Hi everyone, please be kind if my question is silly.
I'm planning to drive to Lithgow NSW from Sydney's inner west, with a passenger. It is about a 145km, 2hr10min drive one way, and return on same day. I'm just wondering if my current car, a 2019 Yaris hatch 1.3L, will be safe for a long-distance drive and mountain roads. Or should I consider hiring something more suitable?
Thank you in advance.
That is completely fine.
Nah! Save the cost and book a free 48h Volvo test drive!
That's a good idea
Absolutely fine. You see that class of car in the mountains all the time.
Those aren't mountains on the way to Lithgow. They're large hills.
Are those cars ditched on the side of the road?
i wouldnt be worried, i think you should be worried about fatigue kills more then driving, multiple breaks look for stops along the way
It's a 2 hour drive.
Agree for many drivers, but sounds like OP hasn’t done many long drives, if any, so it’s solid advice.
It’s a Yaris - make that 3 hours
Its Lithgow, hardly long distance.
Lemme know when you're crossing the Hay Plain
Or the Nullarbor plain.
The OP is going on a 145 km trip. There is stretch of road on the Eyre Highway that is dead straight with no bends in it that's longer than that at 146 km. It is claimed to be the longest stretch of straight road in the world.
Not much longer than driving from northern to southern end of greater metro Perth (Two Rocks to Mandurah 130km)
I drove across it with 3 friends, on the way to Perth from Melbourne. Along the way, there was a patch of road 480 km (300 miles) long made up of gravel/graded road. This was in 1971, at night driving in a 1957 Jaguar Mark 7 and it took 21 hours to go from Adelaide to Perth.
Didn't seem such a big deal at the time.
This was in 1971, at night driving in a 1957 Jaguar Mark 7 and it took 21 hours to go from Adelaide to Perth.
Now that brought back a great memory - a 1973 drive from Sydney to Noosa and back in a 1956 Mk7 with 2 mates.
(BTW are you sure it was a 1957 model as I thought they were only made from '51 - '56)
Nearly 130 km/h average on 1971 outback roads? In a car that struggled to reach 160, and a 0-100 km/h time of 14 seconds? A 1.3L 2019 Yaris would leave it in its dust.
The reason you could do it 21 hours start to finish, if you did, is the considerable time zone difference, increased by daylight saving in SA and not WA. I did Adelaide to Perth. Was told it'd take 3 days. Planned to stay over at Eucla the first night. And it was still light when I got there. I hadn't counted on the time difference. So I had plenty of time to take the long way the next day via Esperance and Cape Leeuwin. Came back the long way, via Darwin.
The Eyre is apparently 8th longest - the longest one is the Highway 85 in Saudi Arabia https://www.dangerousroads.org/around-the-world/our-lists/37…
Its a sealed highway, not a mountain range… assuming your travelling via Katoomba, not via Bilpin.
Should be perfectly fine in Bilpin as well
Yes "she'll be apples"!
145 kms is a long distance.
You'll need a 4wd with snorkel, at least 3 jerry cans of fuel, 50 litres of water , and food for 2 weeks. A winch, escape tracks, satellite phone — as a bare minimum.
Dont forget to take breaks from driving every 25 minutes.
Did you buy the sködã?
No, bought a mazda 6 instead.
Hopefully not a diesel.
Jees. Really want OP to be unprepared like that? You didn't mention the hand-warmers they'll need
This sounds like how I pack for my daily trip to work
You should have mentioned, that these are REAL mountains we're talking about here, not like those (profanity) little hills they have in Switzerland. There's one patch up high where you're almost upside-down for 10km while driving in a spiral at 250kph so you don't fall.
No need to take so much…
It's in the "mountains", and they'll have a passenger… that's food sorted…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106246/ <- if you need any tips for surviving the treacherous NSW mountains.. (Alive, circa 1993.. it's the Andes.. but same difference)
3 litres water per day, per person, per man, per degree over 25 degrees celcius, per kilometre if walking on foot, in the winter months dividing it by two, plus… another litre… at the end.
basically fold the back seats down, put an indoor spa in the back? fill it with water, and bring a harness to pull the water source with you if the car breaks down? with the heat of effort, the cold mountain air won't be an issue - and if it gets too hot they can cool off in the pool in the boot?
Pffft….Amateur!
You forgot the first aid kit, thermal clothing and oxygen tanks
And don't forget a satellite phone.
Maybe if you were doing this weekly a car with a longer wheelbase might be more comfortable but you will be fine. Have fun on your road trip.
Its a little small, but completely doable. Ypu dont need a landcruiser unless you are draggig a huge caravan or heading off the road. Thousands of people drive similar vehicles all over this country.
My kids friend drove a similar car up the coast with 3 teens and a bunch of camping gear over the holidsy break.
It is about a 145km, 2hr10min drive one wa
a 2019 Yaris hatch 1.3L
That exceeds the 99km limit for a Yaris.
If you've ever played ski-free, you know what happens. Only it's a drop bear.
Well shit, which genie did I rub to get my old Yaris to do 450,000km?
Be aware, there is life outside the Inner west.
Are you visiting someone in Lithgow gaol?
Is this the first time you've driven out of the Sydney basin?
Have you driven on a motorway before? Remember you have to keep left if you aren't overtaking.
Hope you aren't going on a weekend, especially Sunday as the traffic going west can be bad, and also bad coming back.
Going down Victoria Pass will open your eyes, as will coming back up. Maybe pack extra undies.
There are 3 or so fixed speed cameras, mobile speed cameras and highway patrol cars.
As someone who lives in Sydney’s inner west:
- we don’t use motorways but we will complain about the tolls
- traveling west of Strathfield is quite the task. Neil Armstrong on the moon is nothing compared to the inner westian who ventures west of Strathfield. Some years ago this lone used to be Summer Hill but then we discovered excellent asian food between Ashfield and Strathfield (although I have heard rumours about Indian food options in Harris park but this is from a former friend, we had a falling out after he moved to Homebush)
- Victoria Pass? Is that like going down the hill on Victoria rd near Lion’s rd? That is pretty scary
- what is the coffee like? Look, it’s probably terrible but at least I will have stories to tell my friends about how I slummed it drinking coffee that was not bean to cup or food that is not farm to plate
As someone who lives in Sydney’s inner west:
-we don’t use motorways but we will complain about the tolls
Loved it. I have a friend living in Balmain that I visit, so I know how the inner west people operate. They even sit on milk crates outside coffee shops blocking the footpath because they can.
Half of Katoomba used to live in Marrickville till the rent got too high. You’ll feel right at home up here.
Lithgow is almost a suburb of Sydney. Not worth hiring a car for!
Lithgow is 20min west, past the edge of greater Sydney (which ends at mount Victoria)
FFS* Lithgow is a long distance drive? If you’re that worried catch the dam train. There’s one every 1-2 hours.
The drive to the M4 will be more taxing on your Yaris than the rest of the drive.
I see you've kept up with your online training. Great success ⭐
There are people who commute to work in Sydney from Lithgow in a Yaris. It’s not a drive that is challenging in any way.
Stop for morning tea in the mountains and you won’t even need a stretch when you get there.
Take the bus and enjoy the view.
Even better - take the train. Less stress and probably cheaper.
This guy gets it
I suggested the bus because I cbf looking to see if there was a train that went there. Either way if OP is the kind of person that makes these posts, they're probably best suited to public transport.
I would upgrade to a Camry with 2 tissue boxes on the rear parcel shelf for the long drive.
will be safe for a long-distance drive and mountain roads.
There are mountains in NSW?
We drove from Sydney to Lithgow and back in a day in a Corolla Hybrid not long ago. Beautiful scenery once you get out of Sydney. The only issue you may have is the Yaris could be a little underpowered on some of the hills.
dont risk it, you need a 4x4 with twin lockers….
A yaris is fine for that short long drive.
The most dangerous variable is the driver and other motorists.
As a comparison: We circumnavigated the entire of Australia clockwise in a Corolla. Only mods fitted were a roo bar, cruise control and a compressor horn.
25 years later we did the same anticlockwise in a Toyota Litace 4wd. Lots more fun but we had no aircon and no cruise the 2nd time. A Nokia N6110 Navigator proved to be better than a Navman. Back in 1985 Queensland road signs were outnumbered by XXXX signs.
Add another 1 to the front before you start thinking long distance…….
If you service to schedule the run will be good for the car.
I'm interested to know why you think your car wouldn't be suitable for such a drive?
145klms?
For lots of regional people that could be just going to the shops and in cars 20 years older than yours.
As long as you have kept up the services and your tyres are in good condition that distance is no worries.
I travelled from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour and back again in one day, many times in the past. That was an 800km round trip. In my opinion, the only important thing for a trip like that is you need cruise control, otherwise you get driver fatigue from constantly adjusting and watching your speed.
It should be fine. If OP is not used to driving longer distance, just take a good Maccas stop halfway and rest well.
t should be fine. If OP is not used to driving longer distance, just take a good Maccas stop halfway and rest well.
No Maccas between Blaxland and Lithgow. Mountain people wont allow it.
I’ve done most of cape York was n a 96 barina (gunshot proved a little much), same class of vehicle as yours I believe. You will be fine!
This forum delivers
Had a 1.3l manual Starlet that I did lots of 300km drives.
My dad had a 1.3l 2009 Yaris that he regularly did 240km drives.
Never had a problem. (except maybe Kangaroos or echidnas but they were minor inconveniences).
Fine with two people in the car and with back seats down they could hold a heap.
Probably not great as a 4 seater but great as a one person drive.
Yes it will be fine, No you shouldn't bother hiring something. Unclear which question the poll refers to.
Definitely need snow chains and UHF. Make sure you lodge your trip with the local police station and expected return date. Consider hiring an EPIRB for the trip. And make sure your will is up to date. All the best.
Yes,unless the car is unroadworthy, in which case you shouldn't be driving it anyway.
Watch the speed limits all the time not just when you think there might be a camera. Read the lane changing rules.
You'll have an easier time in the car you know, than learning a new rental.
Or you could have fun, rent a convertible and hope it doesn't rain.
And take at least one break each way.
Agreed. It sounds like OP is not confident, and so take your time, and don't let the cars that are in a rush bother you.
I drove my 2004 Corolla (only a little larger than a Yaris, and without all the safety features your new model will have) from Adelaide to Melbourne and back (~850km one way). It handled it just fine, except that time we almost ran out of petrol, but that was because we took a wrong turn.
Drove a hired 2022/2023 Corolla from Sydney Airport to Wollongong in December, no issues at all, except making another wrong turn. I'm clearly more of a problem than the car is 😅
Driving it for 4 hours up and around hills will probably do it a lot of good, clean all the carbon build up out, if its not driving far often. The small engine might smell quite hot after a decent hill.
If you've been servicing it regularly it should be fine.
It's always prudent to check the levels before doing a long trip, such as oil dip-stick level or coolant level reservoir, incase it is low. Depending on the mileage of the car and if you're not familiar with long trips its good to check once you've returned too, to see if the oil level dropped at all, or even coolant. Old cars might loose a tid bit of oil, but if its significant its not a good sign.
And put an extra 3 to 4 PSI in your tyres. Hope you know how to use a jack and change a wheel.
Thank you all really appreciate your comments. The reason I posted this is mainly because I've never driven that far (~50km max daily), and first time going up to that region. Going uphill can be a pain in a 1.3L engine like mine so was thinking if I needed to hire an SUV or something.
Yes I'll prob take the M4 and A32. I'm fine with highways, I use on weekly basis. Will check the tyres and stuff a few days before and I hope should be good
You can get from the inner west to Lithgow and only have to make a handful of left or right turns if you take the toll roads
Hop on the M8 near Camperdown / Newtown, then M4 then great western Highway. Done, but it'll cost you like 15bux in tolls each way
thinking if I needed to hire an SUV or something.
How long have you lived in Sydney Oops, sorry, Inner West and how long have you been driving?
Uhh it's a 2hr drive on motorways, a Yaris is fine
Source; I live near the shithole you are going to..but I generally use the train
Everyone here is talking like Sydney to Lithgow is some uuuuge drive and you need to do a week of pre planning
Everyone here is talking like Sydney to Lithgow is some uuuuge drive and you need to do a week of pre planning
Think he needs all the help he can get. He was going to rent a SUV. That in itself would be interesting, from a Yaris to a SUV.
I’ve made multiple trips from Perth to Busselton in a 2000 Echo. You’ll be fine as long as you drive safely and take a break somewhere in the middle
I drove a Yaris as a pathology courier for years (including around the Blue Mountains and also doing up to 300km a day) - you'll have no problem doing that short trip.
BTW which of your two questions am I answering in the poll? "Will the current car be safe?" or "shall I hire something?"
I'm just wondering if my current car, a 2019 Yaris hatch 1.3L, will be safe for a long-distance drive and mountain roads. Or should I consider hiring something more suitable?
You should hire a ferrari so you can the trip in 30 minutes.
Inside the free Volvo you can block the roads for 48h. Just wear earplugs?
Oh hell, I just realised this is a troll post!
I just voted yes, then wondered why the Poll is so heavily skewed to No…
There's 2 questions in the OP with opposite answers.
I'm just wondering if my current car, a 2019 Yaris hatch 1.3L, will be safe for a long-distance drive and mountain roads
Yes
and
should I consider hiring something more suitable?
No
I had issues when driving from Wollongong to Sydney with Honda Jazz when climbing the hill. All cars including big trucks had to overtake me. I could be wrong for not using low gear.
Driver error. You've got to let them rev a bit and put the foot to the firewall.
haha.. but since then I prefer not driving small cars intercity/interstate.
I used to drive CBD to Wallerawang (just beyond Lithgow) and return in the company Corolla all the time as a day trip. A Yaris will eat it up.
The Yaris will be perfectly fine. Most of the road is dual carriage way or frequent overtaking lanes so you can drive as slow and careful as you like and won't get in the way of faster traffic. If you are parenoid just follow a bus or truck.
Smaller cars are actually safer on the down hill trips as their lighter weight means brakes and cornering is better than heavy cars.
My elderly parents drive a 1.3L CVT 2015 Hyundai Accent which is slower and heavier car than the Yaris. Its safe and keeps up with traffic for our maintainous area on NSW South Coast.
Just use the gears downhill… even in an Auto!
There's a reason they have more than just Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive and it's not so you can pretend it's a manual.
All the way to Lithgow, better watch out for the drop bears
I used to drive a 660cc mira everywhere with 3 kids in the car, including long hwy stretches. What you have is fine AND will cost less than a bigger car (plus rental),
That isnt even a slightly long drive. Car will be fine
What type of pansy are you? It's 90 minutes! Oh wait, Sydney's inner west, nevermind…. shocking you don't have a Tesla to do it in tbh
That's not even that long of a drive. You'll be fine. Should be a comfortable ride in a recent Yaris.
You’ll be fine.
'I'm planning to drive to Lithgow NSW from Sydney's inner west, with a passenger. It is about a 145km, 2hr10min drive one way, and return on same day. I'm just wondering if my current car, a 2019 Yaris hatch 1.3L, will be safe for a long-distance drive and mountain roads. Or should I consider hiring something more suitable?'
wow - my last long drive was in my 1991 Honda Civic 1.5L - from Sydney to Lightning Ridge return - maybe 715km, 8hr25min one way - it ran beautifully all the way despite some corrugated dirt offroad sections that almost jarred the fillings from my teeth.
1.3L going up a mountain range might not keep up with bigger engines, but should be fine no worries. I once had a 1.3L Suzuki Swift hatchback that was so reliable and fun (closest thing to motorbike fun on 4 wheels) that I would have driven it around Australia without a second thought - I loved my little Suzie !
sounds like you are simply inexperienced and afraid of driving. Relax and just pay attention - DO NOT respond to mobile phone calls or smartphone messaging while driving - set 'Do Not Disturb' or equivalent function. If you are an easily distracted idiot and generally unsafe driver, ask your passenger to tell you when to get your eyes back on the road, which will be in their interest if they wish to stay alive.
One day trip?
Just take the train then some taxis.
absolutely, I do the Auckland to New Plymouth (350km through windy gorges/mountain passes) a couple of times a year in a Yaris (or even more gutless, older vehicles), and Sydney to melbourne in an i30, packed a couple of 6m sea kayaks on the roof and drove back.
But you should probably pack an esky of food, a winch, snatch strap… snow chains, and a gun… penrith Panther weather, there are big cats in the mountains and the govt won't acknowledge it - do your own research
Seriously though, just check your tyre pressure is up and it'll save you a bit of petrol and tyre wear. A Yaris is a moder car and perfectly fine to leave the bubble in.
Maybe
Maybe Not