Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 12:14 pm, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
Hi Kiwis, We (me, wife & daughter) are visiting NZ 8th Jan to 1st Feb next year, I'm looking to hire a car to drive around North Is to about 20th/21st Jan then hop on the ferry and pick up another car in Picton. We're flying back from Christchurch so would be leaving the car there.
I realise there's a one-way penalty, and maybe another for having two cars. It's only NZD120 extra to take a car on the ferry but I'd assume the bookings would be tighter for cars than for walk-ons.
Anyone have any contacts for such a hire, from Auckland to ChCh? A mid-range hatch is preferred, or a small wagon like Subaru Impreza or Liberty (Legacy). We'll have a bit of luggage and it's so much easier to throw it into the back of a wagon or hatch (having hired a Commodore sedan once, which was a pain, repacking every day).
There's no shortage of car rental, firms, I know, but someone here might have a mate in the industry.
Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 03:15 pm, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
That's what I said to my wife, Don , people who live there have never had to hire a car! Living on a small island (where we leave 2-3 cars behind!) we always have to hire a car when back n the mainland. I just go for the cheapest for the length of time and type of car we want. The choices are probably better in NZ, with the high no of tourists, and the availability of "imports".
Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 05:16 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
I did more or less exactly as you describe Mike, in late 2004, hiring a car in Auckland, dropping it in Wellington and picking up another in Picton to drop in Christchurch. It was cheaper to use two cars than to book one on the ferry. They are quite accustomed to that sort of arrangement. I picked one of the known brands (Thrifty) on price and car type available, and was given a Camry wagon in the North and a Primera in the South. You can find them on the net. I can look up what I paid if you like but better to do your own comparison as prices and specials change. I do not recall there being any penalty for drop off in another city (NZ is a small place).
Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 05:23 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
When going to Austria recently, I set out to hire a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 litre from Europcar, having decided that a 4WD or a small turbo-diesel, while desirable alternatives, were too expensive. There was also a 200 (dollar? euro? do not recall) "relocation fee" for picking up in Vienna and dropping in Zurich.
When I arrived to pick up the car, they asked would I mind too much if I did not take the small Golf but instead took a Swiss car back to Zurich? Since that saved me the final 200, I agreed. Further, the car proved to be a 4WD 2.0L turbo-diesel.... about double the cost of the car I had planned to hire, at no increase in the pre-paid price.
Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 05:36 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
I can stuff myself into our Polo so the Golf would have been all right. I normally go for 1.6-2.0L cars as being easy to handle in small spaces and cruising OK.
Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 03:14 pm, by: Dave Hart(Davyboy)
Have you tried the usual suspects (Avis,Hertz,Budget) on their web sites? Also, what does 'The Flight Centre' offer? You have to watch youself re the ferry as they seem to pick school holiday times to go on stike.
Monday, October 31, 2005 - 01:54 pm, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
If you're not fussy about what you drive, it might be cheaper just to buy a old runner to tour around in. You can get a hell of a good late 80's Toyota Corolla or similar hatch for less than what you'd spend on hiring a rental car for 3 weeks, and you're unlikely to have any problems with it - plus you can flick it at the end and get most/all of your money back.
Monday, October 31, 2005 - 02:32 pm, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
I agree it's possible to make a big saving, Matthew, but with 3 cars in the stable, I can do without the hassle of having to sell a car in Chch with a noon flight having arrived in town the previous day...
Wednesday, November 02, 2005 - 06:37 am, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
Good point - you could just take it to a wreckers and get what you could for it, but I guess its not the sort of thing you want to be bothering with on whats supposed to be a holiday...
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