Thread: No claptrap please

When you are up country you will find that it's about 85% Toyota,10% Nissan and 5% the rest. Work out your strategy from that. If you want to tow a camper trailer go for not less than a 3 ltr, diesel and preferably manual. Fuel is expensive up country but in the scheme of things its relatively minor part of the trip cost.

I'd suggest that before you make any big investment that you take a short minimilist trip tent camping with the vehicle you have now just to see if you want to be doing that sort of thing. The outback is not for everyone and it's bloody hard work at times up there. It's about heat cold and dust and general lack of water all the time. You really need to be in a party with others as well. I suggest you don't go to central Oz in the months of July or August: that's just an endurance exercise for any form of camping with the night cold

Having done the big trip in a 2 ltr Subaru Forester ( modified) yes you could drive a CRV round most of outback OZ but its just too small to carry the necessary freight in any comfort.

You definitely could not tow a camper trailer off road with such a vehicle. Don't even think about it.

I don't think you will ever find the right compromise in vehicles and camp accommodation unless you plan to be on the road semi permanently. Too many balls in the air with that one.

Happy dust eating

Old Pete

This same question has been plaguing me for the last couple of years. We have a caravan thats not been used in 7 years because we only have a mazda 323 which couldn't pull the skin off custard but dam its a nice little economical car to get around in - parking is a breeze too. Every time i see someone struggling to do a reverse park i have a little chuckle to myself as i drive straight into parking spots with just a quick forward/backward shuffle.
However we are VERY keen to start using the caravan again & are keen for a trip to the mainland for a month or 2 or more.
So the question for us is do we sell the mazda & buy a late model car with enough grunt to tow our caravan or do we keep the caravan & just buy a cheap second car to tow the caravan?????
Considering that we'll be lucky to get away to the mainland every couple of years with the caravan & will probably only end up using the caravan for a couple of weeks a year - weighing that against the increased fuel consumption for the other 50 weeks of the year makes the choice even harder.
Trying to find a model of car with enough grunt to tow yet has good economy for the rest of the year is looking like a fantasy.
But the idea of paying 2 x the rego plus insurance (tho with some insurance companies offering 'pay as u drive' at least the insurance issue is less of an issue)

Arthur,

Been around Oz twice upto Cape York, and done the Simpson Desert. I still have my 82 shorty Landcruiser. Been there done that with and without trailer.

Now to the points.....

Most of the roads are bitumen to get between major towns. (Some of the bitumen isn't that good though) How much do you want to go off road (dirt roads) to see stuff and stay there? Going to use any short routes to get between point A and point B?

As stated before diesel Toyotas and Nissians are the ones. The outback people are the most friendly you'll come across and they drive diesels. You get stuck they will help.

Tow a trailer. It's a lot easier to set up to camp anywhere. Pitching a tent every day is not nice especially if you enjoy a bit of comfort.

Talking of comfort, most modern 4x4 have a comfortable suspension. My shorty doesn't but then it's almost indestructable in the bush and those horrid corrugated dirt roads (bone jarring is the word). Also it just doesn't have the space inside the vehicle for storage.

My tip for a vehicle that would tow a trailer, have ample storage and be comfortable would be the Dual Cab Hilux diesel. (yes they are tough)

Thanx fellas.

I have done some - actually a fair bit- of driving on poor roads, but not for quite a while. Just how much real off road and tough stuphph we do ( if the decision is to drive) is still a bit up in the air.

I have been leaning towards a twin cab diesel with a tray back that I can buld something onto. One problem I am facing is that Swambo demands an ensuite!!

Boody expensive things. An ensuite adds up to 12grand to any set up. Can do a lot of driving and motel comfort camping for that money. !!!

Originally Posted by artme

One problem I am facing is that Swambo demands an ensuite!!

Four star pickets, a tarp and a shovel. Put your ensuite anywhere.

Originally Posted by The Bleeder

Four star pickets, a tarp and a shovel.

That's a bit luxurious ... you really only need the one star picket to hold onto so you don't fall into the pit.

Originally Posted by The Bleeder

Four star pickets, a tarp and a shovel. Put your ensuite anywhere.

Originally Posted by Vernonv

That's a bit luxurious ... you really only need the one star picket to hold onto so you don't fall into the pit.

I'm OK with either set-up, but one picket is less work to nail into the ground.

Might have to get a dog trailer just for the sake of a crap.

Now -- Back on task:

Had a fellow tell me today that the smaller Turbo diesels overheat, chew fuel and scream their little heads off. Not what I've read. Does anyone have any ideas or real info on this?

Originally Posted by artme

Had a fellow tell me today that the smaller Turbo diesels overheat, chew fuel and scream their little heads off. Not what I've read. Does anyone have any ideas or real info on this?

I've got a 2.7L turbo diesel Nissan and find that it's a great little engine. Very good economy, great get-up-and-go and certainly not noisy. This is an engine that has done over 270,000 kms.

Originally Posted by Rattrap

This same question has been plaguing me for the last couple of years. We have a caravan thats not been used in 7 years because we only have a mazda 323 which couldn't pull the skin off custard but dam its a nice little economical car to get around in - parking is a breeze too. Every time i see someone struggling to do a reverse park i have a little chuckle to myself as i drive straight into parking spots with just a quick forward/backward shuffle.
However we are VERY keen to start using the caravan again & are keen for a trip to the mainland for a month or 2 or more.
So the question for us is do we sell the mazda & buy a late model car with enough grunt to tow our caravan or do we keep the caravan & just buy a cheap second car to tow the caravan?????
Considering that we'll be lucky to get away to the mainland every couple of years with the caravan & will probably only end up using the caravan for a couple of weeks a year - weighing that against the increased fuel consumption for the other 50 weeks of the year makes the choice even harder.
Trying to find a model of car with enough grunt to tow yet has good economy for the rest of the year is looking like a fantasy.
But the idea of paying 2 x the rego plus insurance (tho with some insurance companies offering 'pay as u drive' at least the insurance issue is less of an issue)

Hi Again Rattrap,

If you are honest and realistic in your approach to doing your sums hiring becomes very attractive particularly if you want to go to the far north or the NW of WA or the Cape. Conservatively those trips involve close on 8000 km just to get there and back from Tassie. That's about 5 to 6 weeks in travel time if you drive all day every day plus realistically it will cost you 60c per km minimum. You can do a fair bit of hire for 4 grand. Old Pete

Originally Posted by old pete

Hi Again Rattrap,

If you are honest and realistic in your approach to doing your sums hiring becomes very attractive particularly if you want to go to the far north or the NW of WA or the Cape. Conservatively those trips involve close on 8000 km just to get there and back from Tassie. That's about 5 to 6 weeks in travel time if you drive all day every day plus realistically it will cost you 60c per km minimum. You can do a fair bit of hire for 4 grand. Old Pete

That's exactly the sort of arithmetic I've been doing Pete.

I think we get a bit carried away with owning things. We will be researching air fares, accommodation costs, hire fees and guided tours. before any decision is made.

HOWEVER I'm still after vehicle info.

Thats an interesting notion Old Pete,
I'm not so sure on your figures tho.
If i wanted to drive 'all day every day' as u mentioned i could be in far north QLD in 4-5 days going hell for leather or about a week driving normally - that's not taking into account any side detours etc that most people do on that sort of caravaning holiday.
& 60c per klm?? How did u come up with that figure? I know towing a caravan sucks up heaps of fuel but 50Lper 100klms?? Thats some seriously bad fuel consumption. I'm talking about towing a small 2 person caravan that weighs in at 710kg (GVM)
Still, its an interesting thought thats worth looking onto further.

Hi Rattrap,

Depreciate the capital cost of your vehicle at 22% per annum. Add insurance and registration costs then add a sensible figure for maintenance and repair. Add fuel cost for your estimated travel distance per annum then divide that total by the distance you plan to travel. If that is less than 60c per klm I'll be very surprised. If you tell me that most of those costs are there anyway I'll run out to the workshop for my 29 db ear muffs.

Cheers Old Pete

Sometimes I wonder about this cost per kilometre Arithmetic.

Registration and insurance, fuel, tyre wear and depreciation have to be taken into account when determining the true cost of vehicle ownership. That is a given. BUT if your car sits in the garage for a month what is the true cost compared to driving it say, 2000 kilometres in a month> In other words if you have it, use it.

Caravans and camper trailers are a slightly different kettle of fish. I would venture to say that most get little use. They therefore have the status of very expensive, must have toys.

To satisfy my SWMBO"s desire fore a van with ensuite we are looking at - minimum - $50 000. Now I need another vehicle to tow that and do some dirty work. 2nd hand V8 Cruiser $40 000

I can have a lot of holiday for $90grand. At the end of that I have a van to dispose of and a lumbering tank that is of no use in suburbia.

Lots to consider!!

Rego & insurance are 2 hits that i just can't avoid, where as insurance, fuel, tire wear, maintaince only apply when i use the vehicle - that is if i have 2 cars, 1 dedicated to towing.
I'm quite sure that those figures would still rack up pretty quickly towards your 60c per klm tho Pete.