Gunther, Christine and Otto: The 26 Year Road Trip

October 10, 2014 12:20 PM

Gunther, Christine and Otto: How a man met a woman and they set off on an epic journey across six continents in one amazing unbreakable car. 26 years road trip: Gunther Holtorf and his unbreakable Otto.
posted by milquetoast (13 comments total)

I was just going to scan it--many pages, photos and considerably later I finished--to say an 'epic journey" is an understatement. What a remarkably fluid and easily navigable site. Thanks for posting and cheers to Otto and its passengers
posted by rmhsinc at 12:56 PM on October 10, 2014

More about Gunther and Otto, in German: Ottos Reise.
posted by milquetoast at 12:59 PM on October 10, 2014

Previously
posted by Dip Flash at 1:23 PM on October 10, 2014

Lovely. Mercedes really knew (past tense) how to build cars.
posted by Monochrome at 2:02 PM on October 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

...an epic journey across six continents in one amazing unbreakable car

When I read this, I immediately thought "G-Wagen". Clicked the link and...yup.
Damned things are tanks.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:36 PM on October 10, 2014

Don't give undue credit to Daimler-Benz—the reliability in a G-Wagen is pure Steyr-Puch. Any Mercedes past the old W123 series is just as expensive, demanding, and unreliable as everything else from the Fatherland, but Austrians have a thing for engineering exceptional lifespans, which is why, when I was picking out the motorcycle for my long haul, I bought one with a blue and white spinner and Italian genes, but an Austrian heart.
posted by sonascope at 2:54 PM on October 10, 2014 [6 favorites]

I really, really wish it was reasonable to buy one of those in the US. they're a kabillion dollars imported, and they only officially sold the stupid luxury version with the giant v8 and silly wheels(also for a kabillion dollars).

All i want is a totally basic one with a diesel engine like the 240gd or 300gd. you can't even get a damn diesel landcruiser here ;_;

When i hadn't clicked through yet i was guessing volvo 240 or w123 mercedes, but then went "ohhhhh, yep".
posted by emptythought at 3:08 PM on October 10, 2014

I was listening to this in the morning... amazing that they travelled through all those places, including war zones, and always apparently slept in the car or camped/hung hammocks, and only got mugged once!

Another detail I appreciated was how they had to make special arrangements and pay an enormous fee to enter North Korea, but then every single police officer and crossing guard everywhere they went in the country had a photo of them and was on the look-out.
posted by XMLicious at 3:19 PM on October 10, 2014

Any Mercedes past the old W123 series is just as expensive, demanding, and unreliable as everything else from the Fatherland

Well, except for the W201 (190). That was rock solid.
posted by ambrosen at 3:30 PM on October 10, 2014

Great story thanks for sharing (give a shit about Merc current quality).
posted by wilful at 3:43 PM on October 10, 2014

I don't really consider myself a person who would name their children after celebrities or anything, but if I ever bought a car, I would name it Otto.
posted by chrominance at 3:48 PM on October 10, 2014

Otto means wealthy.
posted by stbalbach at 9:40 PM on October 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

Incredible story. I love the way he navigated most obstacles with a smile, a laugh and a positive attitude.
posted by arcticseal at 4:38 PM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]