Hiring a car in New Zealand for your trip is possible as long as you know the requirement and where to look for. There are so many cars rental companies that offer affordable price for travelers but only few cities that really offer the cheapest cost like Auckland. Those companies also offer wide range of vehicles which can be adjusted according to your budget, from SUV to compact car.
Tips hiring a car in New Zealand with cheap price
There are some tips for you who want to get cheap cost when hiring a car in New Zealand such as:
- To find cheapest car rental in New Zealand (NZ), you have to think about how long you will rent a car. The longer you book the car then you will be offered with cheaper daily rate. So, before your trip, please make a plan on how long you will hire a car.
- If you are in tight budget but you still want to travel to different cities then you can try to find a rental agency or company who are in a rental car relocation. This is one of the easiest ways to find cheap booked car since the company will hire people to move their cars from one city to another in New Zealand. You will be able to not only get a cheap price of rented vehicle, but you can move from a pick-up branch to the designated location for number of days.
- Try to find small and older car if that’s okay for you especially if you just want to sightseeing and travel within the city in short distance. It is because the bigger the car you rent then the more expensive it will become. The same goes for the age of the car, the older you get then the cheaper the cost of rent will be.
- Another factor which can influence the price or the daily rate of the rented car is in what season you are planning to go to New Zealand. It is because during high season like summer break from December to March, you can expect the price go higher. Meanwhile, it is possible to get more affordable price during winter season or from June to August. That’s why, if you do not have enough budget to travel with car, you can travel to New Zealand during low season since most of the rental companies will lower their rental cost. The daily rate can be cut out up to 50 percent!
- Compare each rental cost from different companies. Prices can also vary between different rental companies and cars since they need to compete to survive in the same market. The types of the car you want to rent, accessories and features inside it and even the model as well as the size can affect the rental prices. You can shop around to find the best rental price by compare each company. Ask them for discount or a cashback as well.
Extra cost when hiring a car in New Zealand
You may have additional cost if you meet certain criteria when hiring a car in New Zealand. This can cause you to pay an extra price such as:
1. One-way fee service:
Some people do not hesitate to take one-way service if they don’t want to drop off the rented car in the same location that they picked it up. If you also have similar mind, then please take some note that you will be charged with extra cost.
2. Young driver extra charge
For a driver who are younger than 25 years old, then you will be charged an extra cost per day. Not all but most of companies in New Zealand have this kind of term and condition. If they check on your driver license and they see that you are less than 25 years old then they will either charge you an extra $10 per day (average market price) or make you take daily insurance. Some companies even will restrict the model of cars you can rent.
3. Baby or child seats
For those who travel with baby or children, you can expect the companies will demand extra charge from you around $45-$50 per baby or child seat.
4. Price for extra driver
If you are travel alone or you just can’t drive alone and need a driver then the company can include the rented car with hired car driver. Of course, they will charge you with more cost for it. Some companies might give you free of charge to take an extra driver, while others might charge you an extra fee around $10.
5. Snow chains
When you are planning to travel to mountain or higher place then snow chains can be considered as mandatory especially during winter. Most of the companies will charge you an extra cost around $5 to $50 per day. Meanwhile, some companies might just give it to you for free since they need to boost their sale during winter season.
6. Fuel consumption
It is important to consider the fuel consumption when you hire a car in New Zealand. You have to pay for fuel consumption of a car and the cost might depend on the gas price. We suggest that you also need to look for average gas price in New Zealand as well as average fuel consumption of your rented car. It is better to rent a fuel-efficient car for your trip.
Final words
Hire a car in NZ can be quite challenging if this your first time visiting the beautiful island. Some extra cost cannot be avoided while others are possible to be taken out. When budgeting your holiday trip, it is better to always consider how long you need to rent a car and what kind of model you want to hire (diesel car will cost more by the way). In addition, we recommend you go during low season and avoid summer break so you can save money when hiring a car in New Zealand.
