Which car rental company is the best in NZ? (we'll be renting for our entire trip - one car for NI, then fly to QT & rent another car) Jucy seems the cheapest but I'm skeptical after reading some reviews on here. How about Apex - are they reliable? I'm trying to avoid the bigger companies since the rates are inflated. It's just me & my husband so we just need something small & economical - also a car with a truck that will not reveal our luggage. Thanks!

I've rented from several of the majors and also from APEX. All of them were fine. APEX has a good reputation and we had no problems.

We used Maui and had no problems. Some people here have mentioned that you should ask for a car with some kind of separate locking mechanism for the trunk; that way, in case someone tries to break in, they can't get into your trunk from the passenger compartment.

Lee Ann

If you're okay with an older car I think Apex is a good choice.

If you want to go with a major I liked Avis best.

I had no problems and a great price from Auto Europe

Hi Angela,

I use Auto Europe for my clients - they will match any other rate, don't charge excess fees, and if there's a problem, you have a US based company who will deal with it in a timely fashion.

To step outside the box, and see what the other companies were doing, I rented APEX for a North Island stay. They were late picking us up (approx. 30 min); and there were some minor car problems. It wasn't anything we couldn't deal with, but it just reaffirmed my confidence in Auto Europe, who I've been working with for 15 years with no problems.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Kiwi Specialist

Thanks for all the recs. I just found yesterday I can also get a discounted rate with hertz through my aaa membership - so I'll probably price around & see what's best.

Does AutoEurope just book cars and contract them out to another agency eg National?

I had some issues with National in Dunedin (booking directly with them).

You may also find other discounts going through the airline you are flying with, or via Costco or other membership affiliation.

Do check the airline's New Zealand website, too. Avis has seasonal specials. If you don't mind driving in City traffic they may be offering a one-day airport to city special which includes 24 hours and a tank of gas.

Hi Mlgb!

To answer your question, actually AutoEurope books more than just cars (but that's all I normally use them for); they do airfare and hotels as well (different division, same company).

They work with all the major car companies in the cities that they're located. For example, it could be Europcar in Australia, or it might be Hertz, depending on where the client's picking up/dropping off the car. Of course, at the airport you've pretty much got your choice of anyone, but it's when you "get off the beaten track" that you're limited. I had a client who had to drop off her car by 5PM in Maryborough Australia because the local office there would not budge on making alternative arrangements! (like dropping the keys through the mail slot). I guess being the only game in town they figure they can get away with it!

Regards,

Melodie

In looking over my trip report I realized that we also booked a car through Ezi-Rent and were very pleased with the price and the service.

I booked my rental cars for NZ and OZ today and found the best prices through Auto Europe.