Find A New Zealand Rental Car The Easy Way

Finding a New Zealand rental car must be at the top of the (most hated tasks) list when planning a visit. Like having the life force sucked out of you by a complicated math equation. Make it easy on yourself and get it sorted today.

New Zealand rental car hire - family pic

There's a New Zealand rental car for everybody

Don't get hooked into the minutiae. It's a CAR. All you need is four wheels, an engine, a car body and you're good to go.

Cars go forever these days and if for some reason yours happens to putter to a stop, get your phone out. Easy as that. Rentals are generally well-maintained though and shouldn't cause any problems.

I'm only saying this in case you're like me and get hung up on the details. And I could quite happily put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger because of it (messy, but it would serve the purpose). Time-sucking, son of a... mutter, mutter, mutter.

Ahem, so, when it comes to a New Zealand rental car selection, the best way to find one is to use a comparison search engine.

The New Zealand rental car supplier of choice for Rotorua Travel Secrets is DriveNow, an Australian owned company (provides worldwide rental comparisons now). Save time, a heap of money, and get back to the fun part of travel planning sooner. Mountains to scale, rivers to vault - you know, that Harrison Ford kind of thing.

Why DriveNow? Let's see:

Lowest online rental price guarantee - New Zealand competitors are matched and beaten by 10% (conditions apply)
All rental taxes and levies are included (excluding a surcharge for drivers under 25 years)
No booking fees and no hidden fees
You're booking direct with the rental car company and it happens easily and instantly
Basic New Zealand insurance is included - excess applies and that can be reduced. (Look at your personal and credit card insurance options)
The results page is in a grid format showing the deals, daily prices and vehicle features - everything you need for instant comparison
Nothing to pay upfront
You're not alone - fantastic customer service

DriveNow pits company against company so you don't have to visit countless websites. The trusted rental brands include Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty and Europcar - all major players for car hire in New Zealand. The rental companies are located nationwide in cities, airports and other popular destinations.

Information on DriveNow's New Zealand website is streamlined by the various types of rental vehicles on offer: 4 wheel drives, wagons, people movers, SUVs, intermediate, compact and economy vehicles.

Get your instant quote to hire a rental car by clicking on your location of choice and DriveNow will take you from there. Remember, your time is precious so like Nike says, "Just do it!"

PS. Come back to read the rest of the page if you're intending to cross the Cook Strait - between the north and south islands.

The Interislander Ferry & New Zealand Rental Cars

Travelling between New Zealand's north and south Islands by ferry? This is where it gets tricky. Pretty much all the suppliers of rental cars don't allow the vehicles to be taken across the Cook Strait (policies can be found on DriveNow's website).

One of New Zealand's Interislander ferry fleet - Kaitaki

That means the hassle of leaving your rental car at Picton or Wellington and picking up a new one on leaving the ship.

It also means two rental car bookings plus a ferry booking. You'd think it could be easier. Just make sure when you book the first phase of your journey, that you book the second at the same time.

Keep in mind that excess baggage fees apply, but if you're travelling already, it shouldn't be a problem - unless you're a shopaholic.

As for the ferry crossing, learn more about the Interislander and purchase your ticket/s for north island to south Wellington to Picton and vice versa.

One final thing. Allow yourself to be sucked into the romance of the journey (the one time the word 'sucked' is good). Think dolphin watching, stunning vistas of New Zealand unfolding and playing the lead role of Jack or Rose of Titanic fame - sans the sinking of course. How fun is that?

Now how easy was that huh? Rental car, done. Ferry crossing, done. What a relief to get those nasty jobs out of the way. You can thank me later.

Happy road tripping.