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| Tillerman56 Member Since: 22 May 2013 Location: In a Dutch polder, below sea level.... Posts: 41   
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Hi all,
Back in 2001 we (2 couples) had rented two 300Tdi Defender 110's, from AussieTrax. The company was located at Hervey Bay, near Brisbane, Queensland. If you rented a car from them it was shipped to your chosen departure location. We picked up the cars at Barbagello Motors in Perth, travelled to Darwin in about 5 weeks, and delivered the cars to the pre-arranged drop-off point, a Land Rover dealer at the Stuart Highway in Darwin. So that meant that AussieTrax had to take care of shipping the cars to Perth and hauling them back from Darwin to Hervey Bay. That must have been expensive for them, and we wondered if the money we paid for renting the cars for 5 weeks covered the cost for shipping them over these long distances. AussieTrax stepped out of the business of long distance rentals a few years later, as today they are only active in the 4x4 rental businness on Fraser Island. Some video clips of our trip are at http://vimeo.com/search?q=from+perth+to+darwin Well, that was a long introduction for the question I was going to ask here: does anyone of you know if there are still Defenders for hire anywhere in Australia? I know of many companies renting LandCruisers, and they are not too bad 4x4 verhicles too, but of course we prefer Defenders. We have not yet defenitive plans, but that we go back to Australia in the next few years is for sure. Okay, so much for my first post on this forum 
Tillerman. |
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2nd Jun 2013 6:43pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63  
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Not sure if you can anymore.
We were thinking of offering a hire service with a number of 110 SW, kitted for remote travel on a tour basis. Would they be a market for it??? 2010 Defender 130 HCPU 1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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4th Jun 2013 11:05am |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169  
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I briefly looked into hire costs for our 2014 trip to Australia.
For the length of time we are going for - 4 months - hiring a vehicle had several disadvantages - Cost per day - even discounted for longer periods was a LOT of money Restrictions on use - some of the most remote/extreme tracks not permitted, not allowed in sea or on beaches, etc Lack of off-road kit - front winch and long range tanks but not a lot else Having to hire / buy camping gear or ship over separately (esp when considering baggage allowances on personal flights) Not knowing the particular vehicle mechanically, not having tools and/or possibility of self-maintaining/fixing For us, going for 4 months, therefore, shipping our own Defender out there for this trip is by far the better option We know the vehicle inside/out (self-built and maintained) Can add all the off-road kit we may need, plus some extra we want Can pack it with all the gear needed including spare parts, tools, camping kit, some clothes, etc. The investment in extra kit stays with the vehicle on return to the UK It is more fun in your own car - go where you want, if you scratch/ding it it, no worrying about the hire company! Costs for container/port agent around the same as hiring for the duration Just my thoughts, loads of people hire all sorts of vehicles to tour Australia, but if you fancy the idea of a Defender, then taking you own, as per above is well worth considering.
(see blog link below for more info) Our blog - http://landytravels.com/ Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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4th Jun 2013 8:26pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63
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If you hire over here yes theres restrictions on where you can go, but theres also flexibility on some of the more remote tourist routes, thats are just gravel roads.
All these hire companies supply you will everything you need for a trip. However remote travel is a different ball game, and no one with little or no off road experience should dive in the outback. Our idea was to offer Land Rovers to hire fully kitted, and take part in a tag along tour, giving the client a full outback experience with the backing of a experienced team. The cost of Importing a car to Australia for 4 months is huge and unless you are doing overland travel its going to be a lot of time and effort for a short time. The cost to get into Australia would cost you in the region 3/4 uk pounds, plus the same to get out. Maybe this equates to the cost of your hire period? And 4 months is not alot of time to do Australia? try 4 years. 2010 Defender 130 HCPU 1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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4th Jun 2013 9:29pm |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169
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We've shipped a Land Rover into Australia twice already - to compete in the Outback Challenge in 2005 and 2008, so are well aware of the costs (which have gone up considerably since then! eek!) and paperwork etc. But yes, the costs for a hire car for 4 months would be around the same as bringing in our own car.
Both times it was for 3 weeks only - so in comparison 4 months is a LONG time! 
Would love to do a full year (the longest tourist visa you can get) - but the reality is we can only do 4 months as that's all we can afford - for money and time off work. We can't go down the skilled migrant visa or working visa route as we are too old and don't have the right careers and qualifications to get the points, so we are aiming to do as much as possible in the time we do have. As I said above, we would far rather be travelling in a vehicle we know and can prepare ourselves and we prefer to travel solo as much as possible - although meeting up with like-minded souls along the way ad hoc would be fab! Have looked at joining a commercial tag-a-long as a self-drive - the company and crack and extra security of being in a group are appealing up to a point, but the fees are very expensive and would take a huge chunk out of our budget to do it that way. I think if people are looking for a special experience as just one part of an extended non-offroady holiday then the commercial tagalongs are brilliant - but for us we are looking for a more independent adventure experience over a longer time. At the moment we are planning for March to end of June, as this will give us some time in the south during the late summer /early autumn before heading north in late April/early May when (hopefully!!!) the rains will have stopped and the graders will have been out and got the roads opened up. With the restricted time we will need to be very selective about which of the remote tracks we do - we love the red centre so at the very least we want to do the Simpson, but also on the possibles list are the Gibb River Road and Cape York (maybe the Telegraph Track, but it seems to have got very busy almost to the point of being too touristy for our tastes!). We also want to do some touristy things like Australia Zoo and Great Barrier Reef. Other possible stop offs may include the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Finke Desert Race, depending on timings! Our blog - http://landytravels.com/ Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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4th Jun 2013 10:42pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63
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So you are more or less Australian then, if you have done a few outback trips.
Wow you imported a car for just 3 weeks, thats keen... 4 months will seem like a like time. And what a fantastic time you will have, especially as you have been here before you will be more prepared. I have the up most respect for any one who travels the world and uses there own vehicle.. You could come on a sponsered visa> come and run my land rover tour company 
I 100% agree on utilising your own vehicle, you know it inside out and its yours do as you please with. Did you get a good price on your Australian Carnet? Tag along tours are very expensive for what they are friend of mine does them, $1000 plus a 5 days, you still have to pay for everything you need. I think theres a place in the market here for people to hire a land rover and be a part of a proper tour, this opens up the outback for those who normally would never get to see it, aimed more at cashed up Americans, not trying to be stereotypical when saying that.. but theres alway people wanted that something different from a holiday. We were out bush May/June last year for the Land Rover Heritage drive, still very very green after 3 years of rain, alot of tracks were closed due to rain that came from no where. iTs a good time to go then, cool at night but amazing in the day for driving... Cant say I am too keen on the Cape, like you say very busy, theres better place to go than there. Flinders range very nice, then up the Birdsville track, and do the outback loop if a good one, 2/3 weeks at the most. You should drop in on our 2014 Land Rover Heritage Drive, for a day or 2 if you are around. 2010 Defender 130 HCPU 1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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5th Jun 2013 2:20am |
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| wyvern Member Since: 13 Dec 2009 Location: Cornwall Posts: 2114  
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We cycled from Darwin to Adelaide down the Stewart Highway via Alice and Coober Pedy, then up to Melbourne along the Great Ocean road, and finished off in Sidney ... 
We took our own bikes and tents and had a fab time looking at the Red Centre, Kakadu, Uluru, and all the wine along the Barossa valley! Loved Katharine Gorge .. Probably more touristy than the trips you have planned but our maximum was 100 miles a day and only had one wheel drive with not much traction off road on our skinny road tyres! 
..... getting itchy feet again for the outback just reading this tread! Have just started looking as shipping costs to Aus for the 110.... Poppy - TDCI (Puma) 110XS 2.2 - Camper conversion - see the build here - https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56530.html
Elgar -TDCI(Puma) 110XS Dormobile - now sold Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response - DC126  |
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5th Jun 2013 8:48pm |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169
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Yeah, the cleaning is an issue ! It is a bit stressful but the trick is to obviously get the vehicle as clean as much as possible before you send it, inside and out, equipment, everything. As I said we've done it twice before - on those occasions there were 3 vehicles going in the container together - all had competed in challenge events in the UK, so had been VERY dirty before starting the process of cleaning ready for shipping. They all got through quarantine after being inspected, sent for washing and then re-inspection. Chances are no matter how clean you think your motor is they will insist on washing it (high pressure steam clean) So don't let that put you off too much, just budget for the extra time and money (about AU$200 last time as I recall). The Defender we are sending was my daily drive, but we made the decision to use that instead of our 'comp' Defender as it was a more suitable base vehicle for overlanding. As I will be giving up my job to go down under, not having it when it is being shipped to and from won't be too much of an issue - When we get back I'll look for work that is local for public transport or use hubby's Range Rover! I think with all things like this it depends how much you want something in relation to how much you can or are willing to sacrifice to make it happen. The plans are taking shape, and other half will be putting in his formal application for sabbatical within the next month, when we've decided on definite dates - then when he gets confirmation we'll be booking the container and flights.... Our blog - http://landytravels.com/
Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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5th Jun 2013 10:11pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63
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Shipping our own vehicle over to Oz, wow, that would be nice. But it's also my daily driver and I can't miss it for two months before and after the vacation. And what about cleaning the car? I've read that tha car must be absolutely free of any organic contamination or it will be refused to enter the country. I would like to know more of that.
Well, anyway, if you go on with your plans I wish you the best of luck. Tillerman.[/quote] The market for mass hired camper vans, and small numbers of Toyotas is indeed covered by the likes of Britz. What I was talking about doing ( and it is only a thought at this stage ) was to offer a totally different experience to the likes of Britz ( read my last post ) Like you said the defenders you hired were equipped to a high standard, Britz are not, they are stock standard, and really just a touring vehicle. Britz have even utilised Hannibal roof tent here for a period of time, but the concept did not really work for them. We use a Hannibal roof tent, and have done do for the last 5 years, fantastic product, they have there negative points but for us it suits our needs. As for hiring out a Land Rover to a bunch of stupid people who have no idea how to drive off road, totally agree, my model would be aimed at more cashed up tourist who want to do something very unique, and its going to cost them alot to do it, it would included a day of recovery and driving lessons , but as a tag on tour you would need a fairly stupid person to do something silly, of course thats why they would pay lots for the tour to cover the Insurance. Shipping any vehicle to Australia is costly, shipping anything is, the cheapest part of the shipping is the actual shipping bit, its when it gets here that the prices triples, and then doubles again, the people who operate the docks, are some of the highest paid in Australia, rooted in the Unions too, so have 100% control of what they charge. They see little old land rover man as a pain in the back side, and so will charge you more. Cleaning of you vehicle is very Important, however don't believe all the stories you read, we bring in a container per year from the UK, with vehicles and we never have any problems. 2010 Defender 130 HCPU 1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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5th Jun 2013 10:58pm |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169
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Last time we shipped (in 2008) our UK end shipping agent make a right mess of the job and the container was late and various other issues. On the recommendation of an Aussie friend we passed all whole thing to Gibson Freight in Sydney. They specialise in motorsport and were extremely helpful and professional and got the job done with the minimum of fuss. When the vehicles had to be sent for washing (a couple of blocks away) they got some flat bed tow trucks sorted to transport us and them over there. Again, on the return leg we found that although we'd thought a container had been booked by the UK shipping company, this hadn't happened. We had flights to get so again Gibson's took control of everything and stored the vehicles, then loaded and shipped them as soon as they could sort the container and schedule. The charges were actually far less than we expected, considering how much extra paperwork and sorting they did for us at very short notice. We are considering using them again for both legs of the journey next year. Our blog - http://landytravels.com/ Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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5th Jun 2013 11:09pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63
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Sounds like Gibson's are the way to go, based upon your experiences last time... 2010 Defender 130 HCPU
1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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7th Jun 2013 11:25am |
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169
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Just a quick update, in case of any use to anyone...
I found a UK specialist classic car shipper - Cars UK (Europe) Ltd - mentioned as a 'business to business logistics' supplier on Gibson's web pages... I got in touch with Cars (UK) this week and they have given me a quote for the transport of our 90 to and from Australia. There are a few bits extra to add yet, but the quote include most stuff - customs and handling both ends, plus container each way, etc. Anyway, so far it comes to around GBP£8k. About what I was expecting and within the £10K budget I'd allowed on my own calculations. That is with Cars handling everything at the UK end and Gibson's handling everything at the other... and piece of mind that both handlers have worked together before and are both are specialists in high value / bespoke vehicle shipping. One of the interesting things is that the container itself from UK to Australia is quoted as £2100, but the other way from Australia to UK is £3500 ! Not really surprised most things in Australia seem to be much more expensive than here! Our blog - http://landytravels.com/ Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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22nd Jun 2013 3:01pm |
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| Juddy Member Since: 09 May 2013 Location: Queensland Posts: 63
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Good work, you last bit on the price difference between oz and uk vs uk and oz
Its like the airlines, the planes fly the same routes, use the same crew, stops etc,yet a return ticket from the Uk might be say 1000 pounds the same from Australian can be as much as 2000 pounds. Did they included any AQIS cleaning charges. We pay $60 per hour, which is fair most brokers charge $350+++++ 2010 Defender 130 HCPU 1991 110 RFSV PERENTIE www.landybitz.com.au |
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22nd Jun 2013 10:13pm |
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| jddisco200tdi Member Since: 22 Jul 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 21 
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Sorry for the very late reply, so not sure if you gave up.
Look here for defender hire in oz. http://www.mountaintopexperience.com/hire/ Regards John D - Defender 110 2.4 |
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10th Sep 2013 12:52am |
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