Moving to Perth - Will need a car

Moving to Perth - Will need a car

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Discussion

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Thursday 6th March 2014
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WeirdNeville said:
Just don't give a fk about fuel consumption.
Yeah, this.

Pommygranite

14,319 posts

222 months

Friday 7th March 2014
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Welcome to Australia! You'll start to worry about things you never did before and you'll stop worrying about things you did before.

Given you'll never do over 70mph here your fuel consumption will be amazing - in fact a cruisy 3.5 V6 is almost the perfect car as you'll be doing 1800rpm everywhere!


papahet

138 posts

135 months

Friday 7th March 2014
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Bibbs said:
WeirdNeville said:
Just don't give a fk about fuel consumption.
Yeah, this.
Give it some jandal

LC4

30 posts

144 months

Monday 10th March 2014
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Just looking for where the bayswater branches are on google and the reviews are shocking, take it you found them decent enough?

Edited by LC4 on Monday 10th March 14:09

Pommygranite

14,319 posts

222 months

Monday 10th March 2014
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I've rented there 5 times - never a problem but mine have always been on a WA license so maybe they don't try anything.

What do the reviews say?


LC4

30 posts

144 months

Tuesday 11th March 2014
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Google reviews are mostly people complaining of poor customer service and hidden charges. Will give them a call and check there are no charges for a UK licence, not got mine changed over yet.

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th March 2014
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WeirdNeville said:
Between me and family, I've hired from them I think 8 times in the last year - the Fremantle and CBD branches - on UK licences every time and UK credit cards too.

We've had them:
Pro rata a refund for part of a day without asking/prompting after a 3 week hire because we returned the car 16 hours early.
Have no issues at all with last minute extensions.
Be quite happy to talk discounts for longer hires/their extended radius of hire.
Have no issues marking on damage we've found on pick up.
Never had a quibble with damage or fuel after the drop off.
Additional driver rates are very good: $10 for an additional driver for the duration of the hire, can be added over the phone after the fact.
Damage waiver is also reasonable at $6/day, although the excess is 'only' $400.

The one 'problem' we had was that their car got broken into on our driveway, costing my father in law his $400 excess. Hardly their fault, and they simply exchanged the car for another one on the spot without any issues. Beware where you park them, thieves know that they don't have alarms and their livery makes them obvious.

In comparison to any european car hire company I've ever dealt with, they've been an organised and pain free joy.
Basically this.

Their 'no birds' tag came from the time when, with other hire places, you'd get a dolly bird to deliver the car for you. It'd cost you more for the privilege though.

Bayswater said, 'no birds' meaning no frills, gimmicks, hidden costs.

If you can make do with a poverty spec Corolla with AC and an auto box. They are ideal.

Did Albany to Monkey Mia in one with no issues.

Hasbeen

2,073 posts

227 months

Tuesday 11th March 2014
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mapped do check the fan belt history of that Magna. They have a history of failing, if replacement periods are ignored, with catastrophic results.

If you can't find it has been replaced as recommended, do it now.

LC4

30 posts

144 months

Wednesday 12th March 2014
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Picked it up yesterday, lassy was a bit short on the phone but nothing you can't handle!!
Age bracket online is 23-69 or similar. Extra driver is $20 now.
Got her mum to book it on her oz card and licence and I went on as a named driver for $20, I'm 24 and there was no mention of any extra fees.
Seems all good to me so far smile
Just need to find myself a ute to buy now!


Pommygranite

14,319 posts

222 months

Wednesday 12th March 2014
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Ah you got the 'were doing you a favour by letting you use our service' response a number of businesses in Perth do.

Annoying.

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Wednesday 12th March 2014
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LC4 said:
Just need to find myself a ute to buy now!
What sort? Car or 4x4?

I loved my Hilux, I'll prob get another when the new model comes out.

LC4

30 posts

144 months

Friday 14th March 2014
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4x4, not sure about the car versions doesn't seem like you can get too much in and only 2 seats.
Been round a few car garages for a laugh, they fairly pounce on you when they see the hire car!

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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LC4 said:
4x4, not sure about the car versions doesn't seem like you can get too much in and only 2 seats.
Been round a few car garages for a laugh, they fairly pounce on you when they see the hire car!
Think of a Ute as the Aussie version of an MX5.
Something for 2 seater fun.

Hilux seems to be the benchmark for 4x4s, but the current model is at the end of its current generation and a lot of the competition has passed it now.

I still think the hardware is up there with the best, but you don't get many toys and the price is at the top end.

I still prefer it to the Nissan and Mitsubishi offerings. The Isuzu would be the good budget choice, and I'd not go near the Mazda/Ford/Holden .. (but there is no specific reason why, I just don't 'feel' them).

The Amarok is probably the premium offering, but at the time I was looking it didn't have proper low range and I think it was only diesel. I'm also not a big VW fan.

motomk

2,164 posts

250 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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Bibbs said:
I still prefer it to the Nissan and Mitsubishi offerings. The Isuzu would be the good budget choice, and I'd not go near the Mazda/Ford/Holden .. (but there is no specific reason why, I just don't 'feel' them).

The Amarok is probably the premium offering, but at the time I was looking it didn't have proper low range and I think it was only diesel. I'm also not a big VW fan.
I understood the Izuzu and the Holden were made in the same factory, but reading up on them, they can have different engines.
The Mazda and the Ford are twins too.

Pommygranite

14,319 posts

222 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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This may be heresy but I just don't get the whole Hilux thing.

Have driven a few and it was like driving a jacked up Corolla mixed with a waterbed and side of feathers.

It's only redeeming feature was a sense of reliability which is really quite depressing.

Happy to be educated on this by those with greater experience than me but in short - why would you buy one?


Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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4.0 v6, rwd with an LSD. Was actually fun to drive.

And you know it'll survive most things you chuck at it.

Taliban favorite for a reason.

Pommygranite

14,319 posts

222 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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Whilst I agree with the premise WN the reality is very different.

The base white ones with fluro stripes and standard wheels are work utes for sure but you never see a 'retail' version either a)dirty b)with more than 2 people in it and c)anything in the back which leads me to think its a lifestyle choice not a functional choice. If you drive round any 'burbs with new builds or trades goings on they're usually stacked with VE utes on 20'' chromes laugh

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Monday 17th March 2014
quotequote all
Here is my two dirty.




But yeah, very lifestyle. Can get all your Ikea boxes in the back, I 80% moved house in it, leaving only the tall stuff for the movers.

Fill the tray with sand/gravel when doing some landscaping, never struggle with luggage when collecting people from the airport.

When it gets replaced, I'll probably go Prado (if you can drop the rear window like you could on the Surf). As I think the wagon would be better for sleeping in.

Edited by Bibbs on Monday 17th March 23:01

Bibbs

3,733 posts

216 months

Wednesday 19th March 2014
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WeirdNeville said:
You can't mate, it's fixed sadly.
That's daft. Was one of the nice things in the Surf.
Meant you get a proper Ikea run done.

Hunt for a Gen3 surf it is then.