Why are Aussies so Awesome?

[bam_bam]

.... but apart from Holdens..... do they do cars???? Dont they cost tthe earth to have and run over there...... like being a 6 owner doesnt anyway!

The cars are big and not exactly clever, that said, there are a mindblowing amount of V8s on the road. The town centres practically sing with the sound of V8s. Ford Falcons and Holden Commo(n)dores being the main culprits. I had owned 4 x 308ci (5.0L) and one 351ci (5.7L) by the age of 21. I also owned a screaming 250ci in6 at the age of 17 (my second car). Cars aren't that expensive in Oz, unless you buy European. Japanese cars have a massive following too due to low cost and close proximity. Aussie muscle cars are very simple and easy to work, plus, most people don't live on top of each other so there's space to work on cars, which helps.
It's mostly Holdens as Ford haven't been much in the V8 game for a while now but they've been producing some crazy boosted inline 6s for the last 10ish years, I like 'em, a lot. In 2009 I drove the Ocean Road from Melbourne in a Ford F6 Typhoon and it was truly mental! It had about 420BHP and 420ish ft/lbs but it was like all the torque was available EVERYWHERE from close to nothing revs. If I was at home, I'd have one of those over a V8.

We do have a national car meet (Summernats) and a premier enduro race (V8 Supercars Bathurst 1000 [620mile]) once a year which pretty much sums up our car culture, they're both epic pilgrimages and they have zero class about them, but mental fun is always had.

Some quality tip-ins at Summernats:
http://youtu.be/g5ejP-Tnwcs
The 'scene' with some very lumpy cams and ridiculasssss high-rise blowers (skip to the one @ 27secs - the supercharger is higher than the roofline!):
http://youtu.be/kcExWyUKhsI
Winning burnout 2010:
http://youtu.be/l5pB0a37I-U

Some classic Bathurst 1000 (have a laff at the accents):
http://youtu.be/BAtaVBC0tb8

Here's an Unglishman/Kiwiman racing down under and having a mishap on the first lap at 280Km/h:
http://youtu.be/dLJmhPfctC0
http://youtu.be/3-59UuZuPb8 - start @ 2:38

[PJC]

Always fancied a trip to Bathurst.

[bam_bam]

Always fancied a trip to Bathurst.

That's a hard drinking event mate. Not a lot beats it for noise, it's like NASCAR but with corners. Love it.

[PJC]

24 cans max per person isn't it?.

How often have you been there?.

[bam_bam]

I went '91 - '98, gutted I missed '99. The drinking 'restriction' was only introduced recently. I've been told it hasn't stopped the carnage, not one bit. It just means more non-drinkers carry alcohol into the the event.

[RSKiwi]

24 cans max per person isn't it?.

How often have you been there?.

Yeah but you go in a few weeks before hand and bury some!

[bam_bam]

Yeah but you go in a few weeks before hand and bury some!

You're an ideas man, Kiwi.

[C6NVS]

Here's an Unglishman/Kiwiman racing down under and having a mishap on the first lap at 280Km/h:
http://youtu.be/dLJmhPfctC0

the commentary, spot on....

[PJC]

Yes lucky to walk away from that.

[Mr V10]

Bam has sold Australia to me. It isn’t a place I had ever considered visiting, but I’ve needed an excuse to visit the Southern Hemisphere (just so I can say I’ve been there, init) and as I aim to take two to three long haul holidays a year it is going on the list (I have a list), my only experiences of Aus is Neighbours (cannot stand that program, sister used to always watch it) and one of my closest mates from secondary school was an Aussie along with my tech teacher (b1tch) and more recently C6NVS above whom I met on the ring trip and had a few (ahem) drinks with, top bloke. The US is similar in that you can walk down any street and almost be guaranteed to hear a V8, I swear I heard a V8 bus, it sure beats the sound of the diesel 4 pot traffic we have here.
(Just remembered, I also hung out with this Aussie family on my trip to the Grand Canyon in 2010, the daughter was considering moving to the UK for Uni and her parents asked us what Leeds was like as an area as that’s where she was most likely going, a friend beat me to a response and said Leeds was amazing, really posh/safe and considers it the nicest place in England. That really wound me up, as he was serious, he has obviously mixed it up with somewhere else. Poor girl sounds like she has gone from Paradise to errr Leeds.

[bam_bam]

Whenever mates come over from Oz and ask about Leeds, I say "Check it out!". I've had some blinding nights out there, it's like all the girls are in some sort of secret competition to see who can look the sluttest, everyone's a WINNER!

[RSKiwi]

Whenever mates come over from Oz and ask about Leeds, I say "Check it out!". I've had some blinding nights out there, it's like all the girls are in some sort of secret competition to see who can look the sluttest, everyone's a WINNER!

I am in Leeds this weekend!!!

Amar,

Seeing as you will be travelling all the way to Oz take a couple of weeks in NZ too, I am not just saying this as a Kiwi but its a fark of a long way to go to get to our part of the world and they are both worth a visit. Actually NZ is freaken impressive (cue one eyed Kiwi time) 4 million people in a country the size of the UK, we have some pretty epic stuff to see...its not cities or shopping but there are some sensational drives out there.

Ok back to OZ, its alright I guess.....

[rs4blacked]

I'm off to Aus in december to visit my bro for 3 weeks.

4 days by great barrier reef 3 in brisbane rest in and around Sydney.

[bam_bam]

Nothing wrong with eNZud. It's a truly beautiful country, shame you can't understand a word anyone says.

I'm off to Aus in december to visit my bro for 3 weeks.

4 days by great barrier reef 3 in brisbane rest in and around Sydney.

Bris-vegas is average, get to the Goldcoast and Surfer's Paradise for a good party. You'll only need 3-4 days in Sydney (it'll probably rain solid, cool lightening/thunder storms though). Book a cheap flight down to see Melbourne too, even if it's just a day trip (1st flight out and last back in, it'll be cheap, you only live once) and if you can, have a go at seeing how much a 1 or 2 day trip to Uluru AKA "Ayers Rock" will cost ya. Don't go for the big resorts, just go and camp, it's only 1-2 nights and it'll be unforgeable, one of the most amazing night skies you'll ever see. Don't leave the bookings too late, you'll get raped on price. Us Aussies love a good raping.

[Mr V10]

Yes, Kiwi, I was thinking NZ too. I get more and more tempted everyday to just take Bam's advice, sell up here and just travel for a year, maybe more. I can really see it happening. Hmm...