Useful Motorhome Hire Terminology

Deposit - When you make a booking through our web site we we will debit a sum of money to secure your campervan. This sum is the booking deposit, and is a percentage of the total amount to be paid. This can be paid either by Credit Card or Bank transfer. The deposit will be between 15 – 25%. If the hire starts within 30 days, some companies require us to take the full 100%. This information can be found on each motorhomes webpage when you click on "FULL QUOTE AND BOOK NOW" This takes you to "Part One of the Booking Process" and at the bottom of that page the Bookings terms are clarified. You can either carry on with the booking or  go back to the vehicle. Please note although we can accept the deposit or full payment for any camper by Bank transfer you need a Credit Card for any Insurance excess applicable. This Insurance/excess info is also on is "Part One of the Booking Process"

Depot - A depot is the base for the campervan companies. Typically each company has a number of depots around the country, and these are where you pick up and drop off your campervan from. Most companies depots are in Auckland in the North Island and Christchurch in the South Island.

Berth - This refers to the number of people the vehicle is able to sleep, eg, a two berth campervan can sleep two people. It does not refer to how many beds are in the vehicle, as a two berth vehicle could contain one double bed.

Bond - This is a specified amount of money paid by the hirer to the campervan company in case of an accident or accidental damage. This is refunded after the rental period provided there have been no incidents or accidents, and the Terms & Conditions of hire have been met. (Usually within 10 working days to allow for any unpaid Traffic Infringements or Toll Road Charges, etc.)

Calendar Days - Campervan Rental is based on calendar days, which means the day off pick up and the day of drop off are included as a full day of rental, regardless of the time of day the pick up or drop off is made. So if the pick up is made at 4 pm, then the day is still counted as a full day.

Baby Seat - Baby Seats are for children aged 6 months to 3 years, (weighing 8 to 18 kilos). They are an external accessory manually fitted into the car, the requirement of which needs to be specified when making a booking.

Booster Seat - Similar to baby seats, these are for children aged 3 to 8 years (weighing 14 to 28 kilos).

Flex Rates - These are rates that change every week, ie 'flexible' rates. Generally speaking the closer you get to the pickup date, the higher the rates will be. The rate of the first day of your travel will apply to the whole duration of your travel.

Standard Rates - These rates do not change every week, they are set at the start of the year and remain at that rate for the duration of the season. If you cross over a change of season the rate you are paying will change too. It depends on the supplier whether they offer standard or flex rates.

Government taxes – GST  (Goods and Services Tax) is included in the daily hire rate. Diesel levy is tax the Government charges users of diesel vehicles. Some motorhome companies pass this tax on to the hirers of their vehicles. (This only applies to the diesel powered vehicles). This charge is based on the number of kilometers driven.

One Way Travel - Often people wish to pick up a campervan in one destination, then drive to another destination and drop it off there. This is 'one way travel', as it doesn’t involve a return trip.

Caravan Park - Campervan travellers normally spend lots of time in caravan parks. They are tourist-oriented resort locations where you can park up your campervan and plug it into electricity. There are other types of accommodation available on the same site, from camping to cabins to motel style accommodation. Laundry and kitchen facilities are normally provided, as are ablution blocks. Some have swimming pools and games rooms, and all are reasonably priced.

Holiday Park and Tourist Park - There is very little distinction between these type of resort parks and caravan parks. All are reasonable and accommodating places to enjoy your campervan holiday in.

National Park - A National Park is an area of land that the government has declared ownership off. It is protected by the government from human development, and is normally an area of natural beauty or attraction.

Battery System - The internal appliances of most campervans run on a battery system that is separate from the engine battery. These batteries recharge when you drive, and when plugged into mains power.

Transmission - This is the gear changing system of the car. It is either automatic, whereby the car changes gears for you, or manual, where the gear changing is done by the driver, or tiptronic which gives you a choice of manual or automatic.

Motorhome Hire Insurance Terminology

Full or Comprehensive Insurance - These are insurance policies with a broad range of cover. You are covered by the insurance whether you are in the right or the wrong, or whether the damage was caused by an unknown party or an 'act of God'. With most bookings, insurance is included in the daily rate. If not then insurance must be purchased to cover the vehicle.

A standard excess applies (which you can choose to reduce). In the event of the vehicle becoming damaged during your hire, you will be liable for the applicable excess. This may be claimed back by yourself against your personal travel insurance, but this agreement is between your travel insurer and yourself.

Excess - When you are insured and you make a claim on your insurance, you will still have to pay the first part of that claim yourself. That amount you pay is the excess, and its amount depends on the excess options you take.

Excess Reduction - This is an amount of cash you pay each day that reduces the excess you have to pay in the event of an accident. The excess reduction you pay and the amount it reduces off your excess depends on the supplier.

Standard Liability- the standard liability amount is taken as a bond off your credit card at the start of travel, and is held for the duration of travel until the campervan is safely returned.

Third party - The third party is any other entity involved in an incident. So for example if you have an accident whereby you drive into the back of another vehicle, that vehicle is the third party. Third Party Insurance covers the costs that may be incurred by a third party as a result of your actions.

Demurrage - This is the monetary loss incurred by a supplier when their campervan is taken off the road as the result of an accident. The person who causes the accident is liable for demurrage.

Surcharge - this an additional sum added to a usual amount or cost.



An Experience You Will Remember Forever

A campervan journey will bring you into closer contact with both the scenery and the locals you encounter on the road. It is a holiday that you will remember forever because it was different from your normal trip to the beach to stay in the same apartment again.

 

Freedom

Imagine spending time where you want, taking roads just because you want to see where they go and staying longer in places you are really enjoying.

Wake up and decide where to go today, no fixed itinerary to follow. Stay at caravan parks to use their facilities or utilise the freedom to pull up at one of the hundreds of beautiful national parks.

 

Adventure and Comfort in the Outdoors

They say that New Zealand is the Adventure Capital of the World: Horse riding, safaris, 4WD tours, quad bikes, tramping, mountain climbing, bungy jumping, hot-air balloons, kayaking – the list goes on. You’ll find that wherever your New Zealand motorhome holiday takes you, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to adventure activities where the emphasis is on your safety and an experience you'll never forget.

If something more sedate is your style then New Zealand can cater for that too. Our golf courses are spectacular and numerous, and green fees are affordable. Open beaches and secluded bays offer safe swimming and sunbathing (a warning – beware of our strong sun and be sure to use a good sunblock to protect your skin). Walkways and cycling tracks abound.

Wining and dining is a pleasurable experience in New Zealand. Our wineries produce award winning red and white wines and many incorporate elegant restaurants or lively cafés on their properties where you enjoy fine food with their product. Our Pacific Rim cuisine has fused inspiration from countries as varied as Europe, Thailand, Polynesia, Japan and Vietnam to create a range of flavours that is refreshing and light.

 

Great Value, Greater Fun

Campervan holidays offer you great value. For the one daily price you get both accommodation and vehicle hire in one package. Save money on meals, by shopping in supermarkets rather than eating in restaurants every night. When you feel like lunch pull over into a nice grassy patch by a river on the side of the road and make a sandwich and a coffee.

Campervans come in all sizes up to a 6 berth (six beds), which is a perfect option for a group or family. Groups or couples can travel together and split the cost of the campervan between them. Families can have a wonderful bonding experience, imagine sitting around and playing cards or monopoly at night together.

A campervan holiday provides you with many benefits including: freedom, adventure and value for money. It is an experience to share with the family, with friends and with others out there on the road.

Campervans or Motorhomes are categorised in berths or in simple terms how many people they can sleep comfortably. All of the motorhomes details and features can be viewed on our website.

The luxury motorhomes are generally under 2 years old, mid-range vehicles can range from 3 to 5 years, whilst the budget vehicles are 5+ years. The specific age of the vehicle can be viewed on the website. All of the motorhomes undergo very strict and scheduled maintentence each time they are returned.

Yes – on each motorhomes webpage.

 

Child Restraints

As the driver, you must make sure that any child under five years of age is properly restrained by an approved child restraint that is appropriate for the age and size of the child. Babies and children can not travel in the motorhome if you can't put them in an approved child restraint. The vehicle's safety belt on its own is not an approved child restraint.

If the child is aged five to seven years you must use an approved child restraint if there's one available and if it's appropriate for the child's age and size. Otherwise they must use a safety belt if one is available. If there are no child restraints or safety belts available, they must travel in the back seat.

Children aged 8 to 14 years must use a safety belt if one is available. Otherwise, they must travel in a back seat.

Note: A child under 15 years old may sit beside the driver only if the child is restrained by a child restraint or safety belt (whichever is appropriate for their age and size). However, they are always safer in a back seat than in the front.

 

Common types of child/baby seats:

• Baby capsules (rear facing): birth to at least one year of age (-13kg)
• Child seat (forward facing): about one year to approximately four years of age (9–18kg)
• Booster seat: from approximately four to 10 years of age (18–36kg)

As a general rule, if your child's head is higher than the back of the child restraint when seated, it's time to move them into the next type of child restraint.

Children should be seated in the rear of a vehicle if possible, as it is safer. This is true regardless of the child's age, size or type of child restraint used.

Motorhome companies supply baby/child/booster seats for a small additional charge. Some motorhomes will not accommodate certain child seat types, please check on the motorhome page to check this, especially if you are bringing your own child seat.

By clicking on Terms and Conditions, you will see a section called “what is included” and another called “what is not included”

Yes - between all branches one-way rentals are permitted but a minimum number of days apply. Each company has different minimum day requirements, and any surcharges will show on your quote if applicable.

Yes, some of the motorhomes have a TV and/or a DVD player and Flat screen. This is detailed on the web pages

Yes. When submitting your booking request you enter your credit card details on our secure website. We accept Mastercard or Visa Card. For alternative payment options please email us directly and we can outline the best option for your situation.

Yes - If you have multiple bookings with the same company (even if it is relating to New Zealand and Australia) these can be combined to give you a long term hire discount on both rentals. To do this you will have to email us as the system will not know about your other bookings. Some terms & conditions apply to multiple hires.

 

Book Early

The best tip we can give you is to book early. That means for the high season (November to February) and school holidays, you should book about 6 – 9 months prior to your desired hire start. Booking your campervan holiday early means that you have more time to plan and organise your trip. The knowledge that you have secured transportation and accommodation will put your mind at ease which will allow you to avoid the stress that is normally associated with holiday plans. Other advantages of booking early include:

• A higher likelihood of getting the vehicle you want or need. The campervans often book out, especially for 4 and 6 berths.
• Booking early usually means that you will get the best price available. Prices generally increase the closer you get to the date of departure. Some companies have “Early Bird” specials which give a very attractive discount.

If you do leave it to the last minute, don't lose hope! You may get lucky and still find a great deal. Contact us to find out if there is still anything available!

When collection your motorhome, keep in mind that security bonds will be taken out at the depot. This amount will essentially depend on which insurance option you choose to take out. This process is done through your credit card. In theory, this process should cost nothing, except that banks take money from a foreign credit card at one rate, and refund the money at a lower rate. In practise this process costs 3 to 5 cents in the dollar (typically). So on a $5000 bond, it may cost you an extra $250 or more if the rates move against you while you are on your rental.

Taking an “All Inclusive” type package, where the bond is zero, gets around this issue. These may be worth considering instead of losing badly to the exchange rate refunds (and the way banks work).

Avoid Peak Rental Times

Campervan rentals do have high seasons/peak rental periods. The rates in the low season (May to September) are half the price or lower than the high season rates. Even the shoulder seasons (October to about mid-November and March to April) are often significantly lower than high season rates. Also the weather in November and March is still very nice, not as hot as December to January/February but you still get lots of long warm sunny days. Some companies have recently started to lift their rates for the school holiday breaks that occur throughout the year, and these are also busy times for campervan rentals. So school holiday dates are also a good time to avoid if you want to keep the costs down.