86 rentals - 2013 era

[bcj]

Thinking of taking a drivers tour of the east coast-ish sometime Oct-Dec 2013.
Are 86's available or are they still too new to be on the rental market.

Also, what would be suggested areas to tour to get the most out of the landscape?
As I've never been there, I'm kind of at loose ends. I can see the topography on goggle, but that doesn't tell the whole kind of thing.

Probably Mel-Briz range of locations as I tend to sweat if it gets up a bit

A VW Westfalia would do, but an 86 is the preferred option.

any suggestions would be appreciated.

[kajun]

Looks like Budget is doing them - look at the bottom of the page here: http://www.budget.com.au/vehicles/cars/default.aspx

Can't imagine it'll be cheap though.

In terms of driving, if you're going from Melbourne to Brisbane (which is a decent 3 day drive without pushing it, really), I'd recommend the Princes Highway out of Melbourne, going around & up the coast to Sydney, and then the Pacific Highway north from there. There's a few tourist drives and routes with more interesting roads, but by and large it'll be fairly tame roads unless you go into the mountains.

What kind of temps are too warm? December will definitely get warm, though it helps that the route I'm mentioning is mostly coastal.

[Nezz]

Originally Posted by kajun

Looks like Budget is doing them - look at the bottom of the page here: http://www.budget.com.au/vehicles/cars/default.aspx

Can't imagine it'll be cheap though.

In terms of driving, if you're going from Melbourne to Brisbane (which is a decent 3 day drive without pushing it, really), I'd recommend the Princes Highway out of Melbourne, going around & up the coast to Sydney, and then the Pacific Highway north from there. There's a few tourist drives and routes with more interesting roads, but by and large it'll be fairly tame roads unless you go into the mountains.

What kind of temps are too warm? December will definitely get warm, though it helps that the route I'm mentioning is mostly coastal.

Damn straight. Come in October, manageable temperatures. Start in Brisbane, come down to Melbourne, finish up with the Black and Reefton Spurs.

Let me know well enough in advance and I'll sure as hell come along.

[Gir]

Just be warned that the rental cars will pretty much all be GT autos, so no LSD or paddle shifters.

[Nezz]

Originally Posted by Gir

Just be warned that the rental cars will pretty much all be GT autos, so no LSD or paddle shifters.

Did you check? I'd imagine they'd be GTS Autos. Climate and satnav afterall.

[Gir]

Originally Posted by Nezz

Did you check? I'd imagine they'd be GTS Autos. Climate and satnav afterall.

A couple of place have only GT autos. And it makes sense, as this way they can charge extra to rent satnav, and GT autos are extremely easy to find, as no one wants them.

[Nezz]

Originally Posted by Gir

A couple of place have only GT autos. And it makes sense, as this way they can charge extra to rent satnav, and GT autos are extremely easy to find, as no one wants them.

They can charge extra to rent Satnav anyway, they just take the SD card with maps out (that's how they did it in .JP at the one place that didn't give me Satnav for free). I sure know in a few years when I want one of these to modify heavily it's going to start life as a GT Auto... I reckon in two years, maybe three, they'll be worth fifty cents.

[bcj]

Checked into Budget, but there were no 86s on offer to pick up one place and leave off in another that I could squeeze out of the web site.
Are there other rental agencies out there? I don't have a good handle on the current commercial vendors.
There were adequate cages available for a jaunt though 8)

[Nezz]

Bloody hell, they're booked out a while... you might have to call 'em.

[kajun]

Interestingly, the Budget site has transmission listed for all but the 86, so it might actually be a manual or at least have the option of getting the manual.

And for what it's worth, the GT Auto would still have manual selectable mode with the gear lever, right? just not the paddles behind the wheel?

[kajun]

Originally Posted by Nezz

Damn straight. Come in October, manageable temperatures. Start in Brisbane, come down to Melbourne, finish up with the Black and Reefton Spurs.

Black spur: http://www.motorcyclerides.com.au/mo...ra-ranges.html

Reefton spur: http://www.motorcyclerides.com.au/mo...fton-spur.html

Daaaaaamn, I might have to find an excuse to head down from Sydney & check it out myself. Those look like fun. I would definitely concur with heading north-to-south - after hitting Melbourne you can continue down to the Great Ocean Road.

Originally Posted by bcj

Are there other rental agencies out there? I don't have a good handle on the current commercial vendors.

Other major ones are:
- Hertz
- Avis
- Thrifty
- Europcar

Budget was the only one offering an 86 on their site though, so I'd be very surprised if others did and didn't advertise it (the situation may change by October I guess...). The "sports car" bracket for hire here would usually be a V6 Turbo or V8 Ford/Holden (GM). Comfy cars with great engines, all RWD, but nowhere near as light as the 86 naturally.

[Nezz]

Originally Posted by kajun

Black spur: http://www.motorcyclerides.com.au/mo...ra-ranges.html

Reefton spur: http://www.motorcyclerides.com.au/mo...fton-spur.html

Daaaaaamn, I might have to find an excuse to head down from Sydney & check it out myself. Those look like fun. I would definitely concur with heading north-to-south - after hitting Melbourne you can continue down to the Great Ocean Road.



Other major ones are:
- Hertz
- Avis
- Thrifty
- Europcar

Budget was the only one offering an 86 on their site though, so I'd be very surprised if others did and didn't advertise it (the situation may change by October I guess...). The "sports car" bracket for hire here would usually be a V6 Turbo or V8 Ford/Holden (GM). Comfy cars with great engines, all RWD, but nowhere near as light as the 86 naturally.

Now now, the Twin-VCT 6 is an inline six! (And sounds nice, accordingly!)