UKC

Anybody hired while across there and found a good/cheap company? It would be for seven weeks and from Auckland.

Lynsey.

In reply to Lynsety:

http://www.escaperentals.co.nz/ - great company & cheap if u book early.

In reply to Lynsety: Think about buying one from one of the auctions around Auckland, and then sell it on before you come home. The loss you might be left with will be a lot less than the cost of hire. I managed a good van for £3000 sold it for £2400 we were there 9months so thats just under £60 a month.

In reply to Will W: just OVER £60 a month, not a good maths day!

In reply to Lynsety:

To be honest, if you're only going for seven weeks, then buying isn't really a good idea. Selling them on isn't really that easy, we met lots of people for who it took well over a week to sell their's and that's significant time out of your holiday.

Also, if you're going now for a couple of months, you'll be buying close to the start of high season but selling closer to the start of the low - the wrong way around!

If you do decide to buy, then I'd avoid the undercover market at all costs, you're reasonably likely to get ripped off in there. There's a better market (Tuesday mornings?) down on the front.

Renting is probably the best way to go though. Juicy rentals were who we went with (after we scrapped our shagged out van!) and they were good. If you're going in the southern winter, spend the extra $10 or so and hire the snow chains from the rental company as they're expensive to buy and mandatory on some roads in winter (ski fields, Milford Road etc).

I'd avoid Wicked at all costs. They don't seem to work out any cheaper, have appalling customer service (by most accounts) and you're unable to choose which crappy picture you have on the side of your van and some are quite offensive. Also Wicked Vans scream "I'm a tourist please rob me".

Good luck!

In reply to Lynsety:
Hi Lynsey
We travelled down in NZ and Oz over the last 12 months and when we were in Oz we used a web site called www.standbycars.au
They are for relocation deals and we got everything from brand new 6 berth winebago campers thro to ordinary vw2 berth campers for 1 dollar a day. Yes you did read that right. All they ask is that you take the van from one location to another in a given time. If you require longer then you pay at the normal price. an example was taking one from Sydney across to Perth in 14 days at a cost of 70 dollars. They also operate in NZ have a look.
Shaun

In reply to Lynsety:
we used affordable motorhomes when we went for a month in 2001 they were the best price we could find (but we did want 3 seats up front for a child seat as well as us)

http://www.affordablemotorhome.co.nz/

they dropped off and collect from the airport at auckland and didn't charge us that much when we owned up to some damage to it!

In reply to Lynsety:

My fiance and I spent 4 months travelling round NZ in (their) 2006 winter, all of that time was spent in an EZY camper (www.ezy.co.nz), and I can't recommend them highly enough! It worked out at less than £13 a day which when you compare that to other companies it's very reasonable. I'm not sure what they charge at the mo but it can't have gone up that much.

You're definitely seeing the country in the best way, 7 weeks though!? You'll be left wanting more!!