Hiring a car in New Zealand couldn’t be easier. With a huge variety of car hire companies and depots to choose from. Cars will range from all different sizes; whether you are a couple travelling around or a family of five. These vehicles be it old or new will also come with different price ranges. So you are bound to find something which is going to be suitable for your adventure.
You can pick up your vehicle from all major airports as well as the domestic ones as well. If you are wanting to stay in the centre of a city, such as Auckland, for a few days, consider picking your car hire up from a downtown depot. This will save you the parking charges when you won’t be using the vehicle. Find a depot which is going to be the most economical and logical for your route you are going to be taking around New Zealand. It may be worth picking up the car from the airport and paying that extra taxi fare. Just so you don’t have to pay a one way drop off charge from picking it up from a downtown depot. Explore all your options and locations, as well as making sure you know all the extra charges involved.
So let’s touch on those extra fees. Travellers around New Zealand tend to start from the North Island (Auckland) and finish in the South Island (Christchurch). Consider having a look at your car hire the other way around to see if you can save a couple of hundred dollars. You will be relocating the car for the car company, so they don’t have to. Also make sure you are looking at any one-way fees as I mentioned before. Picking up and dropping the car off at a major depot usually won’t occur in a fee to do this. Major depots are the major airports: Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington. Along with some other locations such as Queenstown, Dunedin and Greymouth. As mentioned before; this is because you are relocating the car for them. However if you are dropping it off at a lot smaller (minor) location depot you will usually have to pay a fee. These fees can range from fifty dollars to two hundred and fifty, depending on the location, route and size of your vehicle. Usually the higher end of this price is due to a one way motorhome hire.
Now on to that ferry crossing. If you are wanting to visit both the North and the South Islands you will need to take a ferry. This is going to be more expensive with a car rather than with a foot passenger. Why do so many people fly into one airport and out of another? So they don’t have to do this ferry crossing twice. It can be pricey. If you are using a car hire company such as Alamo they will ask you to drop the car off in either Picton or Wellington and take the ferry as a foot passenger and pick another car hire up at the depo the other side. This is again due to the relocation of cars. Make sure you give them the right date of the ferry crossing so they can plan ahead and have the cars ready for you when you come to pick up.
What type of car would be best for driving in New Zealand? It’s a good question and I would recommend a larger vehicle. Most companies would have a word for them such as a ‘standard’ vehicle or even an ‘SUV’ type of vehicle. Roads in New Zealand are large and also windy so it’s nicer to be able to feel like you aren’t drowning in the tarmac and higher up, so you are able to see the roads clearer. To add to that the drives can be long in New Zealand depending on your route, so make sure you have a car where all the passengers are going to be comfortable. There is nothing worse, when you are driving, than having someone moaning in your ear about how uncomfortable they are in the back. As well as people space, think about boot space. How many bags are you taking with you? Checked luggage? Or cabins bags? Soft sided rucksacks? In all car hires which you take around the world, no matter what insurance they have included in them; this insurance will become invalid if you are to put any luggage in the back seats of the vehicle. What? Why? Well, the reason is this. If you are to have an accident, instead of the actual accident causing damage to someone’s head, it’s your heavy flung around cabin bag. They aren’t going to pay out. So make sure your luggage can fit into the boot of the vehicle properly, before you decide that this is the car for your journey. If necessary you can always upgrade the car to a larger model at the depot and pay the difference in New Zealand dollars.
What extras could you be charged for and when should you add this on? Extras to include and think about. Insurances (third party, zero excess, windscreen, etc.). GPS devices (usually payable locally but best to make sure they have one available before you get there particularly if travelling in busy season). Ski roof racks or tyres (is it mandatory for the time of year you are travelling?) Child or baby seats (usually have a legal age and height limit for this, you will need to make sure you check the GOV.NZ website for this information). All these things need to be considered and should be made clear to the car hire company you will be needing them before you arrive at the depot, or even paid for upfront. Most companies will try and sting you with fees when you arrive, but if you already have everything in place. You don’t need to take out any of their extra items they are trying to sell you. Also as well paying in your local currency upfront is going to be more cost effective than paying for their New Zealand dollars at the time of arrival. Try and pre-book the car hire and make sure it is all paid up, rather than settling the bill at the end of your New Zealand adventure.
If you have any further questions regarding car hire, please feel free to drop me a message via the contact me page I would be happy to assist with anything.
LEAH HANCOX 