New Zealand, rental options

[KiwiKampers]

It has been interesting for me, a Kiwi, to read these comments.
I can’t offer any recommendations based on personal experience, but judging by the comments here, having spoken to quite a few Maui drivers and the number of Maui vans I see on the back of tow trucks I would avoid Maui and their associate companies. THL (Tourism Holdings Ltd) is getting a bad reputation here.
I would recommend joining the NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) as this will give you access to their cheap ($5per night per person) basic parks, a very useful app which will help you find some amazing places to wildcamp, the location of public dump stations and discount on the ferry and some camp grounds (called motorcamps in NZ).
Even if you have never wildcamped (called freedom camping here) before I would recommend you try it in NZ. We freedom camp 95% of the time. There are also some wonderful places to camp provided by the Department of Conservation (DOC), but these can be quite pricey, basic and complicated to book online.
Laundromats are easy to find. The biggest company is Liquid. Liquidlaundromats.com
January is peak season. The first two weeks of the year is when every Kiwi takes their annual holiday and places get booked out months in advance. If you can leave it until late January or February it would be much more pleasant.

 

[Silver-Fox]

It has been interesting for me, a Kiwi, to read these comments.
I can’t offer any recommendations based on personal experience, but judging by the comments here, having spoken to quite a few Maui drivers and the number of Maui vans I see on the back of tow trucks I would avoid Maui and their associate companies. THL (Tourism Holdings Ltd) is getting a bad reputation here.
I would recommend joining the NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) as this will give you access to their cheap ($5per night per person) basic parks, a very useful app which will help you find some amazing places to wildcamp, the location of public dump stations and discount on the ferry and some camp grounds (called motorcamps in NZ).
Even if you have never wildcamped (called freedom camping here) before I would recommend you try it in NZ. We freedom camp 95% of the time. There are also some wonderful places to camp provided by the Department of Conservation (DOC), but these can be quite pricey, basic and complicated to book online.
Laundromats are easy to find. The biggest company is Liquid. Liquidlaundromats.com
January is peak season. The first two weeks of the year is when every Kiwi takes their annual holiday and places get booked out months in advance. If you can leave it until late January or February it would be much more pleasant.

Excellent advice

 

[VXman]

We are using Maui. Booked through Travel Nation.

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[VXman]

We go early November to Aussy. For the 5th or 6th time we have used Let'sGo rentals.
Checked out 2 of the other major competitors, didn't like their vans (or the ones we saw anyway).
Only disapointment we have had with them was last year into this year the last truck we rented was on it's last trip and ready to be sold off after our use. All others have been spot on.........that's why we keep using them.
I think they are in NZ.

We are in Australia from early November too. Will look out for you! Actually we are doing it posh -Planes, Cars and Hotels!

 

[bobnick]

We are in Australia from early November too. Will look out for you! Actually we are doing it posh -Planes, Cars and Hotels!

4 days in Brisbane then on the road North, West then South to Perth for a week. Trip will be about 9,000ks. ish ish.
Spent a lot of time planning the route. (and plan Bs). Just love the outback.

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[VXman]

4 days in Brisbane then on the road North, West then South to Perth for a week. Trip will be about 9,000ks. ish ish.
Spent a lot of time planning the route. (and plan Bs). Just love the outback.

We are doing 3 weeks - Cairns - Great barrier reef/ Rain forest. Brisbane - driving to Sydney. Then Adelaide driving to Kangaroo Island and on to Melbourne. Various stops along the way.

Then on to New Zealand for 3 weeks in a Motorhome.

Quite fancied a motorhome in Australia but the wife preferred a bit of luxury and 3 weeks in NZ is probably enough motorhoming. Might do Australia in a motorhome another time.

 

[bobnick]

We are doing 3 weeks - Cairns - Great barrier reef/ Rain forest. Brisbane - driving to Sydney. Then Adelaide driving to Kangaroo Island and on to Melbourne. Various stops along the way.

Then on to New Zealand for 3 weeks in a Motorhome.

Quite fancied a motorhome in Australia but the wife preferred a bit of luxury and 3 weeks in NZ is probably enough motorhoming. Might do Australia in a motorhome another time.

When we went to Aussy December/Jan last this year we did the car/hotels way. Loved it and IF we go again after this trip it will be car/hotels again.
We did have a big mother Toyota Land Cruiser (not the Prado thing, the big one) that made the travelling very easy and relaxing.
Anyway sure you will enjoy it.

 

[Andy MacD]

It has been interesting for me, a Kiwi, to read these comments.

Some really good advice, thanks. We’d prefer to wild camp, used to 4 months per year in Europe using Aires but most of the hire companies say to use sites every second night as the hab battery can’t cope with more than 1 night?!?.

 

[VXman]

When we went to Aussy December/Jan last this year we did the car/hotels way. Loved it and IF we go again after this trip it will be car/hotels again.
We did have a big mother Toyota Land Cruiser (not the Prado thing, the big one) that made the travelling very easy and relaxing.
Anyway sure you will enjoy it.

Doing 1500 miles in France in my VX220 next month. Even a Corsa is luxury in comparison.

 

[bobnick]

Doing 1500 miles in France in my VX220 next month. Even a Corsa is luxury in comparison.

Digressing a little, my 2nd Caterham 7 the two tone green one had a breathed on VX220 engine in it, what a unit. I'll try and find a photo.

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[Mikey RV]

How prices have changed on rentals. When we spent three months in New Zealand in a camper van,a Toyota hi ace in 2001 it cost us £1000 for three months, we did the same in Oz after that.

 

[Widge]

How prices have changed on rentals. When we spent three months in New Zealand in a camper van,a Toyota hi ace in 2001 it cost us £1000 for three months, we did the same in Oz after that.

But a pint probably only cost a quid then.

 

[bobnick]

How prices have changed on rentals. When we spent three months in New Zealand in a camper van,a Toyota hi ace in 2001 it cost us £1000 for three months, we did the same in Oz after that.

To give a direct comparison to the rate you paid then 30 days of our rental is A$ 9192 (about £4,600). We have got it for a bit longer than that, and i admit it is one of their top models.

 

[VXman]

Digressing a little, my 2nd Caterham 7 the two tone green one had a breathed on VX220 engine in it, what a unit. I'll try and find a photo.

2.2 N/A or 2.0 Turbo

 

[bobnick]

2.2 N/A or 2.0 Turbo

The 2.2 NA

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[VXman]

The 2.2 NA

Ah - my first VX was one of those. Now I have the Turbo - modified to 330bhp.

 

[bobnick]

Ah - my first VX was one of those. Now I have the Turbo - modified to 330bhp.

This was my 2nd Caterham with the Vauxhall VX engine. A proper beast.