Driving from London to Australia advice

[EvH]

That sounds absolutely awesome!! Would love to drive home to Johannesburg in the same way!! Hmm, need a LOOONG holiday!

[datack]

cheers people

Cheers people for all the advice.

So far we are about 80% sure we're doing it... still just making sure its financially viable but we are getting too excited to back out now

So I'm thinking that the basic necessities will be:
-6 good all terrain tyres
-snorkel
-decent roof rack
-spotties
-lots of jerry cans
-split battery system
-box of spares like filters and hoses and fuses etc
-good set of tools
-lots of pre-packaged food so I don't have to eat testicle soup in mongolia

I guess we'd get the 4wd serviced and get all the brakes/shocks etc done and replace before we set out.

Like people have said I would assume we'd be doing about 60%-70% of this trip on road, and the rest would be dirt tracks... nothing too hardcore... but it would be somewhere in area of 16,000 - 20,000 miles depending on the route.

Is there anything I should look out for in buying a hilux? We are looking at the 3L TD models around the 94/95 year mark. Seen a few nice looking ones with a bullbar and spotties in place and about 50,000 miles on the clock for about £2500... good deal you think?

Also, where do people have their cars insured? Any problems with this being an "import"?

And of course we'd keep a diary/blog... I don't think you could doa trip like this and not share it

Cheers,
Duncan.

[POPEYE]

You'll find the testicle soup very overrated, i thought it was a load of b0ll0ks,

there are a few insurers who actually know what a hilux surf is, not sure about em covering you for your planned trip tho,

[datack]

You'll find the testicle soup very overrated, i thought it was a load of b0ll0ks,

there are a few insurers who actually know what a hilux surf is, not sure about em covering you for your planned trip tho,

Ba dum ching! Nice gag

So who are said insurers who know what a hilux surf is? We aren't planning on undertaking this trip till August next year as there are mountains of paperwork to climb over before then... so its going to need to be insured for good ol' regular UK roads for a year before then....

Just though other hilux owners would know who are the best insurers for this sort of vehicle.

[Sancho]

So who are said insurers who know what a hilux surf is?

Having fun pulling these teeth?

You could try Adrian Flux - they seem to be best rated.
Lifesure are cheap but don't cover as much and love their admin fees.
Tesco seem to be quite well liked too.

Most of the comparison sites etc won't recognise a Surf.

[stormforce]

Adrian Flux
Tesco
Lifesure
These are 3 of quite a few that insure them

[POPEYE]

Yup appoligies for the attempt at humor, anyway check out the list of insurers in the FAQ section top of main page, i believe they are all reccomended by members, i'm with mototquote at £245 but as i said you may have to get a special deal for the trip,
if you do settle on a hilux i'd reccomend joining the toyota austrailia site as well (unless your already on it)
look forward to the blog/diary btw

http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/

[da SLUG man]

i nearly drove to andorra one weekend... but realised that by the time i got there, it would be time to go home!!!

[Fordy]

I've got a couple of friends who did London to Auckland using a fairly similar route, but they went on a bike so you should be fine in a tank from the world's biggest car manufacturer. See their story here:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tst...ichardandlisa/

Hang on, are the Fordy's friends? That would be weird.

No, my friends went in a 110

[Apache]

i nearly drove to andorra one weekend... but realised that by the time i got there, it would be time to go home!!!

Hey, I'll be passing Andorra next august on my way along the pair'o'knees.

[da SLUG man]

Hey, I'll be passing Andorra next august on my way along the pair'o'knees.

cool!... think it worked out as 16hrs drive, not including the ferry...

i was gonna leave on the friday straight after work, then have a ####up on the saturday and come home sunday.....

think i may have fet rough at work on the monday morning!!

[TOC]

driving in china with a UK driving licence will be almost impossible without a permit.

You really need to look in to this.. i go to china and I am not allowed to rent a car even with a international drivers permit.

see here:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/Livi...ina/201154.htm

You need to check other countries too such as tibet, the permit may not work in tibet.

good luck.. i am doing mongolia next year in a surf.

[mullinsj]

Take a look at www.dublintosydney.com, these guys used a bmw 3 series. You should find all the info you need.

[datack]

Yeah I have seen the dublin guys... if they can do it in a BMW then I should have no problems in a surf. We have also seen a few websites that help you organise the whole getting through China problem... seems to be do-able if a pain in the ass and fairly expensive.

Does anyone know if it is more expensive to kit out a surf than a landcruiser (80 Series)? I had it recommended to me to get a landcruiser as you'll pay more for the car but pay less to get it fitted ready to cross these distances...

I loked at Landcruisers but I'd be paying at least 1500 more for a landcruiser with low miles, and it would be a few years older and a 4.2L engine. I mean I'm sure all that power is handy and it might be a studier car, but I bet the mileage is fairly rubbish with such a larger engine.

What do you guys/gals think?

[BUSHWHACKER]

Yeah I have seen the dublin guys... if they can do it in a BMW then I should have no problems in a surf. We have also seen a few websites that help you organise the whole getting through China problem... seems to be do-able if a pain in the ass and fairly expensive.

Does anyone know if it is more expensive to kit out a surf than a landcruiser (80 Series)? I had it recommended to me to get a landcruiser as you'll pay more for the car but pay less to get it fitted ready to cross these distances...

I loked at Landcruisers but I'd be paying at least 1500 more for a landcruiser with low miles, and it would be a few years older and a 4.2L engine. I mean I'm sure all that power is handy and it might be a studier car, but I bet the mileage is fairly rubbish with such a larger engine.

What do you guys/gals think?

The Landcruiser would be more suited to the distance/terrain you're travelling, plus the 4.2 is a torquey motor so fuel economy should be the same if not a little better.