GBZ

In the following paragraphs we would like to give you our advice on the merits of campervan/motorhome rental vs car hire in New Zealand.

Campervans and Motorhomes are a very popular way of seeing New Zealand. There are many campervan/motorhome companies to choose from from top of the line new vehicles to older “sleepervans”(vans with a bed and basic camping equipment in the back) During the peak season (December to the end of February) campervans and motorhomes are nearly always fully booked , so forward bookings are a must. November and March and also very busy so it is advisable to book during these months. The rest of the year you could just turn up and you will find something. During the off season many rental companies are open to price negotiaton, as there are plenty of vehicles sitting around not getting used, including cars.
There are lots of campsites to stay at (which are all of high quality), or you can just “free camp”. You can stop in rest areas around NZ, and stay the night as long as there are no signs stating “no camping” or similar messages, and you are not in anyones way, for free. It is not illegal, as the police would rather see you sleep than drive sleepy. Campervans and motorhomes let you stay in some beautiful remote parts of NZ. There are lots of places to stop and rest for the night. During the summer season there are thousands of motor homes on New Zealand roads and you will find plenty of new friends from all over the world having the New Zealand campervan adventure.

New Zealand has all the major car rental companies and you can get new cars and near new cars for top daily hire prices. There are so many car hire companies ranging up and down the price range and size (from around $15 per day upwards) If you hire cheaper cars and stay at the many backpackers or hostels around NZ you can get a cheaper package than a campervan/motorhome, but you are not as flexible.
Cars are also as popular in the peak season, just about to the same level as the campervans and motorhomes. Booking is advisable during the peak seasons.

Car vs motorhome would depend on your budget and the degree of comfort you require. The motorhome option is a very popular choice with travellers and a fun way to see beautiful New Zealand, so that would be my choice.
We have found Adventure Kiwi (www.adventurekiwi.co.nz) are good for a cheap campervan or car.
You can find a complete list of New Zealand campervan and motorhome companies daily hire rates at http://www.newzealandatoz.com/. This should speed up your search process.

Hope this helps everyone

patrick_broadbent

There are a number of sites that list both cars and campervans in the one place so you can see the costs of each option www.trippatravel.co.nz is a good resource.

peterSale

I have a thread on Freedom Camping.

Campervans are only cheaper if you freedom camp.

vagabond1408

Hey GBZ.
This is a great post.
Most people are caught in the dilemma of a car hire or camper.
This gives a good insight into the choice.
Thank You.

dhosking

We just finished a 8 week trip to NZ with both Camper-van and Motel/Car Rental options.
We enjoyed the camper-van option but:
Often it is more expensive to use a camper-van/motorhome than getting a cheap rental and staying a motels with cooking facilities. The motel industry in New Zealand has really stepped up its act and provides good cooking facilities, fridge, microwave etc, if you are careful with your bookings. Motels can easily be booked online ahead of your next destination by using Booking.com or the like to search for deals. Motels are more comfortable with more room, TVs, lights for evening entertainment, and offer a little more security, if you plan to be in a location for more than a day or two.

annhig

I know that this is an old thread but I can't resist chiming in, based on our experiences last year in NZ, where we mainly stayed in B&Bs, which we rated very highly. We liked the motels too, but the personal contact that we had with locals in the B&Bs really helped us to enjoy our trip.

People we met who were travelling round in camper vans seemed quite isolated; one german couple in particular were quite desperate for some human contact.

WineAroundOz

There is an article that deals with this topic in Australia. Given Australia and New Zealand are comparable, this article might add some weight to the argument...

http://ecampervanhire.com.au/camperv...-in-australia/