Hello OzBargainers
I am cheap and I want to know the most cost effective ways of transporting my Toyota Yaris from Melbourne Vic to Darwin NT. Any feedback on getting the best transport rates will be appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Fez
Yep, driving will likely be far cheaper in actual dollars than transporting, especially for a small fuel-efficient car. Only other 'cost' to consider is your time, depending how long you are prepared to drive for each day.
That would be the worst week of your life driving a Yaris from Melbourne to Darwin in the wet season.
Does a Yaris float well?
Life is what you make it
That would be the worst week of your life driving a Yaris
fixed.
This is how not to drive a Yaris in the outback
https://topwiretraveller.com/australias-outback-how-not-to-t…
Thanks Gunnar for the Story. It is an interesting read.
It will possibly cost you more than the car is worth to get it shipped…
What prices do you have so far?
I agree on driving it…
Lol this is close to the money
If you can drive, drive. Take the A1 highway out of Melbourne. When you get to Port Augusta you come to a sign which says left to Perth and Right to Darwin. Turn right here and take the Stuart highway and head north to Darwin.
The outback is a gorgeous part of australia and it will be a truly unforgettable drive! It’s all sealed roads that you’ll be on and you’ll be fine (even if your car will be the smallest one on the road but you’ll be fine).
Train.
Can use The Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin, indicative pricing March 2022:
https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022…
Thank you for this option. I will look into it.
Sell car, re buy in new state?
Easily going to cost $2000-2500. Especially going Darwin as it's very remote for the majority of the way. Will probably be put on a train but even then as the same answer I gave previously, cheaper to drive yourself and make a holiday of it. You'll probably break even in accomodation, food and petrol costs but you'll make some great memories and see a lot of what this great country has to offer along the way.
Great Ocean Road, Wine regions of Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Katherine, etc.
Drive, always take 2 spare tyres!
Ha, been there, done that. Had a spare wheel and tyre, damaged both the wheel and tyre, couldn't get a replacement wheel for that model car, or a replacement tyre that size, anywhere closer than Adelaide. "No-one drives little cars like that out here mate." Basically had to either sit in a motel in Alice Springs until a replacement wheel and tyre were freighted from Adelaide, or drive to Adelaide without a spare and hope I wouldn't have any more problems because that'd leave me stuck on the side of the road in the literal middle of nowhere.
Which one did you choose?
Don't leave us hangin' man!
Sorry mate, I am looking at quotes and will get a company to ship it up to Darwin from Melbourne. I am a public servant based in Canberra so I drive from Canberra. I will drop a few boxes at my sister's house in Melbourne and get the car shipped from Melbourne to Darwin.
Drive to Adelaide. Freight train it Adelaide/Darwin or https://aussiecartransport.com.au/melbourne-to-darwin/
Hi Curl Curl,
Is the website aussiecartransport.com.au any good? Are they trustworthy? They are priced really well, about 45% below competitors. They look like a good option.
Thanks.
Sorry mate I have no idea. Just found them with a google search.
Is a yaris even an appropriate car for Darwin? Something with a bigger fuel tank, ride height and bull bar might be useful if you want to do some travelling out of Darwin.
Darwin is a city, not a backwater 4wd bush camp.
They have even had running water for last 2 years, and 240v since May 2019.
Think they still have drop toilets.
A Yaris is good for city driving. I would not take it outback or offroad.
Honestly the Yaris will be fine if you did drive it. You should see the Commodores and Falcons that go out to communities on the corrugated, unsealed roads. Sure, stuff rattles off them but the drivers don't seem to care. The highway is made for any car.
Pay a driver, ship it or drive it yourself.
Ask the transport companies for quotes, yourself.
Use a calculator, multiply out the fuel costs for the trip with a safety margin, yourself.
Use same calculator and multiply out food and accommodation costs for the trip, yourself.
Ensure you carry spare water and have Roadside Assistance, it is bitumen all the way, but even new cars fail.
Now sit back, have a beer, check the numbers against your time frames, and you have the answer, yourself.
Thank you very much everyone. All the quotes are around $1800 AUD to $2500 getting it shipped. Originally, I was going to get my father to help me drive the car up to Darwin but my partner thinks it is not safe driving such a small car.
Are you sure it wouldn't be smarter to sell it and buy another in Darwin? Even if cars are more expensive in Darwin surely it won't be $2000 more
I am kind of of attached to the car, on my first date with my current partner, she told me it was a plus that I had my own vehicle. The car is on a loan/finance too.
When I was in primary school, living in Darwin with my parents, we drive a Toyota Starlet from Darwin to Adelaide returned.It was a great but scary experience driving on Stuart highway. My mother would not drive the car over 100km/hr and drove only so my father can rest. The aircon worked well as it was an extremely hot day. :P
Is the website aussiecartransport.com.au any good? Are they trustworthy? I am asking because they are priced really well, about 45% below competitors. They look like a good option.
THanks.
J
Hello, this is an update. THank you for everyone that has provided their feedback. I went with Prixcar using their good in car service.
If it were me, I'd drive it myself (after adequate planning).