In R4 to Togo

[sergio]

We are planning to reach Togo - via Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin - on a Renault 4TL. We'll try to sell (or get rid off) the car in Lomé and fly back. The vehicle is in good conditions: 10 years old, 70.000 kms. I have two main concerns:
1) the route. First problem in Mauritania: Nouadhibou-Nouakchott. Is better the train to Choum (how difficult is the Choum-Atar piste on a 2wd?)? Or better the costal route? Second problem seems to be from Senegal to Mali. Is the Tambacounda-Kayes road possible on a 2wd? And what about from Kayes on to Bamako? Or is the only option the train?
2) paper work. It seems like I can get to Lomé without a carnet. What about selling or getting rid off the car there? What paperwork does it involve? Does anyone have any contact in Lomé?.
Thanks



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[Jose Brito]

Hi,

Check this posts:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000473.html

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb...ML/000425.html

José

[Lamin Sambou]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sergio:
1) the route. First problem in Mauritania: Nouadhibou-Nouakchott. Is better the train to Choum (how difficult is the Choum-Atar piste on a 2wd?)? Or better the costal route?

You could go either way. Go in a small group along the coast with occasional digging, or take the train to Choum. The piste from Choum to Atar only has a couple of soft sandy bits but has some long corragtions. After Atar its a good two lane black top.

Good luck.

[Kevin]

You can sell the R4 in Togo no problem. The laissez paisser at the border costs CFA5000 (I think), but there is no stamp in the passport so you can sell the car without having to go to customs, police etc.

R4's have done the route loads of times although I havent seen one in the desert for some time. It is possible to go Nouadhibou-Nouakchott as they have good clearance and are quite light. Tamba to the border is good tar, after that a good enough dirt road to Kayes. From Kayes to Mahina is more difficult, but should be possible in the dry season in a R4,after Mahina no problems to Bamako. The Kayes-Mahina road may have deteriorated even more after this rainy season.

[Gert Duson]

Yo Sergio,

You shouldn't expect too many problems doing the trip with a Renault R4. I did it 3 years ago and didn't face ANY difficulty at all. The car is just made for the job: They're strong cars, very reliable and every local mechanic we met was quite familiar with this vehicle. In terms of selling it, you'll be surprised how much interest people will show for that car. We drove the van-type and were offered 1500 Euro in Mauretania for the car. Not bad, knowing that we bought it for 125 Euro!!!

Enjoy it. Gert
PS: On 29th September we're leaving from Brussels to Cape Town with a Citroën 2CV. For those interested in following our adventures, check the following URL that will soon go live: www.brussels-capetown.com

[Ian]

Re: using an R4, I saw a convoy of six in Senegal which had been driven from Portugal, en route to Guinee-Bissau, and they all seemed in good shape. On top of that, I believe they were quite common in the early Paris-Dakar rallyes.