoyment comes from our animal family and our surroundings.

Thanks everyone for all your replies, most enlightening.

Our girls.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


Mrs Eq

Look - I don't condemn anyone for wanting or owning a car of any description. I was merely pointing out that it is not ESSENTIAL. Our village does not have many amenities and our bus service is not very regular. I am a VERY Old School kind of person and OLD! Having said that, yes, I have had a car for many many years of my life in civilisation. Living and working in Greece I had 2 scooters and a very old, small car for work on our tiny island. I used it for deliveries. So I do know about cars, scooters and bicycles!!!
Since living in Bulgaria, I didn't have the cash to flash for a car anyway and £5,000 pa is more than the pension we both live on. I do not feel poor either. I live as the locals do and as for transport for things for the house - after the builders left I had one big 'shop' for all the necessaries which cost only 30levs in transport.
Our village doctor only visits once a week. When my Hero was hospitalized the locals gave blood and I used the local bus for visits. One of my taxi drivers did runs for me too. Recently, village lads refilled our gas bottle for us using a lorry they had for work in the village. Everyone helps everyone else and we only have to ask.
Yes, I know, our needs are very basic and my shopping too, very simple and usually the village shop is adequate. I am not condemning anyone because you are all younger than me by the sounds of it but don't put me down for making a simple comment. I was under the impression that the point of relocating to Bulgaria was for a simpler way of life. Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe some new potential buyer in Buglaria might be interested to know that a 4x4 is not an as essential as you might think.
By the way, it is possible to see more of Bulgaria using the frequent coaches and trains and you can observe more of the countryside en route.
Sorry folks - back to your choice of 4x4. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Have just acquired a ^baby^ 4x4, a Mitsubishi 1.8 Shogun Pinin. Do you think this will be man enough to cope?

Not much room inside, particularly with our Labrador in the back! Suppose could use roofrack and maybe a small trailer to bring over start up essentials for our move over next summer?

I am hoping to get my little sorted Suzuki SJ 413 ( raised suspension, big chunky wheels and tyres and a snorkel - it has been used for off road fun by previous owner) ) over to the village one day so that i can play up in the mountains.
This summer I went up into the hills in an old ex military russian jeep (which can be picked up fairly cheep), and I have always fancied a Lada Niva, which are not as bad as people think and built to stand the bad winters.

The Pinin is an excellent vehicle.Better to be in a light 4x4 on ice and snow.The Suzuki Vitara is also an excellent vehicle.

A vehicle is a vehicle at the end of the day provided it suits your needs and you can afford to run it.Without teaching Grannie to suck eggs so long as you keep it serviced and address any failings ASP you should have no problems.I think you are right to buy a 4x4 due to the condition of the roads here and the harsh Winter conditions at times. My Mitsibushi is a bit of a gas guzzler but as it is a truck I can put a lot of stuff in the back and carry 4 passengers which I have done taking them shopping when the roads are a bit iffy. Over here at the moment unlike the UK Diesel is cheaper than Petrol which suits me just fine as I am paying about £1.27 a litre which is a bit cheaper than the Uk.