Questions
Q. Can I really drive your vehicles?
Q. How much does it cost to drive one of your vehicles?
Q. How much does it cost to ride in one of your vehicles?
Q. What do I get for my money / what does the experience include?
Q. Can I fire the gun on one of the big tanks?
Q. Are your vehicles fully operational?
Q. Can I crush a car / my car with your big tank?
Q. I want to bring some extra people on the tour – can I do that?
Q. What is the minimum age / requirements for driving your vehicles?
Q. What is the minimum age / requirements for riding in your vehicles?
Q. What are the size restrictions for driving your vehicles?
Q. Which vehicle is the best to drive?
Q. I / my partner / parent / child has driven the big tank – what can we do now?
Q. How long does the experience take?
Q. Do you do kids birthday parties?
Q. I want to organise a company outing / team-building event / corporate day / stag do / hen do / Etc. – what can we do with you?
Q. Do I have to book?
Q. Can I just call in to your site?
Q. What do we need to bring / what happens on the day?
Q. Can my family or friends ride in the vehicle while I drive?
Q. Can I split my driving time between multiple people?
Q. How do I find your site?
Q. How can I order and pay for a voucher?
Q. How long is a voucher valid for?
Q. I’m not sure which vehicles to buy a voucher for – what can I do?
Q. I want to buy a tank – can you help?
Q. Why don’t you have a Tiger Tank / Sherman Tank / T-34 Tank / M113 APC / Bren gun carrier / GMC 6x6 truck / LAV / Etc. ?
Q. I have a tank / APC / army truck / Jeep / Etc. for sale – are you interested in buying it?
Q. What are you going to buy next to add to the fleet?
Q. What are your future plans at Tanks For Everything?
Q. Can I work for you? (it sounds like a fun job!)
Answers
Q. Can I really drive your vehicles?
A. In a word “Yes”! We offer you the chance to drive genuine military vehicles which the public cannot normally even get close to, let alone get into and have a go at driving!
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Q. How much does it cost to drive one of your vehicles?
A. All the vehicle driving experiences include a guided tour as well as the driving itself.
The rates for the individual vehicles are:
- Ferret 4x4 scout car - $150
- Saracen 6x6 Armoured Personnel Carrier - $200
- FV432 tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier - $220
- Centurion Main Battle Tank - $395
- T-55 Soviet Main Battle Tank - $395
We also have packages of several vehicles available, including:
- ‘Heavy Armour Special’ – Ferret, Saracen, FV432 for $495
- 'The Big One’ – Saracen, FV432 and Main Battle Tank for $695
- 'East Vs West’ – Centurion Main Battle Tank and T-55 Soviet Main Battle Tank for $695
- 'Armour-Geddon’ – Saracen, FV432 and BOTH Main Battle Tanks for $995
- 'Mega-Manoeuvres' - drive every one of our vehicle types – Jeep (or Landrover), Ferret, Saracen, FV432 and Main Battle Tank (Centurion or T-55). The ultimate for the military vehicle enthusiast $995
We can also do custom packages to your requirements – please contact us for more info.
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Q. How much does it cost to ride in one of your vehicles?
A. All the pre-booked vehicle rides experiences include a guided tour as well as the ride itself.
A ride in the FV432 APC or Saracen APC costs $30 per person (minimum 6 people). A ride in both of these vehicles (Saracen and FV432) costs $50 per person (minimum 6).
FV432 rides are also available on our Tours and Rides days – these do not include the guided tour and cost $15 person – you do not need to book in for these days (but we do ask large groups to let us know in advance please).
A ride in a Main Battle Tank costs $125 per person (minimum 2).
We can also do custom packages to your requirements – please contact us for more info.
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Q What do I get for my money / what does the experience include?
A. You get the chance to actually drive, ride in and examine in detail vehicles which the public can’t normally even get close to.
All the pre-booked driving or ride experiences start with a guided tour of our vehicle fleet, where we'll explain the history and mechanical specifications of the vehicles, their service records and also let you get inside for a really close look - this includes moving the gun on the tank. This tour generally takes about 45-60 minutes.
Then for a drive we'll get the driver into the chosen vehicle(s) for the driving part - starting with a safety and operational briefing before taking to the track with an instructor. This part generally takes about 20-25 minutes per vehicle driven – with about 10-15 minutes of actual driving time.
For a ride we’ll get you into the helmets and an instructor will take you out for a blast on the track. This part generally takes about 10-15 minutes.
So for a single vehicle drive you should allow about 1.5 hours on our site. For a 3 vehicle drive allow about 2.5 hours. For a single vehicle ride allow about 1 hour. These are approximate timings.
Your payment helps us to maintain our vehicle fleet and keep them running. There is a lot (this is an understatement) of maintenance – and when things break they tend to be expensive and time consuming to fix.
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Q. Can I fire the gun on one of the big tanks?
A. Sadly no you can’t, the guns have been de-activated which happened when the tanks were sold off from the Army (and is also a requirement for international transportation and shipping).
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Q. Are your vehicles fully operational?
A. Pretty much yes – the guns on the big tanks and the smoke grenade launchers on some vehicle have been deactivated or removed (which happened when they were sold off from the Army and is also a requirement for international transportation and shipping).
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Q. Can I crush a car / my car with your big tank?
A. Yes – with a few proviso’s. We do a car crush with one of our big tanks on each of our Tours and Rides days – if these aren’t pre-booked I put vouchers for these on our home page. We have also done this as the grand finale of company events. We may be able to arrange this for you at other times so please contact us for more info.
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Q. I want to bring some extra people on the tour – can I do that?
A. Yes you can. Pre-booked driving experiences include a guided tour for up to 5 people (including the driver), additional people are $15 each (under 5’s free) – please let us know if you intend to bring extra people for the tour when booking your experience.
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Q. What is the minimum age / requirements for driving your vehicles?
A. Drivers should have a valid driving license (learners is OK) or have experience of driving. Very tall, short or broad people should also contact us to make sure they’ll be able to fit into and drive the vehicle safely and enjoyably. In most cases we will have some vehicles which will be suitable for these people. If you have concerns or questions please contact us for a chat. Drivers must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Q. What is the minimum age / requirements for riding in your vehicles?
A. In order to ride unaccompanied children should be at least 5 years old, younger children can ride if accompanied by an adult. If you have concerns or questions please contact us for a chat.
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Q. What are the size restrictions for driving your vehicles?
A. It depends on the vehicle. Very tall, short or broad people should contact us to make sure they’ll be able to fit into and drive the vehicle safely and enjoyably. In most cases we will have some vehicles which will be suitable for these people. If you have concerns or questions please contact us for a chat.
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Q. Which vehicle is the best to drive?
A. That’s a really hard question to answer. Different people have their own favourites. We purchased our vehicle selection because each of them gives quite a different driving experience. The tanks are awesome because of their size and power. The Ferret is great fun because it’s so nippy. The FV432 is pretty fast for a big tracked vehicle. The Saracen sounds mean and gives an amazing cross-country ride. The Jeep is just so iconic. Etc. etc.
You get the picture – but some vehicles do suit some drivers better than others e.g. smaller or bigger people; more or less experienced (or confident) drivers; people used to an automatic or manual. The best thing is to call us for a chat if you’re not sure which to go for.
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Q. I / my partner / parent / child has driven the big Centurion tank – what can we do now?
A. Lots! Our vehicles all give quite different driving experiences and people who drive a selection of them don’t always say the big tank was their favourite!
You could go for the ‘Heavy Armour Special’ selection and drive the ‘other’ armoured vehicles – Ferret, Saracen and FV432.
We now have our newest arrival - another Main Battle Tank in the form of the Russian T-55. You could opt to drive this on its own or in either ‘The Big One’ (Saracen, FV432, Tank) or ‘Mega-Manoeuvres” (Jeep (or Landrover), Ferret, Saracen, FV432, Tank) packages with the T-55 as the tank choice.
You could also go for a ride in one or more of our vehicles – tank included, you get quite a different experience being sat up in the turret.
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Q. How long does the experience take?
A. All the pre-booked driving or ride experiences start with a guided tour of our vehicle fleet, where we'll explain the history and mechanical specifications of the vehicles, their service records and also let you get inside for a really close look - this includes moving the gun on the tank. This tour generally takes about 45-60 minutes.
Then for a drive we'll get the driver into the chosen vehicle(s) for the driving part - starting with a safety and operational briefing before taking to the track with an instructor. This part generally takes about 20-25 minutes per vehicle driven – with about 10-15 minutes of actual driving time.
For a ride we’ll get you into the helmets and an instructor will take you out for a blast on the track. This part generally takes about 10-15 minutes.
So for a single vehicle drive you should allow about 1.5 hours on our site. For a 3 vehicle drive allow about 2-2.5 hours. For a single vehicle ride allow about 1 hour. These are approximate timings.
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Q. Do you do kids birthday parties?
A. Yes, and very popular they are too! We have tables and chairs for party food (after the rides!) if you wish to bring this.
We can do a guided tour and FV432 ride (with the birthday boy or girl as vehicle commander) for $30 per person – with a minimum number of 6 people / $180. Above this number up to 2 adult helpers are free.
We can also do a guided tour and 2 vehicle rides (Saracen and FV432) for $50 per person – with a minimum number of 6 people / $300. Above this number up to 2 adult helpers are free.
A guided tour and ride in one of our tanks costs $125 per person (with a minimum number of 2).
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Q. I want to organise a company outing / team-building event / corporate day / Stag or Hen do / Etc. – can you do these?
A. Yes. And they make for a very unique and unforgettable experience – and some great photo opportunities!
We can do any combination of tours, driving and rides and activities to suit your objectives, time-frame and budget.
We can provide soft drinks and light refreshments and have tables, chairs and a BBQ should you wish to bring your own food.
Team building activities can include a vehicle tug-of-war, blindfold reversing challenge, Jeep obstacle course, vehicle quiz, tank car crush, etc.
Discounts are available for large groups.
Please contact us for a chat and/or to receive a copy of our corporate information pack.
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Q. Do I have to book?
A. Generally yes – this ensures that we are on site and that your chosen vehicle(s) will be ready and available for your drive / ride.
The exception to this rule is our Tour and Rides day when you do not need to book (but we do ask large groups to please).
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Q. Can I just call in to your site?
A. Generally no – pre-booking ensures that we are on site and that your chosen vehicle(s) will be ready and available for your drive / ride.
The exception to this rule is our Tour and Rides day when you do not need to book (but we do ask large groups to please let us know in advance).
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Q. What do we need to bring / what happens on the day?
On arrival for your tank adventure you'll be greeted by one of our friendly staff and welcomed to our site. Unless we have have asked to keep it a secret the staff member will confirm the details of your experience (guided tour, driving, passenger ride and possibly a car crush) and you'll be asked to read and sign an agreement to participate form. You'll be introduced to your instructor and issued with camo overalls and a helmet. For the guided tour up to 4 other people can come along at no extra cost, this part normally takes about 1 hour, you'll be able to take as many pictures as you want, have a really good look at and in our vehicles and ask the instructor any questions about the vehicles. Then for the driving experience any other members of your group will go to the spectator area while you get a full safety and instruction briefing on the vehicle before taking it for a blast on our track. This part normally takes about 20-25 minutes. After the drive they'll be time to get lots more photos of your huge grin and swap notes on the experience with the spectators. For rides everyone riding will be asked to sign the form and will be issued a helmet. The ride experience usually take about 10-15 minutes plus the guided tour.
Please bring your voucher (or a payment method if paying on the day – cash, eftpos, visa or mastercard).
Wear clothing and shoes which are sensible and you don’t mind getting a bit dirty / dusty / muddy / Etc. Include warm clothing in winter. We can supply overalls, a helmet and a shower-proof poncho.
Bring food and drink if you think you’ll need them.
Don’t forget you camera / video!
Please do contact us as soon as possible if you are running late, won’t be able to keep your booking or want to change it.
Remember that if you are driving one of our vehicles you must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Q. Can my family or friends ride in the vehicle while I drive?
A. No, not while you are driving, but rides are available separately. This is a requirement from our insurers. When a customer is driving the only other person allowed in the vehicle is an instructor. If passengers are carried, i.e. for a ride, one of our instructors must be driving. Your family and friends can watch you driving from the viewing area.
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Q. Can I split my driving time between multiple people?
A. No, we have tried this and it didn’t work. The driving times are designed to give you a good experience without being too short or long. If you want to come as a large group and all have a go at driving we may well be able to give a discount on the price per person or do a customised group package specifically to suit you.
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Q. How do I find your site?
A. See our Contact Us page for a map and detailed driving directions. We are situated on the corner of McLeans Island Road and Chattertons Road about 10 minutes from Christchurch Airport and about 1km west of Orana Wildlife Park which is well sign posted from the major routes around Christchurch.
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Q. How can I order and pay for a voucher?
A. You can order a voucher by email, by phone, by post or (by pre-arrangement) by calling in to our site.
We’ll need to know:
Which experience you would like the voucher to be for (or a monetary amount).
Who the voucher is to.
Who the voucher is from.
If you want a personalised message on it (and what that is).
If you would like the voucher to be posted (include the address) or emailed to you (include the email address and you’ll need a colour printer for best results) or if you intend to collect the voucher from our site (please phone to arrange a time with us).
Payment methods:
At our site you can pay by cash, eftpos, visa or mastercard.
By post you can pay by cheque (made payable to Tanks For Everything Ltd)
Over the phone you can pay by visa or mastercard.
You can also pay by bank transfer – please contact us for details.
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Q. How long is a voucher valid for?
A. Our vouchers are valid for 6 months. Within that time the recipient can contact us to book a time to come along which suits them. Please make sure you do contact us before the voucher runs out (and especially if you think you may not be able to come along to us before it expires). We will always try to find a way to make sure you don't miss out on your fantastic experience if you get in touch with us before the valid 'til / expiry date (which is the last day of the month stated on your voucher).
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Q. I’m not sure which vehicles to buy a voucher for – what can I do?
A. You can contact us to discuss the suitability of the different vehicle types.
You can buy a voucher for a monetary amount – that way the recipient can chose which vehicle(s) to drive.
Also the recipient can always ‘top up’ the voucher if they decide they want to drive a more expensive vehicle or package of vehicles. See above for more info. on vouchers.
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Q. I want to buy a tank – can you help?
A. If you are serious then yes we can. We have lots of experience of sourcing, buying, transporting and importing military and armoured vehicles into NZ. We also know about all the paperwork involved. Be aware that tanks aren’t cheap (and cost heaps to keep running) and there are various criteria which you’ll have to meet (including police checks) but we’re enthusiasts and would love to see more in NZ!
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Q. Why don’t you have a Tiger Tank / Sherman Tank / T-34 Tank / M113 APC / Bren gun carrier / GMC 6x6 truck / LAV / Etc. ?
A. We’d love to have all of the vehicles listed above and more! We did try to get one of the NZ M113’s but sadly that just didn’t happen :-( We have chosen our vehicle collection based on the different range driving experiences they give and also their availability, ease of driving for novices, access to spare parts, likelihood of being able to keep them operational, etc. We are working on adding to our fleet (and have just got our second main battle tank in the form of a Russian T-55).
If you have a tank or military vehicle you’d like to see us buy let us know when you come along for a drive, ride or tour. If you have one you’d like to donate please contact us right now for your free tour and ride/drive!
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Q. I have a tank / APC / army truck / Jeep / Etc. for sale – are you interested in buying it?
A. Possibly. We do have a wish-list and are always interested in finding out about good, reliable and sensibly priced vehicles which would add to and enhance our collection. If you have one you’d like to donate please contact us right now for your free tour and ride/drive!
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Q. What are you going to buy next to add to the fleet?
A. Well, it all depends on the finances. We’ve just bought our second tank (a Russian T-55), so we’ll have to save up for a while now but my wish list includes other tanks and military vehicles including (but not limited to): Leopard 1, Chieftain, T-34, T-72, M41, M113, M4, M42, Gage, Abbot, FV434, Stalwart, Saladin, BMP-1/OT90, BTR-60/OT-64, BRDM, Scorpion, Spartan, Fox, etc. I could go on......so I’ll keep buying the lottery tickets!
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Q. What are your future plans at Tanks For Everything?
A. Well, for the moment its getting ourselves established as a company and continuing to provide wonderful experiences for our customers. In addition to expanding our vehicle fleet, my dream is to have a ‘living museum’ type set up where we would have a broad selection of tanks and military vehicles (see my wish list above for a starter) with as many as possible in running condition. I would like to have these stored in large display buildings with information boards and accessories. As well as being able to do guided tours of the collection I’d want to still offer the rides and driving experiences as well.
Having a workshop function which could restore and preserve rare and important vehicles would also be great.
Finally I would love to be able to stage an annual weekend gathering of military vehicles, displays, re-enactments and militaria – a kind of New Zealand version of the War and Peace show.
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Q. Can I work for you? (it sounds like a fun job!)
A. It is! We are quite a small (but growing) company so the chances of us having a vacancy are not that high – if we do it’ll be on the home page of our website.
We do have some enthusiasts / friends who give us a hand now and then on a voluntary basis. If you think this could be you then please contact us for a chat.
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