AL

I am just wondering whether anyone out there has ever driven a 6 /7 berth campervan in the South Island & whether there were any problems negotiating the mountain road bends that I understand are prevalent throughout the Island?Would getting a 5 berth be any better, in terms of driving?This would probably be the minimum size for our group.

AL

Hello,isn't there anyone out there who can help with my query?

Paul S

Hi Al,<BR><BR>Yes I have done that with my wife and I would not do it again. In my view it would be better to do it by car and stay either in onsite cabins or in motels. <BR><BR>We had major problems with our camper which cost us a day in our schedule waiting for another to arrive from Christchurch. Adding to our time problem was that the camper was governed to 90 Km/h and because they suffer so badly with wind resistance there are times that we were lucky to get 60 Km/h out of it when the wind was blowing.<BR><BR>We did not have any problems with road size and getting about but we tended to park the thing in the caravan park and take side tours with operators.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR><BR>Paul S

AL

Thanks, Paul for providing me some feedback. Could you tell me which model, brand of campervan did you hire and from which company so that I may be able to avoid it.<BR>TQ.

Paul S

Hi Al,<BR><BR>We hired a Maui 6 berth camper from Christchurch. We had a lot of trouble with Maui and I would not use them again but I know other people who have used them without any problems.<BR><BR>The main problem in my opinion with the big campers is the wind factor, it is a very annoying problem when you are trying to plan your time effectively. They quite literally have the aerodynamics of a brick, you just manage to get up to speed and then you come out from a farmers wind break and down goes your speed. You will see that the farmers employ a lot of wind breaks on their farms which to me says that the winds blow strong quite alot.<BR><BR>If I were to do it over I would definitely do it by car and stay in cheaper accommodations like B&B's or onsight cabins in caravan parks. We also found fuel to be quite expensive and the big camper guzzled the stuff.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR><BR>Paul S

AL

Thanks again Paul for taking time to reply.Unfortunately, my group is very keen on the campervan as they've never been on one before and would like the experience for the heck of it, so even if I agreed with you, I guess I'm ruled out here. In any case, from your experience, which are the roads to watch out for to make driving the campervan more pleasant and safer?

Paul S

Hi Al,<BR><BR>We found the west coast road to be the most rugged, it is very hilly in places and on the way in to Wanaka it is very bendy and no chance to pass anyone so if you get stuck behind a slow driver then your stuck. We ended up forming a Maui convoy of around 7 6 berth campers.<BR><BR>Apart from the west coast road there is really not too much to be concerned about. We had a terrible camper to start with and it had a top speed of 60 km/h so we only made it to the top of Arthurs Pass by 10 pm. Be aware that if you are planning to do your trip in the winter months or even early spring that Arthurs Pass can get snowed in and the road can be closed. We were very lucky as the weather closed in overnight and we just got through the pass before they closed the road behind us.<BR><BR>The pressure plate on the clutch gave out on the west coast road just as we got to the top of a mountain so I put it in neutral and coasted down onto the straight and then hitched a ride to Haast which is where we stayed until a new camper was delivered to us from Christchurch.<BR><BR>Anyway I hope your holiday turns out a little more successful than ours did. One other thing that happened to us and happened to other people we know is that when we went to pick up our camper initially in Christchurch they tried to give us a 2 berth camper saying that it was what we had ordered. We produced our documentation showing we had booked a 6 berth camper and they produced documentation showing we had booked a 2 berth camper. Only we had receipts to show that we had actually paid for the 6 berth camper and then they backed down and agreed that yes we should have gotten the 6 berth but they did not have any and it would take a day before they got one in, they then gave us a car to use around Christchurch and told us to come back around 4 pm to pick up the camper. Well we did and when we turned up at 4 pm we were greeted with an old wreck of a camper that they had resurrected from their back lot, they sent us out in that knowing full well it was going to die on us. <BR><BR>The part about being told we had only booked a 2 berth camper had also happened to two other people who had done the trip before us so I think it is probably a well used ploy.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR><BR>

Al

Thanks,Paul for your frank brief of your encounter.I think what you went through was terrible-how a reputable company like Maui could pull a scam like that is beyond me!!!Did you file a complaint with them? I guess we'll never hear of complaints formthem,would we. Thanks to forums like these where the truth can be uncovered and unsuspecting travellers be alerted.<BR>Well, we're booked for this 6/7 berth from Cruise New Zealand;hope they're not as unscrupulous!We're going in Nov so I doubt there'll be snow/ice at that time of year.<BR><BR>Thanks again for your valuable feedback.I will post again to let you know the outcome of our trip.

Paul S

Hi Al,<BR><BR>Cheers mate, hope you have a great time. My wife and I love NZ, the scenery is spectacular and it has a quaintness about it that has been lost in many parts of the world.<BR><BR>I used to get stationed there with the Australian military quite a bit and to me it was like stepping back into the 1960's in Australia in some parts. I mean this in a nice way and not in a derogatory sense.<BR><BR>As for compensation, well they gave us one days rental back but our travel agent in Australia was so furious over it he took it apon himself to do more for us and to his credit he actually ended up getting nearly our whole camper rental money back which we did not expect but was gratefully accepted.<BR><BR>Cheers<BR><BR>Paul S

WC

Oh, please don't rent the campervan. Trust the suggestion that you drive and stay in motels, B&Bs and homestays or rent outdoor equipment. I think you can do as well this way, as NZ is pretty affordable and the traditional old Kiwi motel is usually spotlessly clean with room lots of people and some cooking facilities in the room. Also, the damned Maui (and others) are a positive meanace on the road. They're slow and driven by people not used to driving on that side of the road or in a vehicle that ungainly. They cause huge problems for everyone. The Kiwis call them "rolling roadblocks". It's no joke, I've had hours added onto road trips in NZ (Picton to Christchurch anyone) by those things.<BR><BR>Don't be one of those people. Don't be like the endless Germans in the Maui vans. Please.

WC

Oh yeah, almost all the roads are two lane, so people have to constantly pass those vans. They're much narrower and twistier than your typical USA road, much. They're nothing like a US interstate, nothing. That's why one finds oneself going 15 miles an hour for hours behind one of these, because you can't see around them, or the curves, to pass. They're evil. Avoid them for the love of humanity. Of course you'll get stuck behind them too.

traveller

I have to agree, for it what it will cost you for the campervan, combined with the inconvenience of having no really easy to drive vehicle once you park in a camp area, the slowness, the fees for parking, the fuel prices, you are much better off to rent a car and stay in one of the many delightful motels in NZ. Almost all have kitchens, are spotlessly clean, are relatively inexpensive. Many have bbq areas and we never once met (in 6 weeks of touring) an owner who wasn't most gracious and hospitable.<BR><BR>Once you have that big lumbering campervan parked, then what? If you want to tour around, do you then rent a car in addition to the campervan?<BR><BR>And you are stuck with all of those people and little privacy.<BR><BR>I do hope you reconsider.<BR><BR>

Lucy

Al,<BR>It's such a shame that all the emails you have received have been negative about renting campervans. I know a few friends that have done it in NZ and had positive experiences. I haven't heard of anyone saying they had a problem driving around the bends. <BR><BR>We are planning to rent a campervan during the holidays in south NZ and are looking forward to having a great time. Yes, there are lots of b&b's and motels/hotels to stay in NZ that are very reasonable. Our main reason for renting a campervan is so we don't have to pack every other day and with kids it's much easier staying in one place.<BR><BR>Hope you have a great time touring in NZ in your campervan.<BR>

jane

Hi,<BR>We are having the same debate and are leaning towards a car and staying motels. What should we expect to pay, on average, for a decent (but not fancy) motel?

nzers

Hi AL!<BR><BR>I just had to put my 2 cents worth in here because we had an absolute blast in our Maui 6 berth motorhome a couple of years ago, and whilst the comments regarding speed are correct - we actually enjoyed travelling at the slower pace! You get to see more of the scenery and what's the hurry anyway?? Just be courteous to fellow road users by pulling aside when a queue forms behind you. Nor did we have any problems whatsoever with Maui - they were totally professional, friendly, helpful and given they are the largest motorhome rental company in NZ, I doubt if they would continue this for long if they consistently behaved badly.<BR><BR>Anyway, as I mentioned, we had an awesome family holiday cruising around the South Island in our camper. We have lived in both the North & South Islands, and have travelled them both by car, but decided to try the Maui van for a change - and we intend doing the same again next year it was so good. We have two children, and they loved it too. We were able to cruise along at a leisurely pace (yes, the wind slowed us down, but nothing major), we stopped at picnic grounds or on the side of a road and had a cup of coffee and made lunch/dinner when it suited. We travelled along until we go sick of driving and just pulled into any of the many campgrounds and set ourselves up for the night. In the morning, we tidied the dishes away, made the beds and off we went again, detouring to the usual "sights" along the way. In Queenstown we stayed right in town with a view of the lake for about NZ$35 per night instead of NZ$235 per night and walked to the restaurants, shops, lakefront etc. We did not drive Skippers Canyon in it and wouldn't do it in a car either, but you can arrange tours to here anyway. The Westcoast road is remote, long and a little curvy, but so beautiful what does it matter. You can stop a number of times along the way and even "freecamp" on the beachfront if the will takes you - why not? We drove over the Arthurs Pass before the vaiduct opened and it was spectacular - no problems. Then it is all down hill to Christchurch practically - but overnight in the mountains would be a great idea as it is a long, long way from Franz Joseph to ChCh.<BR><BR>Anyway, I hope this has provided you with a positive feel for your trip - if you really want to do something, you will probably enjoy it despite any difficulties thrown in your way (we all came down with a severe gastric bug whilst travelling and we still look back on our holiday with a smile ).<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR><BR>nzers

Debbie

We just returned from two weeks in South Island. We rented a 4 berth Maui motorhome. We had no problems whatsoever with Maui, they were very friendly and helpful and we were on our way in no time. The campervan was older and well used, and pretty noisy while driving, but it served its purpose. The roads in NZ are much narrower than in U.S. with many one-lane bridges. The driving is not difficult, you just need to allow more time than you would think to get from one place to the next. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would recommend taking a motorhome to anyone. However, that being said, if we ever get a chance to go to NZ again, we will probably rent a car and stay in the small apartments at the holiday parks (which by the way were very nice). Just easier driving and we did a lot of driving.