| adjustable spanner (n) | crescent wrench, monkey wrench |
| all the fruit (adj) | all the accessories or goodies "I ordered the new Ford with all the fruit." |
| ally (n) | aluminum |
| aluminium (n) (note second letter "i" in the last syllable) |
British/Australian pronunciation and spelling of aluminum (see text section on pronunciation differences) |
| ambo (n) | ambulance driver |
| Autogas (n) | LPG, liquid propane gas Used as a fuel in cars. |
| auto trimmer (n) | auto upholsterer |
| BAC (n) | blood alcohol concentration used to determine drunk driving |
| bikies (n) | motorcyclists Usually referring to members of bad-guy motorcycle gangs. |
| billy cart (n) | homemade wooden cart, soapbox racer |
| bingle (n) | minor car accident "He was in a bingle." |
| bitumen (n) | asphalt, pavement |
| black spot (n) | trouble spot in a roadway targeted for improvement or policing |
| blow in the bag (v) | taking a breathalyser test |
| bogey (n) | fifth wheel-hitch on a semi-truck (also called a booger) |
| bogged (adj) | stuck, vehicle stuck in sand or mud "We got bogged on the beach." |
| bonnet (n) | car hood |
| boot (n) | car trunk |
| booze bus (n) | police van used in road blocks to catch drink drivers |
| bowser (n) | gas pump "He got petrol from the bowser." |
| bull bars (n) | Big brush bar on the front of a vehicle for protection from hitting kangaroos or emus in outback and shopping trolleys in supermarket car parks. also 'roo bars |
| bull dust (n) | deep dust on a dirt road |
| bung (v) | to put an object on something "Bung that tyre on my ute." |
| bush bash | a race through the bush |
| cane it (v) | drive fast |
| car bays (n) | parking places |
| car park (n) | parking lot |
| caravan (n) | travel trailer |
| carriageway (n) | roadway |
| coach (n) | tour bus |
| deadly treadly (n) | bicycle |
| demister (n) | car windshield defogger |
| dinky, dink (v) | giving someone a ride on your bicycle, usually on the handlebars "Give us a dink." |
| donk (n) | engine |
| drink driver (n) | drunk driver |
| drive-away (adj) | out-the-door price (car dealership) Price of the car, GST, stamp duty, license, and third party insurance included. |
| drug driver (n) | driver under the influence of drugs |
| dual carriageway (n) | road with two lanes in each direction and a center divider down the middle |
| duco (n) | car paint |
| earth (n) | electrical ground "The negative wire was connected to earth." |
| excess (n) | deductible (insurance) "My car insurance has a $200 excess on theft." |
| fang it (v) (adj) | to drive fast "The hoons were fanging it on the road." |
| fault (n) | problem "We found the fault in the motor." |
| filter lane (n) | the transition road on the left or right side of the roadway |
| filter light (n) | turn arrow |
| fitted (v) | installed, mounted, put on "We had new tyres fitted to the ute." |
| fitter (n) | one who assembles mechanical equipment, mechanic |
| FJ (n) | The most famous model of Holden automobile. "My favourite car is a 1953 FJ Holden." |
| flash for cash (n) | traffic or speed camera |
| float (n) | a horse trailer |
| footpath (n) | sidewalk |
| garbo (n) | garbage truck driver |
| gas (n) | propane, LPG |
| go for a burn (v) | to test drive a car, to drive fast |
| Holden (n) | General Motors Australia auto manufacturing subsidiary See section on Australian cars. |
| hook turn (v) | Method of turning right in traffic around trams in Melbourne. See section on driving |
| k's (n) | kilometres "It's a hundred k's from here." |
| kerb (n) | Aussie spelling of curb |
| Kombi (n) | Vw bus |
| kW | kilowatt Measurement of electricity (1,000 watts); also the power of an engine, 1 kW= .746 horsepower |
| laneway (n) | alley "Put the rubbish bin in the laneway." |
| lollypop man (n) | Person with the "stop" and "slow" signs, directing traffic at a road construction site. The signs are round and on a stick, like a large lollypop. |
| lorry (n) | truck |
| Merc (n) (pronounced Merk) |
Short for Mercedes Benz Not a Mercury; Mercurys aren't sold in Australia. |
| Multanova (n) | portable speeding camera Brand name of the Swiss-made device. |
| panel beater (n) | auto body repairman |
| peak hour (adj) | rush hour (traffic) |
| pelican crossing (n) | crosswalk where pedestrians activate red crossing lights. short for PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled crossing: PELICON |
| petrol (n) | gasoline |
| plant the foot (v) | to drive fast |
| P-parking | on a sign indicating a paid parking zone The maximum time allowed follows the "P." a ticket can be purchased at a nearby kerb-side vending machine. |
| prang (n) (v) | car accident |
| prime mover (n) | tractor-truck that pulls a semi-trailer |
| push bike, pushie (n) | bicycle "I'll ride my pushie to school." |
| rattle your dags (v) | to ride your bike |
| rego (n) | car registration |
| road train (n) | truck pulling two or three trailers |
| roo bar (n) | Brush bar on the front of a vehicle for protection when colliding with a kangaroo. Also good for protecting your paint from shopping trolleys at the mall. |
| Sandman (n) | Holden panel van, a favorite car of surfers in the 1980s |
| sealed road (adj) | paved road |
| servo (n) | service station |
| shaggin' wagon (adj) | panel van |
| shifter (n) | wrench (tool) |
| shockies (n) | shock absorbers |
| skim the discs (v) | to turn the brake rotors (automotive) |
| smash (n) | car accident |
| soft-roader (n) (adj) | light duty 4WD "The RAV4 is comfy, but it's really just a soft-roader." |
| spanner (n) | wrench (tool) |
| spares (n) | parts (machinery) |
| spotties (n) | driving lights, spotlights |
| tinny (n) | aluminum can of beer; small aluminum skiff |
| tip truck (n) | garbage truck |
| torch (n) | flashlight |
| towing A-frame (n) | tow bar for pulling one car with another |
| truckie (n) | truck driver |
| tyre (n) | tire |
| ute (n) | flatbed pickup truck Short for utility. |
| van (n) | enclosed truck, ute, also short for caravan (travel trailer) |
| verge (n) | roadside parkway between sidewalk and street "He parked on the verge." |
| witch's hat (n) | orange plastic safety cone used on roadways |
| wring its neck (adj) | to drive a vehicle hard |