Driving from Sydney to Adelaide. Suggestions needed.

[Akys]

Hey fellow OZVRFOURians,

As per title, my missus and I will be driving from Sydney to Adelaide this weekend. Would like some suggestions on where to stop and rest, safety thingy to look out for etc. This is our 1st long drive. Longest I drove was 10 hours where I pick up my Galant from QLD . Our goal is too reach Adelaide AS SOON AS WE CAN.

We are planning to leave at 4am 17th November and probably get to Mildura before the Sun sets, stay there for the night and continue the next morning all the way to Adelaide

Will be driving an Auto CC lancer( we are returning the car to SA). :sad: Its not in it's best condition, but had a basic service and wheel alignment done yesterday.

Any suggestions, things to look out for or be cautions about will be much appreciated.

cheers

 

[tails]

I wouldn't bother with Adelaide, just go to Melbourne instead.

 

[mills_88]

Advice for long drives... Just stop whenever you feel like you are losing the plot and have a 10-15 minute break. Swap drivers if possible as well. There are towns at least every hour in between Sydney and Adelaide so plenty of options for breaks. Not a bad drive but the roads get a bit sketchy in terms of repairs at times.

 

[mcs]

How many stops do you want to do, and how many k's in 1 day, we always started early and punched all the way to Renmark, nice stop on the murray river, and then its another long punch the next day to Adelaide or surrounding area's.

Cheers Mark.

 

[Guest]

I did sydney to perth a few years back.
Drove Sydney to melbourne first (actually Seymore, its a few KM from melbourne, very quiet and accommodation is cheap as piss.
Should make it from there to Adelaide the next day
Advice = take plenty of water to keep you refreshed and awake and stop headaches.
Stop when you are tired, switch drivers often.
Dont rush it.

Sent from the fires of Mt Doom

 

[king_panther]

Been as far west driving from Sydney as Dareton (north of Mildura). Best advice is stick to the speed limit, as coppers often like hiding & patrol a lot.

Also watch it going over the Hay plains. It can get shit deadly boring & the big long roadtrain trucks absolutely hammer it through there.

 

[ed84]

If you're leaving at 4, you could easily do the whole lot in one day with two people...
I wouldn't bother stopping.
Just have an esky that you can reach with water, coke & red bull...

 

[Guest]

Redbull and nodoze plus got me to perth pretty well haha

Sent from the fires of Mt Doom

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

Grow moustache to allow maximum coolness
Smaller pants help you drive better too.

Sent from the fires of Mt Doom

 

[Leggy98]

Keep an eye out for kangaroos and emus constantly

 

[Guest]

And wild goats.

 

[staticc]

Did Sydney and Canberra to Melbourne a lot. Don't push yourself and you'll be fine.

 

[Akys]

Thanks for the input guys. Appreciate it.
Missus isn't really a confidence driver( read "not at all") so I think we will have to take it slow. Also the car can't take that much too.
I know i could just keep going and arrive at Adelaide at stupid hours but might not be safe.
Does nodoze really work? side effect?

Any idea who to call in terms of break downs (touch wood)? Here in NSW is NRMA, SA? RAA? Do I have to be a member of RAA

 

[Size1]

Chew on some gummi bears or sour worms too.

 

[mills_88]

Sour worms are good, they are one of my tactics too. Last time I did Perth to Orange I must have gone through like 10 packs. Pretty sure I have diabetes now though.

 

[VOLK]

Don't drive at night. Especially not in a little old lancer that will come off second best if you have a run-in with wildlife.

If you're genuinely concerned about the car not making it, put it on a truck?

 

[GLen20]

Hey Alvin, I've driven all over the country in various cars, got a couple of tips if ya want.

When overtaking:
Check mirrors behind before pulling out (the amount of people who get cleaned up from behind by hero's belting pass coming from downtown...)
If in a slow car, don't be afraid to hang out in the opposite lane for a bit, just watching ahead, before committing to the pass. You can see so much more and pick a time better.
Do give your lights a flash (once) when overtaking. Catches truckies attention. Oncoming traffic get a heads up.
Leave blinker on when overtaking. (From oncoming traffic, its often hard to tell if that car up ahead is overtaking that truck or is heading in the same direction as you)
Turn down your music / crack open your window when overtaking, keeps things from getting stale, helps with situational awareness.
If something looks a bit funny ahead / not quite right ... just lift off for a bit, can't hurt.

Leave Adelaide as soon as possible after arriving
Safe travels

 

[mills_88]

Also... probably wont apply so much on your trip but a lot of the time truckies will indicate right when they can see it is clear ahead and you are safe to overtake.

 

[king_panther]

Also, when truckies do stuff like that, make sure to acknowledge them & give thanks.