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Frequently Asked Questions
| Why Us |
| Q. What are the advantages of booking with your company? |
- We have no hidden costs in our pricing.
- For $15 per day or $280 per hire, you can reduce the insurance to zero.
- We offer basic campervans with dvd players and fridges being optional. Why pay for extra items you don’t need?
- The majority of our vehicles are plain white - they do not have any painted designs and have no sign writing. We try to not stand out in the crowd.
- We have $15 vehicles for hire to travel Auckland City, and they’re available every day.
- We are a family business and have been in the motor vehicle industry since 1936!
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| Q. Really? Your company has been in the motor vehicle industry since 1936? |
A. Yes, the company was originally a gas stand called Britomart Service Station Limited. Click here to see our Certificate of Incorporation.
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| Booking a Vehicle |
| Q. Do we need to pay a deposit when making a reservation? |
A. We require a NZ$250 deposit to confirm a booking.
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| Q. Is my deposit refundable if I cancel the booking? |
- If the booking is cancelled within 7 days of being made, and 14 days or more before the start of hire, we will refund the deposit in full.
- After 7 days, the deposit can be used for another hire
- Changes to bookings made within 14 days of the hire starting are at the discretion of the Branch Manager.
- In the case of a no show or late cancellation, the deposit of $250 is non-refundable, however we will not charge any additional money.
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| One way and split hires |
| Q. Do you provide one way rentals? |
A. . Yes you can reserve a one way car or campervan rental between Auckland and Christchurch. One way hires attract a relocation fee of up to $400.
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| Q. What is a Split Hire? |
A. You could hire a vehicle from Auckland to Auckland, take the train to Christchurch, and then rent another vehicle for Christchurch to Christchurch. We only count the days you use the vehicle, and then calculate the price as a single hire. This way you only pay for optional extras once or insurance once, plus you get the discounts applicable to long term hires.
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| One Island or Two Islands? |
| Q. Can I take the vehicle on the Cook Strait Ferry? |
A. Yes, you can take all our vehicles on the ferry. We recommend using Bluebridge Ferries for crossing the Cook Strait. They offer the cheapest rates and you can make changes to the sailing date free of charge. As all our vehicles are less than 5.5 metres, select the Private Car category when booking. Book direct at Bluebridge Cook Straight Ferry.
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| Q. Why do you offer One Island or Two Islands? |
A. If you are planning to travel within the North Island or South Island only, the rate is cheaper. If you would like to travel both island, select All of New Zealand.
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| Q. What is your minimum rental? |
A. Our minimum rental period for One Island is 7 days, and for traveling all of New Zealand is 14 days. If you have less time, you can pay for the minimum rental period and return the vehicle early without a refund. The minimum rental period for our $15 cars is one day.
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| Age Restrictions and Additional Drivers |
| Q. How old do you have to be to rent a car? |
A.You need to be 21 years or over to rent a car and hold a full drivers license.
Hirer’s aged 18 to 20 years old must have held a full license for at least one year.
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| Q. Is there an additional charge for more than one driver? |
A. No, there is no extra fee.
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| Rental Rates |
| Q. What is included in the rates on your website? |
A.Our rates include gst (sales tax), insurance, unlimited km and roadside assistance. There are no hidden costs.
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| Q. What is GST? |
A. GST stands for Goods and Services Tax, which is 12.5%. This tax is included in all of our rental rates, therefore you do not need to add this to the prices you see listed on our website. We have no hidden or additional costs.
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| Q. What is the insurance excess? |
A. Comprehensive insurance is included in all our prices. If you have an accident, the most you have to pay is $1,000. This is called the insurance excess.
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| Q. Can I reduce the insurance excess? |
A. Yes, you can purchase the Zero Excess which cost $15 per day or $280 per hire. If you have an accident, you do not have to pay anything. This includes tyre punctures.
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| About the Vehicles |
| Q. Are your vehicles non-smoking? |
A. Yes, All our vehicles are non-smoking.
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| Q. Are your vehicles all petrol? |
A. Yes, all our vehicles are petrol, we have no diesel vehicles. There are no additional road user charges for petrol vehicles.
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| Q. Can I choose manual or automatic transmission? |
A. Most of our vehicles are automatic transmission. If you would like manual transmission, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to provide you with this.
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| Q. What items come with the campervans? |
A. Each campervan has a 240 volt power cable, hanging light, water container, mosquito net, awning and kitchen set.
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| Q. What items are included in the kitchen set? |
A. Wash basin, 1 x saucepan, fry pan, sharp knife, fish slice, can opener and two each of the following: dinner plate, bowel, cup, knife, fork, spoon, tea spoon. Additional items for more persons are available on request at no additional charge.
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| Optional Extras for Hire |
Q. What kind of movies come with DVD Hire? |
A. We provide 10 movies for free when hiring a DVD player ($60 per hire). We have a selection to choose from, including drama, horror, science fiction, western, romance, family movies, etc.
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| Q. How does the fridge work? |
A. The fridge plugs into the cigarette lighter while the engine is running. It can also run from electricity if staying in a holiday park with the power cable connected. If you are freedom camping, it can be used as a ice box.
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| Picking up the Vehicle |
| Q. How do we get back to the airport? |
A. From the Auckland Office you can travel with Discount Taxis for a flat fare of $30 for the cab. From Christchurch, we recommend you book a Shuttle Bus in advance. We can assist you with this.
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| Q. Do you offer airport and hotel pickups? |
A. Sorry, we have no pickup service. We recommend using a Shared Shuttle Bus which will bring you directly to our office. Our Auckland Office is at 19 Great North Road, Auckland City, and our Christchurch Office is at 22 Waller Terrace , Christchurch. Both our offices are within walking distance of the central city.
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| Q. Do I require an international licence? |
A. You can use your current driver’s licence from your own country, or an International Driver’s Licence. If your licence is not in English, you should bring an English translation or obtain an International Driving Licence.
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| Q. What do I need to bring with me to hire a car? |
A. You must bring your drivers licence and a credit card in your name.
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| Q. Can I pay for my hire by credit card? |
A. Yes, we accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Diners Club. There is an additional 3 % surcharge for Amex and Diners Cards.
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| Q. Do you offer free maps with the vehicle? |
A. Yes - we provide free road maps, guides and directories for Holiday Parks throughout New Zealand. We also have a limited number of free Bed and Breakfast guide books available.
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| During the Hire |
| Q. What if my vehicle breaks down? |
A. In the unfortunate event of a break down, call our free phone number 0n 0800 33 444, or you can call us collect on (09) 376 9935. If the repair is less than $100 (example: interior light), simply fix the item and keep the receipt. We wil refund you the money when you return. We will also refund you for any time you cannot use the vehicle, and if the repair is serious, we will a provide a replacement vehicle.
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| Q. Are there any roads I cannot drive on? |
A. Yes, there are three roads you cannot drive on:
- Ninety Mile Beach – This is located at the Northern most point of New Zealand. The beach is a registered road as the tour buses drive along it. You can still travel by road to Cape Reinga.
- Mt Cook Road – You can drive up to the visitors centre of Mt Cook, however you cannot drive beyond it.
- Skippers Canyon – This is the location of the Pipeline Bungy Jump and you can take a tour bus to access it.
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| Q. Can I drive on unseald roads? |
A.Yes, you can drive on all public sealed and unsealed roads.
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| Returning the vehicle |
| Q. What if I return the vehicle early? |
A.You can return the vehicle early; however refunds only apply any days over 50 days, where 7 days notice is given, less one penalty day, and initial 50 days are calculated at rack rates.
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| Q. Can I drop off a vehicle after hours? |
A. Yes, we have a 24 hour drop off area in Auckland and Christchurch. Shuttle buses to the airport can be pre-booked for early morning flights, which is a very popular option in Christchurch.
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| Q. Can I extend the rental while on hire? |
A. Yes, we are always happy for you to extend the hire, subject to the vehicle being available. Any extension is based on the same per day rate as the original booking.
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| Q. What is the re-fueling policy? |
A. We check the amount of petrol when you leave. You are required to return the car with the same amount of fuel. If the vehicle has less fuel, we charge for the difference.
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| Q. Do I need to clean the vehicle? |
A. You need to take the vehicle through a car wash before returning the vehicle; however you do not need to clean inside the vehicle. Car washes at petrol stations recycle the water which protects the environment. We do not wash any vehicles at our premises. If the vehicle is returned unclean on the outside, we have a $25 car wash fee.
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| $15 Car Hire for Auckland City and Suburbs |
| Q. Are the $15 City Cars available every day? |
A. Yes, we have a fleet of compact cars which are only used for driving around Auckland City. The price from May until October is $15 per day + 25 cents per km. From November to April the price is $15 per day + 35 cents per km.
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| Q. What is the minimal rental period for a $15 car hire? |
A. You can rent a car for only one day, which is 24 hours. Many people are local hirers and rent the car for only a few hours, however they still have to pay $15.
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| Q. Why can’t I reserve a $15 car in advance? |
A. It is simply not economical for us to make reservations for a $15 car hire. The cars are available on a first come basis, and most people come after 10 am. It is best to phone us before it gets busy – call our free phone number, 0800 33 4444, between 8 am – 9 am to secure a vehicle.
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