NSW on a Campervan

[touchme]

Planning a trip with my 2 other friends to OZ this Oct for around 10 days. To save time we are flying from Singapore to Darwin, then taking a domestic flight from Darwin to Alice Springs.

Campervan pick up will begin from Alice Springs, we will be setting off towards Uluru, and then down the Stuart Highway towards Adelaide.

We have been cracking our heads on finding a good price for campervan rental.
- Apollo quoted around $2500 AUD for 10 days rental (including $350 one way fee) for a Hitop
- Vroom quoted about $1300+ AUD for 10 days rental
- Wicked Camper (heard the bad reputations) quoted about $1300+ AUD

Not sure how come Apollo charges so much more...

@touchme bro, you recommended using agencies as they charge relatively lower than directly booking from the company. I tried campervan australia but the search results yields nothing. Would you have any other recommendations on campervan booking?

Apollo makes premium out of their own website from noobs.
They throw their business to agents, which takes a cut of 5-10%

Tried salamandatravel, and it's AUD1171( Cheapa) to AUD1222 (Apollo), both are apollo's same models, just different ages.
Mightycampers also doing AUD1300
Add 2% for credit card surcharges.

You cannot take salamanda to pricematch apollo (same group), but can pricematch with mighty (less 5-10%)

Only apollo hi-tops have walkthru from back to front cabins, useful when you forgot something in front when sleeping at night. or having kid grab snacks from behind.

Note, whatever how they deter, 2-berth hi-tops seats and sleeps 3, technically and legally. Declare 2 if they impose. (3rd person less than 50kg).

Apollo Endeavour sleeps 4 (50% higher cost, 2x liability/security depost, $5k), only with a reinforced (nailed thicker) plank on top bed. The back seating, space and config is not good, cf. to Hi-top, ironically still 1ft shorter.

(We seated in-front and slept 4 last and this year - 2 were 6-7yo, 1 smaller one rehearsed to take quick cover on patrol sighting..lol).

 

[touchme]

I dunno about the rest's practice. BUt last year, it's compulsory cooking gas topup (no need return full, $25).

This year, it's compulsory full tank top-up ($85-100+, can return empty, but given below 'F', insisted they topped it up).
Full tank, way above F, costs me $80 only.

They tried to impose both compulsory, I insist not fair, removed the cooking gas.
Eventually I still return not full. Not checked when returning. With petrol way below 'E"..lol

Again no need insurance if experienced driver, Alice-Adelaide is ulu roads. More careful with slow reversals, parking, branches, bushes,etc.
Travel insurance already covers $1500 -2K.

Coming up...parking /speeding fines, admin costs as per contract.

 

[veryred]

If want to cover your ass for excess. I suggest purchasing travel insurance from covermore. They have 10k excess cover for rental cars. I just purchased mine for $97nzd for 37 days with $0 excess.

 

[buzbuz]

If want to cover your ass for excess. I suggest purchasing travel insurance from covermore. They have 10k excess cover for rental cars. I just purchased mine for $97nzd for 37 days with $0 excess.

share ins. agency/plan pls

 

[veryred]

share ins. agency/plan pls

you can read it up here
CoverMore Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance Easy Online Quote from CoverMore New Zealand

 

[jimbok]

Apollo makes premium out of their own website from noobs.
They throw their business to agents, which takes a cut of 5-10%

Tried salamandatravel, and it's AUD1171( Cheapa) to AUD1222 (Apollo), both are apollo's same models, just different ages.
Mightycampers also doing AUD1300
Add 2% for credit card surcharges.

You cannot take salamanda to pricematch apollo (same group), but can pricematch with mighty (less 5-10%)

Only apollo hi-tops have walkthru from back to front cabins, useful when you forgot something in front when sleeping at night. or having kid grab snacks from behind.

Note, whatever how they deter, 2-berth hi-tops seats and sleeps 3, technically and legally. Declare 2 if they impose. (3rd person less than 50kg).

Apollo Endeavour sleeps 4 (50% higher cost, 2x liability/security depost, $5k), only with a reinforced (nailed thicker) plank on top bed. The back seating, space and config is not good, cf. to Hi-top, ironically still 1ft shorter.

(We seated in-front and slept 4 last and this year - 2 were 6-7yo, 1 smaller one rehearsed to take quick cover on patrol sighting..lol).

Thanks for replying. We actually decided to shortlist Brtiz for the fact that they have 24/7 customer service and seems the company is well-structured from the way they are replying to our queries.

The Bonus Package/Liability Reduction seems to be adding up to quite a lot. Is the Bonus Package or Liability Reduction necessary? We're planning to buy travel insurance in Singapore and seems like it covers some rented vehicle claims as well.



Btw, we're planning the destination to be Melbourne, total travel days around 10 days. So the trip is more of a stop and go. As the must-go places we planned are Uluru, 12 Apostles, Stuart Highway, The Great Ocean Road.

 

[jimbok]

Oh the reason I choose up to 30-Oct as the minimum period for Alice Spring - Melbourne is 14 days. salamandatravel travel website does not have this limitation though, saves up quite a bit!

 

[buzbuz]

Yes, jimbok, Britz/Mighty/Maui is more professional and listens. Experienced drivers don't need cdw.

Add Grampians (2d/1n suffice) along the way westward before Great Ocean.

 

[jimbok]

Yes, jimbok, Britz/Mighty/Maui is more professional and listens. Experienced drivers don't need cdw.

Add Grampians (2d/1n suffice) along the way westward before Great Ocean.

Thanks. Since it's the first road trip for the 3 of us and all 3 have licenses, I am thinking to take up the Reliability Deduction just in case anything happens.

I would assume the Bond is referring to Credit Card deposit, refundable after returning the vehicle right? touchme bro mentioned about refunding this Bond late that caused CC to charge more due to forex. So to save the hassle, we thought paying for the Bonus Package would be a better option for us.

The 2 other drivers have driven to KL quite often, 1 of then got some basic mechanic knowledge, so I hope these would be useful in the case of breakdowns *touchwood*.

For those who has done roadtrips to OZ, what do you think of our planned route? It seems rush but if it's doable we can at least rest assured we can catch the flight at Melbourne.

Planned Trip Schedule
17-Oct-2014 7am: Fly domestic from Darwin to Alice Springs
17-Oct-2014 10am: Alice Springs - Collection of campervan, drive towards Yulara. Stay the night at Uluru/Yulara.
18-Oct-2014 1pm: Set off from Uluru towards Coober Pedy via Stuarts Highway
19-Oct-2014 12pm: Set off from Coober Pedy towards Port Augusta
20-Oct-2014 10am: Set off from Port Augusta towards Adelaide
21-Oct-2014 1pm: Set off from Adelaide towards 12 Apostles
22-Oct-2014 1pm: Set off from 12 Apostles towards Melbourne taking the Great Ocean Road B100 (heard it's amazing)



That's the current schedule. Since we're flying back on the 26-Oct, abit of buffer can be set for stopovers or staying abit longer in the towns.

 

[touchme]

jimbok, your schedule looks like an outback rally. Alice-Adelaide-Melbourne is like 3K + 1K km (inc attraction detours). 10 days x 400km driving is certainly not healthy nor enjoyable. Keep your itineary to ave. 200km/day (max 250km) for a holiday feel..(either increase your leave or skipping melbourne). The HW from alice-adelaide is dry an no kick. Break it in between with some layback, pool dips, hikes or adventure

Driving & CDW

Since all of you have driven msian roads, you certainly do not need CDW, absurbly high. As long as you pay your security deposit AUD$2500+ to credit card and not incur interest, you lose about $100 only on their 2% 2-way transaction charges only.

As for driving, try as much to trail anther car/truck in front, even if they are fast. Then to drive solo in front, and risk animals/objects on road, esp at night.

Speeding and Parking Infringements

Still dun speed, the fine is heftier than SG, AUD200 for +6 kmph/ AUD300 for +10 kmph, On the contrary, their cams catch you at the slow places, not the Hws. 40mins overdue parking coupon (NSW) AUD101. Hard to appeal successfully. Watch the renter contract terms on fines, some charge a AUD50-100 admin fee, simply by arrowing you, the responsible driver, to the authorities.

Relocation Deals
Your itinery warants you to look at some campervan relocation deals for $1/day nearer travel dates with any depots. Pickup alice and dropoff popular cities are common. At most you swap vehicles at Adelaide if Melbourne not available.
Example here:

Option
I hate to add this for you, but given more time, halfway between Cooper and Augustus , you shd detour via Roxby Downs and experience the Oodnadatta Track (hardly seen on google map, a single grey unnamed line) is an mysterious sand track for the almost real outback desert with the orange sand meeting horizon, surrounding you 360degree all round, deafening silent, with shooting stars every 5-10 mins at night, and a house or ranch ( with food) every 100+ km. Thrilling but safe. The track is about 1500 km, and for the first time, we saw a signage that say 'No services for the next 700km+) but you can just do 100+km of it thru Roxby Downs and Maree on the way down Adelaide. The #1 most intriguing and unforgettable experience me and my other half agreed and loved very much. There is a Flinders Ranges NP thereafter too.

Crossing From SA to VIC, if Sat/Sun late afternoon at Bordertown (town centre). Nice to catch their monster truck derbies and those smash up demolition derbies/races Free entry at gallery You will see signages lot of cars and people parked and hear hornings from the distance. Very sexciting.

And yes, Grampians is almost a must just 1-2 days before GORoute.

If you are really making it to Mel, tell you a secret path to confront the penguins up close, beaching at the 12 Apostles, without paying AUD75 per head at Phillip Island, sitting at the gallery only.

Extend your holidays ba, or split out as separate trips.

*courtesy google images

 

[touchme]

Sharing my June Syd-Mel-Syd, 15 days, 3.8k km road trip.. (a little too much driving I refuse initially), but forced by other half, and little pressured by travel companions in a separate campervan, doing the extra GOR and Grampians loop, which we've been twice previously.

Maybe excessive driving or unused companions, or repeat visits, so not so enjoyable trip though, but reminiscent.

Sydney-Melbourne & back - June 2014

Never can make it to Alice in Earlier Trips (below), turned back both times, just too far.

Melbourne-Oodnadatta (2005)

Darwin-Kakadu/KAtherine NP (2006)

doing NT again this Sep, nvr Alice I guess

 

[jimbok]

@touchme, wow you had quite a record number of trips to OZ, can tell you like the country a lot!

Regarding the distance covered for my planned trip, as long as the vehicle is reliable, it should be alright. It may be be fatiguing journey, but we are certainly looking forward for our first road trip together.

For Oodnadatta Track, will rental companies allow driving to this location? Not sure if the campervan can handle non tarmac roads?

 

[jimbok]

Relocation offers sounds really tempting, but it seems we can only book at the last minute looking at their relocations page.

 

[buzbuz]

If I were you, I'll take the relocation deal from Alice-Adelaide (quite sure they won't mind even 5 days rental).at most pay 7 x$1 and return 2 days early.
Then swap to a 5 days car for Adelaide-Mel leg.

 

[touchme]

Relocation offers sounds really tempting, but it seems we can only book at the last minute looking at their relocations page.

Not that I like the country, but it's the nearest place to feel and experience total freedom and vastness of nothingness. I enjoy US/Canada/NZ and Swiss Alps more, with their more rugged terrain and landscapes.

O track can go, but not covered by insurance, we drove a saloon car (not 4wd) back then, no prob. Ulu but still about every 30 mins a tourist car drives past either way. Traction is no prob, with gravel over sand. Drove hi-top inside Kalberri NP (WA ) on similar terrain too, for about 100km also good.

Bigger concern may be clotting of air filter or radiator driving on fuming sand for hundreds of km (but no point hundreds kms/days in desert, 100+ km /half day suffice)
(Looking at gmaps now, seems the 100km section from maree to the T-intersection is enhanced - yellow lined now, but takes the fun away le)

Relocation deals do appear about 1 month -6 weeks, before date, typically they give 7-14 days for you to reach their desired depot, which may fit your schedule, saving aud1000 on your rental. Real deal because they short of vehicles in cities to the outback,which they charge a lot more.
(Most 1,way rentals are from busy cities to remote cities, technically your Alice-Melbourne is doing them a free favor.)

buzbuz has a good point in her suggestion.

 

[touchme]

My bad experience over driving 6k km over 20 days in states round CA into Midwest Monument valley and Arches NP and back, no joke, took me 6 months to recover before next trip. Doesn't matter who's driving, is the time spend in the car/minivan. But Midwest was awesome, but that's another story.

 

[jimbok]

My bad experience over driving 6k km over 20 days in states round CA into Midwest Monument valley and Arches NP and back, no joke, took me 6 months to recover before next trip. Doesn't matter who's driving, is the time spend in the car/minivan. But Midwest was awesome, but that's another story.

Oh wow 6k km.. Care to share your bad experience? Was it the intense amount of driving that spoiled your trip?

 

[touchme]

Oh wow 6k km.. Care to share your bad experience? Was it the intense amount of driving that spoiled your trip?

Not that bad when driving, given the sceneries and company, and love for driving.. But after returning , was lethargic, detest driving for weeks and naturally held back on road trips too soon.

 

[sellun]

wow touchme! super awesome details shared by you!

After doing campervan in nz we're hooked to travel via camper and planning to do oz next year! What's the recommended route for first timer to oz (not first timer doing camper)?
We're considering tasmania (which is similar to nz).

Most likely going may - jun because we like cold and its cheaper during that season.

Any recommendation?

 

[touchme]

wow touchme! super awesome details shared by you!

After doing campervan in nz we're hooked to travel via camper and planning to do oz next year! What's the recommended route for first timer to oz (not first timer doing camper)?
We're considering tasmania (which is similar to nz).

Most likely going may - jun because we like cold and its cheaper during that season.

Any recommendation?

Surprised you din look this up b4 your jun nz trip, and that you shared little on your nz thread..

Nevertheless, you've done your better sightseeing roadtrip in NZ.
OZ isn't as awesome, in terms of terrain and adventures, but costs-wise is lower by about 30%, attractions are spaced further (1-2 hrs) apart, as opposed to NZ 30 mins apart. Hpwever, it's good if you taking it slow with more leisure (hikes/camping/hangaround).

True that cold is good, costs 50% lower, but also daylight is 50% less, meaning double days needed as opposed to summer.

OZ is just too big and varied for my suggestion, and unknown is your likes. If you are in for more:
A) Attractions/Coastal/Beaches/Shopping = Melbourne-Sydney.
B) Adventures/Beaches/Shopping = Brisbane-Sydney
C) Vastness/Nature/Peace = Darwin-Alice Springs or Adelaide-Alice Springs
D) Small-family Activities/Sightseeing = Albany-Perth-Kalberri
E) Mix of C & D : Tasmania (yup, nz like, but less explored wilderness)

F) Nothing much (unless you consider Great Ocean Route + Grampians here) = Melbourne-Adelaide
G) Cannot comment/ not done/ but sounds nice = Cairns-Brisbane, Darwin-Broome-Perth

* above based on 12-18 days itinerary

I guess for first time OZ, A is best, visiting the 2 largest cities, beaches, more wildlife, but also the most commercialisation cf. rest of OZ here.