4wd hire advise ?

Why not,sounds good to me. Hire and fly certainly takes a few unknowns from the equation.
Sargents 4wd hire were advertising troopies at $90 a day ,unlimited klms.
A full camper troopy would be double or triple that.
You could buy a swag and a small tent an save money

Have you driven the any of the several routes from Canberra to Darwin before? There is so much to see, Im a bit at a loss to see why you would fly and hire, given that you appear to have your own well equipped vehicle. Provided that it is in good condition it would be more than adequate for the trip. Perhaps more detail regarding what you want to do would help.

Cheers

$90 per day and airfares would go along way for fuel in your own vehicle for the trip. Remember the troopie needs fuel on top as well. Also you haven't got the stress of an unknown vehicle and the possibility of damage or writing off someone elses vehicle.
I'd rather take my own...much more enjoyable and if you want to extend the trip you can in yours, their vehicle may be booked again by someone else already so it has to be returned on time.

Cheers
Dave

Make sure you understand any limitations on the insurance. Does the insurance cover the vehicle on dirt roads, off road etc

Hi there. We faced the same dilemma last year, and ended up flying and hiring a 2wd, which was a real compromise. Trouble is, if I am going anywhere off the main roads, I like some tools, a first aid kit, recovery gear, compressor, Engel, 2nd battery, camping stuff, say around 100 plus kg without even considering jerry cans for fuel or water, shovel or Maxtrax!!
I had also heard about strict instructions from the hirer not to air down, regardless, plus the off road restrictions, and hiring a proper 4WD to go bush just got too hard! Regardless of the money!
At least, if you hire a Troopy in Darwin, most other people will get out of your way as you approach, to preserve their lives from mad foreign tourists determined to get gravel rash on their roofs!
I do know that reputable hirers will be willing and able to provide some sensible stuff, like a 2nd spare etc. but you need to check your vehicle end to end before you leave their depot, including all tyres.
Good luck.
Chris (SA)

No

Don't

My dad did this a few years ago. Flew to Darwin and picked up a 4wd camper. The plan was to drive to Cun-anara then down to Perth and fly back to Adelaide. When they got to the hire car place they were told they weren't allowed to take the 4wd off the road (dirt roads OK but no off road). Having said that, he did. But my old boy is not a 4wd'er so he didn't do anything he wasn't comfy with. Had he known that when he booked he would have hired a small car. So might pay to check this out if you do. Thing is though, by flying you can get from home to Darwin and back in under a day, thereby saving about 7 - 10 days in the car. Great if you have limited time.

Louie