10 Tips for Campervan Rentals NZ

The following 10 tips for campervan rentals NZ will give you an idea of various issues you need to consider when hiring campervans, motorhomes, and RVs in New Zealand.

1 Driver Age Limits

The minimum age required to drive campervan rentals NZ is usually 21 years but may be older for some campervans such as up to 23 or 25 years of age. There may also be restrictions for drivers over 75.

2 Insurance

There may be some mandatory insurance charges or you may be given several options. Check the excess because it is also possible to pay a little more for the excess to be waived. Keep in mind that it's often small damages to the vehicle that come within the excess and are more likely to happen.

Windscreen insurance is important and tyres can get damaged, make sure these are covered. In my case a lorry coming in the other direction pinged a stone up that I thought had chipped the windscreen. Luckily for me the chip was already there from a previous hire and was already marked up on my pick up check drawing! Phew!

Consider the number of drivers you need

Larger campervans incur higher vehicle insurance.

3 Bond

An important part of the 10 Tips for Campervan Rentals NZ is that you will be asked for a bond to cover the liability of any damage to campervans at the start of your rental period. Most hire companies will take an imprint of your credit card for this and will not use it unless the vehicle does get damaged. You should be made aware of any use of your credit card for this purpose when you drop the vehicle off at the depot. If there is no damage the imprint slip should be given back to you or disposed of.

Be aware that some companies may take the bond at the start of your holiday so ensure that your credit card limit is enough to cover it. If you have a low credit limit on the card and they take the money you won't have enough left to cover your vacation. Also consider that the exchange rate may be different when you return the camper van and there is a risk you may lose money on your refund.

4 Size

How many people will be travelling in your camper van? How long is your holiday? Both these questions will have an impact on your choice.

If you are a family be aware of the potential need for a bit of space for the children to be entertained inside if the weather isn't good one day. Also take note of the sleeping arrangements and layout inside because you will need a bit of privacy between sleeping areas in the larger berth campervans.

If there is only two of you don't get a huge motorhome because you don't want to be prevented from going to some locations because you are driving a huge truck!

Some of the roads in New Zealand can be quite bendy and hilly. Along the coast roads your vehicle can get caught by the wind a bit because they are high sided vehicles.

Make sure your choice matches your driving ability and needs.

5 Pick up and Drop off Locations

If you are going to be arriving during a Saturday or Sunday, or on a public holiday, don't forget to check that the company depot is open on weekends. They may only be available for pick up during the morning on a Saturday.

If you want to pick up and drop off your New Zealand motorhome hire in different towns or islands, be sure to first check if the company has a depot or office in that location. Remember to ask if this involves extra charges. An example may be a pick up in Auckland and drop off in Christchurch.

See if airport and hotel transfers are offered by the company.

Check if there is an additional cleaning fee or rubbish disposal when you drop off the vehicle. Most companies do not charge if you leave the motorhome in the clean condition that it was when you picked it up. In my case the inside was clean but I couldn't find anywhere near to the depot to wash the outside... but I wasn't charged extra for that. 10 Tips for Campervan Rentals NZ suggests you make sure you empty the waste water at your last opportunity!

6 Fuel and Transmission

Larger campervans use more diesel or petrol. Check the kilometres or miles per gallon because it can make a huge difference to the cost of your travel.

Enquire if the rates include free unlimited km's or if you will have to pay for mileage or road user tax.

Most of the campervans for hire in New Zealand will have manual transmission.

7 Routes

The majority of companies in New Zealand will place restrictions on some of the roads that you are allowed to drive the campervans.

There are good reasons for this so do take note of the restrictions. Some of the roads that are off the main roads may be rough and liable to cause damage to the camper van. In the winter a particular road may be re known for snow or ice driving conditions and again potential for damage or accidents. There are New Zealand roads that are not sealed that can throw up stones that damage the under side of the van, or oncoming traffic can throw stones up and damage windscreens.

I wouldn't recommend hiring a van if they only permit you to drive on sealed roads. This may prevent you from going in some areas where although the road is unsealed it is perfectly good enough to drive on and may be just a short drive. As an example, although it is now a sealed road, the first time I visited New Zealand Heist Pass was unsealed and this is a major road link across the South Island.

Examples of some restricted driving routes or off road areas for campervan rentals NZ will be: Ninety Mile Beach (Northland, North Island), areas north of Colville Township (Coromandel Peninsula, North Island), Skippers Road (Queenstown, South Island), Ball Hut Road (Mt. Cook, South Island).

Ensure you have breakdown cover included in your rental. 24 hour breakdown cover is ideal but can more expensive.

8 Off Road and Four Wheel Drive

You don't generally need a four wheel drive for New Zealand travel unless you are planning to go to more remote areas or may encounter river crossings etc. Check your itinerary and ask the hire company what their advice is according to where you are planning to travel.

Also check if they actually allow you to take the motorhome off road and if it is a suitable vehicle in relation to braking and handling in a variety of conditions.

If you are planning to drive along more remote and lesser used roads do make sure you choose a newer vehicle and read up on feedback reviews to check on the reliability of the campervans. It's no good if you break down in the middle of nowhere even if the scenery is fantastic!

9 Equipment

Find out what cooking, sleeping, and camping equipment is provided. This is important as it can make a big difference to your comfort and expenses. If it is winter travel, warmth is going to be important to you and you don't want to have to look to buy extra bedding.

Campervan rentals NZ may provide: maps, bedding, heater, towels, pots and pans, plates and cutlery, picnic table and chairs, BBQ, clothes line and pegs, snow chains, etc. If some of these items are not included in the price they are often an additional extra that you can choose to hire or not.

Snow chains are not usually included but if you are travelling in winter to New Zealand ski resorts you may need them depending on your planned routes.

A tent is sometimes offered and can be useful if you have older children and they want to camp out.

Toilet and shower facilities. Campervans come with and without toilets and/or showers cubicles, as do some camp sites! We chose a small campervan with a shower cubicle in the corner that had a portable toilet in it too. This was dead convenient for two women travelling alone but I have to say that we didn't actually need to use the shower as we used the shower facilities on camp grounds. On reflection, next time I'll most likely just get one with a toilet and not be fussed about having a shower in the van.

Some companies will offer a mobile phone but it will generally cost extra.

10 Pick up Check

When you pick up the campervan rentals NZ the company should provide a form with an outline drawing of the motorhome on it that marks out any existing damage. Be sure to walk all round the van with the rep and study it for existing damage. Make sure everything gets marked on the drawing so that you can't be blamed for any damage caused by a previous driver.

Also ensure you check the inside contents of the camper van and everything that is provided. These contents, such as bedding and cooking equipment, will be checked when you drop off the vehicle and anything missing or damaged will be charged to you. It's therefore extremely important that you take note of these items and worth spending the extra time before heading off on your travels.

More?

I hope my 10 Tips for Campervan Rentals NZ have provide you with some good advice to start with. Obviously there are lots more details that I could add to this page on using this method of travel in New Zealand but the above provides a good outline of things to think about when making your choices.

Choosing a Campervan Hire Company covers other information about hiring campervans in New Zealand.

For more information about seasons for travel see my pages on New Zealand Campervans and New Zealand Seasons

Car Hire New Zealand
Compare top Car Hire suppliers with this FREE online service

Rent a Camper Van or Motorhome in New Zealand. Big selection and deals to suit every budget!

Maps

For some recommendations of really good road maps to help with your 10 Tips for Campervan Rentals NZ, and that I personally used while I was driving round New Zealand, see my page on New Zealand Road Maps

Related Links

Choosing a Campervan Hire Company

New Zealand Campervans and Motorhomes