Back from UK...

[Pommygranite]

So just done my 2 weeks in pommyland. So strange to have experience british roads again after 2 years.

Few observations:

. The standard of driving was so much higher over there as expected.
. lane discipline was a joy.
. Didnt really experience rush hour traffic but certainly wasnt heavy all the time as i thought it might be.
. Amazingly i am alive after regularly seeing 140kmh!
. Had an Astra for a week. Bloody seats gave me massive backache so had to change and got a Ford Focus Diesel. I never realised being able to redline a diesel in every gear to 4th would be such a driving joy. It was so nice to actually carry speed across ground, zip off at lights without worrying about hoon laws.
. Speed Cameras were annoying compared to here as there just arent that many in oz compared. also a lot of SPECS cameras.


Car spotting was a lot of fun and was amazed at how many new shape 3-series coupe's there were (shouldnt be as was in Surrey most of time) and also lots of new Volvo's strangely enough.

Had a 90mph cruise with an R8 which was great to see on the road. Very desirable. Also spotted an Aston Martin V8 Zagato giving it the full beans near Silverstone which was great.

[deviant]

Didnt buy anything and leave it registered and insured in your name for the next 12 months then

[Pommygranite]

deviant said:

Didnt buy anything and leave it registered and insured in your name for the next 12 months then

No unfortunately not... I think the 996 I saw for $30,000 was verrry tempting though.

Car prices are just so cheap. 2002 Saab 9-3 Aero - $10k to you sir.

[deviant]

A mate of mine just sent me an SMS....he just picked up a late model Octavia VRS in yellow that had the option book thrown at it. One owner with 49,000 miles and the best bit is it has had some money spent on some very tastefull modifications (big brakes, suspension tweaks and more power)....all yours for a mere four thousand English pounds!

Anyway you know we shouldnt look at things like that!!

When we all going for a beer / curry?

[ajg31]

deviant said:

Didnt buy anything and leave it registered and insured in your name for the next 12 months then

If only it were that simple

[Colonial]

I found the exact same thing when I went over

I miss driving in the UK

I also miss my brilliant car rental co. Had an Astra as well. Had some contact with them. Apparently I got a couple of speeding fines, but as I changed cars (got a Zafira diesel first up) they had no record of who was using the car at that time...

[ajg31]

deviant said:

A mate of mine just sent me an SMS....he just picked up a late model Octavia VRS in yellow that had the option book thrown at it. One owner with 49,000 miles and the best bit is it has had some money spent on some very tastefull modifications (big brakes, suspension tweaks and more power)....all yours for a mere four thousand English pounds!

Anyway you know we shouldnt look at things like that!!

When we all going for a beer / curry?

Very underated car

[deviant]

Colonial said:

I miss driving in the UK

My parents are over until tomorrow and they are just flabbergasted at the standard of driving here as well as road design.

One of the first thing my dad said when they got here a few weeks back was "Why dont they put roundabouts on the freeway exits?"....Probably my biggest annoyance when it comes to road design is the flipping lights everywhere that dont seem to be linked to each other. It seems to take sooooo long to drive anywhere!

ajg31 said:

Very underated car

He reckons its the best all rounder you can get for the money....and this from someone with a Seven and a 450BHP Sierra in the garage!
£4000 is a steal even for a stock one without options..No wonder everyone is in financial trouble here when you have to finance everything you buy.

[toomuchbeer]

deviant said:

ajg31 said:

Very underated car

He reckons its the best all rounder you can get for the money....and this from someone with a Seven and a 450BHP Sierra in the garage!
£4000 is a steal even for a stock one without options..No wonder everyone is in financial trouble here when you have to finance everything you buy.

I'd agree, I has a black one for a company car, and didn't want to get rid of it when 65K miles was reached, in 14 months. Unfortunatley, I got mine stolen twice, and our house broken into 3 times, so some scumbag could take it for a test drive. Hense wifey didn't want another one

it was brand new for 15.5k, and was part exchanged 14 months later for 5k. I was going to buy it myself, but it was due a massive service.

They are over here now, including the DSG (I think thats the name). We did go and see the garage, but I'm not sure the resale value over here would be any better. They are up for $41k, I hagggled him down the massive amount of $500...... walked away, especially with the XR6 now at $34,888 on the road.

But Skoda Octavia, VRS (just RS over here) gets a 9 outta 10 from me.!!!

[thehawk]

ajg31 said:

deviant said:

Didnt buy anything and leave it registered and insured in your name for the next 12 months then

If only it were that simple

Are there residency requirements as well?

[ajg31]

thehawk said:

ajg31 said:

deviant said:

Didnt buy anything and leave it registered and insured in your name for the next 12 months then

If only it were that simple

Are there residency requirements as well?

One of the rules is that you have to be in the same country as the car for the 12 month period. All the info is on another post in the Australia section i think.

[mgbond]

Oh no, this worries me. I thought I would be meeting up with a load of people and going for a blat in the blue mountains. Sounds like I might not enjoy bringing the Noble over after all.

The country lanes here are great for an early morning blat. Was hoping for the same out in Sydney

Bondy

Edited by mgbond on Monday 25th May 18:38

[Colonial]

There's still some great roads around, you just need to be aware of a few things and know where to go.

As long as you are sensible Putty Road is generally ok (had a great blast along there with a few guys in S and RS Audi's a few weekends ago)

Plenty of unknown country roads exist. You just need to know where to find them. When no one else knows about them you are generally safe.

[thehawk]

Problem is if you live in Sydney or Melbourne, it's like living in London. You have to drive 30-40+ minutes to get out of the city and suburbs to actually get to some decent driving roads.

[Colonial]

thehawk said:

Problem is if you live in Sydney or Melbourne, it's like living in London. You have to drive 30-40+ minutes to get out of the city and suburbs to actually get to some decent driving roads.

True. I'm an hour up the coast from Sydney so I'm lucky. Few nice bits of tarmac around me.

[mgbond]

Well I think we maybe looking at west Sydney maybe Sutherland so the GF is near the westmede Hosipital (Think Ingot the places right).

How far would I be from good roads and meet ups in that area. Not that I will probably be basing our living arrangements around driving road

Bondy

[Colonial]

Sutherland is 5 minutes from the Royal National Park which is a good, if busy, road. Wrong side of Sydney for Putty Road, Bells Line of Road and the Old Pacific Highway though.

[suthol]

mgbond said:

Well I think we maybe looking at west Sydney maybe Sutherland so the GF is near the westmede Hosipital (Think Ingot the places right).

How far would I be from good roads and meet ups in that area. Not that I will probably be basing our living arrangements around driving road

Bondy

Oi, you need a compass rather badly and at Sutherland you would be the best part of an hour or more drive from Westmead Hospital.

As for the road through the RNP, it is currently being resurfaced but be aware it is 60 or 80 Kph and patrolled regularly because of those who thrash through there, bikers in particular who tend to come unglued often.

[mgbond]

[/quote]
..Oi, you need a compass rather badly and at Sutherland you would be the best part of an hour or more drive from Westmead Hospital...
[/quote]

I maybe working in Sydney and I think Sutherland is an 1hr away from Sydney isn't it? So that way we are in the middle but then I don't have any job lined up so could be anywhere around Sydney.

So lets just say i may well be in west Sydney for now. I'll know more nxt year.

Bondy

[suthol]

mgbond said:

..Oi, you need a compass rather badly and at Sutherland you would be the best part of an hour or more drive from Westmead Hospital...

I maybe working in Sydney and I think Sutherland is an 1hr away from Sydney isn't it? So that way we are in the middle but then I don't have any job lined up so could be anywhere around Sydney.

So lets just say i may well be in west Sydney for now. I'll know more nxt year.

Bondy

Sutho is probably about an hour by car from the city in normal peak traffic and maybe 35 - 40 with nothing much else on the road, around 35 minutes by train.

The problem with your thinking is that it's nowhere near inbetween the city and Westmead it's a bit more like a right angle triangle.

It is a great part of the greater metro area to live in though.