Rental car in SYD

Old Apr 4, 2015, 5:41 pm
  #1  
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Rental car in SYD

We rented a car in Artarmon (Sydney) for a week and returned it to the AP (SYD). We drove the car up to a sub. of Brisbane. We needed and got a Garmin. The maps on this Garmin were about 10 years old and proved very cumbersome to use. Cost us about 200k in total of misdirection. For this problem we had to pay over A50 for the garmin use.

One other item of importance: It is likely there are no gasoline services within 30 minutes of SYD, so fill up before you leave for the airport wherever you can. We paid A$100 for 1/2 a tank in a Camry. We had purchased gas 3 times before, each for much over 1/2 tank and never got to A$50. The man at Avis told us there are not near airport services. Also note that the drive to the airport from the North is horrible for the last 20K or so. Narrow windy lanes, 3 wide (including the curb lane), then a series of tunnels.

That was our experience anyway.
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Old Apr 4, 2015, 6:20 pm
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Did you manage to do your reunion in Newcastle OK?
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Old Apr 4, 2015, 6:25 pm
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Was the A$100 at Avis or a local gas/petrol station? Cost per litre does not vary that much
There are gas/petrol stations near Mascot but need to know where they are and hours of operation.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/searc.../data=!3m1!4b1
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Old Apr 4, 2015, 7:33 pm
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Mwenenzi- This was the price at the airport from avis clerk. The Camry will not hold move than A$75 if it was empty. The point is to take it in with as much gas as possible (avis charges A$4 ltr vrs the various price at SS) and do not expect there to be a SS near the AP like most of the world.

SFSC- Thank for asking. We could not get them on the phone. The home phone would not connect and the cell phone allows a 10 second message which is then converted to a text message. We sent another e-mail from Coffs Harbour and then gave up. Previous to our trip we sent them our schedule and it included our stay at the Gateway in Newcastle. We did not get to the hotel until 5:00pm due to a faulty Garmin we got from Avis (2 hours extra, 3 2-26 William, and one 26 Williams). WOW, miracle and coincidence, his lawn bowling club is right next to the hotel, is owned by the hotel and co used. They were waiting for us. So the request to find a place that we could sit for a few hours, have a bite and not cause anyone heartburn was realized. The club easily handles 200 people, has a bar and a couple dinning menus to order from. PERFECT. It was quite a reunion and it was sad to have to part after 4 hours. Turns out they live 3K from the place!!! Also he does forwarding of jokes, but that is the most of it. We are 70 and he is well beyond that.

We also spent 3 nights up near Brisbane with some other travel friends.

Except for the Mossies, the garmin, rain befitting Noah, and highway construction for 300K, and Cyclone Pam during our cruise to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Fiji all was well for our 30 day visit for our 4oth anniversary. 3 of the 5 hotels gave us big time upgrades, wine etc. The Marriott in Surfers Paradise is one of the best we have ever stayed!. From our modest balcony we had white water views of the ocean, view of the highway, view of the ocean pool and the freshwater pool, views of the two hot tubs, and views of the marina. WoW. We also ended up with two bottles of wine, two drinks at the bar and 2 glasses of sparkling wine on check in. they know how to do it. More when I do my trip report (s).

We do love Au, this was our 8th trip. We have also done N and S New Zealand on two different trips (some of this overlapped). Nice to have lots of air miles and hotel points and status. With retirement that stuff disappears too soon and accumulates too slowly. Lots of cc sign up and changes all the time.

Last edited by ranles; Apr 4, 2015 at 7:39 pm
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Old Apr 4, 2015, 11:52 pm
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Originally Posted by ranles
One other item of importance: It is likely there are no gasoline services within 30 minutes of SYD
Not quite. There's plenty petrol stations within 5-10 minutes of SYD.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/p...51.1772638,14z
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Old Apr 5, 2015, 7:57 am
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There is a BP petrol station literally next door to the Avis lot at SYD. Perhaps not the drop-off at the terminal but next to the lot near the long-term car park.

$4/litre is highway robbery.

With respect, there is a fair amount of hyperbole in the OP...
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Old Apr 5, 2015, 8:57 am
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Originally Posted by JClasstraveller
With respect, there is a fair amount of hyperbole in the OP...
And then some.
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Old Apr 5, 2015, 8:17 pm
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I've never had an problem with finding an Petrol station at SYD, I was just use the BP on General Homes Drive - see map

I always pre-plan the return trip to the airport, well before I've left the hotel etc.


I wouldn't bother with Rental car GPS, just google maps and an smart phone work prefectly
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Old Apr 6, 2015, 8:47 am
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Originally Posted by cavemanzk
I've never had an problem with finding an Petrol station at SYD, I was just use the BP on General Homes Drive - see map

I always pre-plan the return trip to the airport, well before I've left the hotel etc.


I wouldn't bother with Rental car GPS, just google maps and an smart phone work prefectly
If you're coming from the North Shore the last petrol station you'll see is the Mobil/7 Eleven at the Pacific Hwy/Gore Hill turn off. For someone who isn't familiar with getting to the airport I can see what ranles is talking about.

Ranles, that route you took is the M1 the major freeway getting from the North Shore to the Airport. I know it's not the wide open freeways you're used to Southern California but it runs much better than the 405.
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Old Apr 6, 2015, 9:16 am
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Originally Posted by Nugget_Oz
Ranles, that route you took is the M1 the major freeway getting from the North Shore to the Airport. I know it's not the wide open freeways you're used to Southern California but it runs much better than the 405.
NSW also has the narrowest standard lane size in Australia. Iirc it's 2.4m, where other states are 2.7m.
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Old Apr 6, 2015, 9:22 am
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Originally Posted by bensyd
NSW also has the narrowest standard lane size in Australia. Iirc it's 2.4m, where other states are 2.7m.
Also the Gore Hill was originally constructed as a two lane with a shoulder. It was converted to a three lane for the Lane Cove Tunnel.
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Old Apr 8, 2015, 5:16 am
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Never had problem finding petrol station outside of airport to fill up our hire car then drop it off at Syd Airport. Staff probably don't care less if you have to pay $100 for a tank or $10 unfortunately.
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Old Apr 20, 2015, 6:36 am
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If you are using iPhone or android phone, it is advisable to purchase a GPS app. Those cost of the app would be lower than renting GPS and you get to keep it for good. You get regular updates of the maps as well.
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Old Apr 23, 2015, 10:49 pm
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Originally Posted by jc777
If you are using iPhone or android phone, it is advisable to purchase a GPS app.
Or even better, just download Nokia HERE. Free app, free maps.

Originally Posted by Nugget_Oz
If you're coming from the North Shore the last petrol station you'll see is the Mobil/7 Eleven at the Pacific Hwy/Gore Hill turn off. For someone who isn't familiar with getting to the airport I can see what ranles is talking about.
Actually you'd "see" the BP on General Holmes drive about 4km from the international terminal - but stopping there isn't possible due to it being on the other side of the road.

But it'd take only a few seconds of research to find any number of petrol stations around the airport, such as the one a few hundred metres off Marsh road.

Last edited by docbert; Apr 23, 2015 at 10:57 pm
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Old Apr 24, 2015, 10:03 am
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Originally Posted by docbert
Actually you'd "see" the BP on General Holmes drive about 4km from the international terminal - but stopping there isn't possible due to it being on the other side of the road.
Interestingly a number of the "map" driving instructions take you the old route via Qantas Drive rather than via the M5 Deviation.
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