New Zealand Car hire options?

[320touring]

Hello,

Hoping to travel to New Zealand later in the year with the intention of doing a driving holiday round both islands.

The plan is to fly into Auckland and collect a car, then tour our way down to Wellington where we'll take a ferry to the South Island. We'll leave the car at Christchurch and get an internal flight back to Auckland.

I've had a look at DiscoverCars (as recommended on the car hire Sicily thread) and the cost of a one way hire seems reasonable, especially with the additional insurance cover factored in.

However, I'm a bit unsure as to whether it is actually possible to collect the car from Auckland then drop it off at Christchurch - I'm getting plenty options for deals, but some are showing "no ferry use"....

Has anyone got experience/advice they could share?

Thanks

[Kenty]

We have done this twice now, and going again in January, the majority of car hire companies do
not let you take the car on the Wellington/Picton ferry so we use Apex car rentals, you can take your car on
the ferry and they book it all, including passengers, no one way fee and they are good value for money with excellent cars.
The other car hire places make you drop off car in Wellington and collect new one in Picton.
We are staying in the hotel in the same block - Swiss belsuites for several days - i recommend this
as driving when 11hrs jet lagged is no fun at all.
If you fly Emirates you do not need to return to Auckland as the A380 flight home starts in Christchurch.
Hope this helps!

Edited by Kenty on Sunday 4th June 09:42

Edited by Kenty on Sunday 4th June 09:44

[moles]

Same as Kenty always used Apex into Auckland and out of Christchurch. Be aware of the interislander ferry it’s reliability has been awful this year meaning that there has been massive delays and fully booked crossings all summer so book early.

And again the a380 leaves Christchurch every night at 6pm to Sydney then onto Dubai. I work next to the airport and see it leave every night.