Decent Melbourne Drives

[06eleven]

Have recently moved to Melbourne & thinking of heading out for my first decent drive on Sunday. Can anyone suggest some good roads within easy distance of the city?

[gavs]

Reefton spur is probably best but at an elevated pace, still a 3.5-4 hour round trip to the city. Otherwise, mount dandenong has some nice roads but just not the same.

My personal favourite is chum creek road, aka Healsville-kinglake road. This is about 1.5 hours from the city and you can do a few laps either way, then head back along st Andrews road

[06eleven]

Reefton spur is probably best but at an elevated pace, still a 3.5-4 hour round trip to the city. Otherwise, mount dandenong has some nice roads but just not the same.

My personal favourite is chum creek road, aka Healsville-kinglake road. This is about 1.5 hours from the city and you can do a few laps either way, then head back along st Andrews road

Thanks. Will have a look at either Reefton or Chum Creek then. In three months & 6000ks I haven't given this car a decent thrash yet.

[Kez]

How on earth have you managed to go 6000 k's without a good thrash? the anticipation must be killing you! You are stronger willed than me by far haha

[06eleven]

How on earth have you managed to go 6000 k's without a good thrash? the anticipation must be killing you! You are stronger willed than me by far haha

My last car (Pug 206 GTi 180) was a lot more involving to drive, it really encouraged you to give it a thrash. The Polo feels more cruisy, so I haven't really felt all that inclined to push it. Plus, I find the body roll disconcerting. However, I've mostly been confined to innercity Sydney/Melbourne & highways. Hopefully when I get it on a decent road I'll start getting to know the car a bit better and give it a proper chance.

Also, in my two years without a car I've developed a massive fear of getting caught out by the cops. Victoria's ridiculous speed tolerances and enforcement have not helped with that. And I'm a bit older and more risk averse.

[SouthPolo]

My last car (Pug 206 GTi 180) was a lot more involving to drive, it really encouraged you to give it a thrash. The Polo feels more cruisy, so I haven't really felt all that inclined to push it. Plus, I find the body roll disconcerting. However, I've mostly been confined to innercity Sydney/Melbourne & highways. Hopefully when I get it on a decent road I'll start getting to know the car a bit better and give it a proper chance.

Also, in my two years without a car I've developed a massive fear of getting caught out by the cops. Victoria's ridiculous speed tolerances and enforcement have not helped with that. And I'm a bit older and more risk averse.

Ha can't blame you. My little foray over the border into vic today got me booked. And I'm more than a little bit older, apparently a lot less averse!

[kaanage]

thinking of heading out for my first decent drive on Sunday.

Tomorrow morning 7:30 Knox City car park

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/forums/f21/melbourne-monthly-cruise-first-weekend-each-month-61825-32.html

[06eleven]

Tomorrow morning 7:30 Knox City car park
http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...-61825-32.html

Looks good... Provided I can get myself out of bed in time, I'll be there.

[06eleven]

Ha can't blame you. My little foray over the border into vic today got me booked. And I'm more than a little bit older, apparently a lot less averse!

Shame, hope it wasn't a big "offence".

I think, for some reason, being out of a car for a couple of years has knocked my confidence. I also don't know this car, so I'm probably overly cautious. I'm still a hoon at heart.

[SouthPolo]

Shame, hope it wasn't a big "offence".

I think, for some reason, being out of a car for a couple of years has knocked my confidence. I also don't know this car, so I'm probably overly cautious. I'm still a hoon at heart.

Could've been worse.
You'll be right once back in the saddle. Need to tune yourself into new car.
It's ok to be in heart or head, it's when put into practice we can get in trouble.

[06eleven]

Could've been worse.
You'll be right once back in the saddle. Need to tune yourself into new car.
It's ok to be in heart or head, it's when put into practice we can get in trouble.

I went out to do just that this morning, hit a pot hole 20 minutes in & limped home with the space saver on

[Water Boy]

Kew Blvd
Balck spur
Reefton spur
Kinglake
Eltham - Yarraglen rd
Mountain hwy
Lake Mountain
Mt Dona buang
Great Ocean rd
Great Alpine way

Few of the the more well known roads. Just go exploring

[SouthPolo]

I went out to do just that this morning, hit a pot hole 20 minutes in & limped home with the space saver on

Bugger, Not the sort you want.
Is the wheel a right off?

[06eleven]

Bugger, Not the sort you want.
Is the wheel a right off?

Doesn't seem to be, but there's nowhere open on a sunday to get it checked unfortunately

[Buller_Scott]

Sorry to hear about your strife, 06eleven. Hope it's not a bad issue.

Yarra Bend, right off the start of the Eastern Fwy, is great late at night - there's no one around, although one of the residents likes to flash a light to make people think they've just been booked, haha.

As James mentioned - all those roads are awesome. Another one i like for fast, yummy sweepers is the road between Whittlesea and King Lake West? Or King Lake South, one of the two - 100km/h limit that you can hit corners at quite a bit more than that, in the wet (good, slidey goodness).

But yeah. You've got the car for a while (I presume), so take your time to get used to it - VW's always have a "safe" tendency to understeer, and it took me quite a while to learn how to handle that understeer tendency on the limit (and quite a bit more time and $$$ setting the car up so that it was as neutral as possible, hoping for it to tend towards slight oversteer).

Enjoi, and get out on some cruises - the early morning "first of the month" cruises are great for meeting up with like minded people and learning about how these things drive.

Cheers!