Do you have camper rental and route suggestions for the North Island??

We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We rented from Pacific Horizon last week, nice people. Smaller outfit so
less process line attitude compared with one of the larger outfits we hired
a car from later in the trip.. We did the South Island and a couple of days
in North. I liked South better.

If possible get a self contained camper (loo/shower)so you don't have to use
caravan parks which are expensive and generally sub standard. You can stay
in any picnic area or roadside stopover. Allow time for winding roads, ave
speed will be slower than expected!!

Traveller


CT wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work (surely
illegal) and then lost $100 on the currency exchange for the bond (over 5
days!). Still, had a great time. We stayed some nights on the road (had a 6
berth shower/toilet van) but other nights in Top10 parks- they were
generally very good. Favourite area was around Mt Tarawera- the walk through
the DOC park there was great.

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work (surely
illegal)


This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.


and then lost $100 on the currency exchange for the bond (over 5
days!). Still, had a great time. We stayed some nights on the road (had a 6
berth shower/toilet van) but other nights in Top10 parks- they were
generally very good. Favourite area was around Mt Tarawera- the walk through
the DOC park there was great.

wrote:
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work (surely
illegal)

This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.

No offense, but that is not really practical. You can and should check
some things and perhaps even many things, but "everything" is not
practical. On our four rentals we have had many 'little' things which we
only discovered after we left the rental agency, even the last time when
the rental agent took a lot of time and effort. In our experience the
problem is often that people do not report anything when they drop off
the vehicle, so the rental agency has to find the problems themselves.
If not, the next hirer is the next victim. (Mind you, I am talking about
'little' things (which can be quite annoying and even problematic), not
essential things like brakes, tyres, etc..)

On 07 Oct 2003 17:54:00 GMT, Frank Slootweg
wrote:

wrote:
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work (surely
illegal)

This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.

No offense, but that is not really practical. You can and should check
some things and perhaps even many things, but "everything" is not
practical.

Darn sure I would *never* sign a rental contract unless I had been
over the thing inside and out including looking for little chips on
the windows.
As for those little scratches, dings etc, everyone gets noted on the
check sheet!

It does not take many more minutes to go through everything period -
and we used to be regular renters [as well as I was a rental car agent
myself].

If I had a vip corporate rental to go out, I'd do a check myself
before the client arrived.

On our four rentals we have had many 'little' things which we
only discovered after we left the rental agency, even the last time when
the rental agent took a lot of time and effort. In our experience the
problem is often that people do not report anything when they drop off
the vehicle, so the rental agency has to find the problems themselves.

This is quite true and another reason why you should check everything.
It pays to familiarise oneself with all the controls, the gear levers,
etc etc, even where the power seat control is located/how it works
[some are in the strangest places]; the heater works and the ac
works, all the controls etc etc etc. We would gladly give a manual
for the car upon request.

You want to see someone do a check, just watch my oh - he used to
travel worldwide as part of his job besides constant travel in the US.
He does a more thorough check than I do.

If not, the next hirer is the next victim. (Mind you, I am talking about
'little' things (which can be quite annoying and even problematic), not
essential things like brakes, tyres, etc..)

Don't forget once you sign that dotted line, you could be held liable
for one or more of those little things!


Cath

wrote in message
...
On 07 Oct 2003 17:54:00 GMT, Frank Slootweg
wrote:

wrote:
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and
would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio
didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work
(surely
illegal)

This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.

No offense, but that is not really practical. You can and should check
some things and perhaps even many things, but "everything" is not
practical.

Darn sure I would *never* sign a rental contract unless I had been
over the thing inside and out including looking for little chips on
the windows.
As for those little scratches, dings etc, everyone gets noted on the
check sheet!

It does not take many more minutes to go through everything period -
and we used to be regular renters [as well as I was a rental car agent
myself].

If I had a vip corporate rental to go out, I'd do a check myself
before the client arrived.

On our four rentals we have had many 'little' things which we
only discovered after we left the rental agency, even the last time when
the rental agent took a lot of time and effort. In our experience the
problem is often that people do not report anything when they drop off
the vehicle, so the rental agency has to find the problems themselves.

This is quite true and another reason why you should check everything.
It pays to familiarise oneself with all the controls, the gear levers,
etc etc, even where the power seat control is located/how it works
[some are in the strangest places]; the heater works and the ac
works, all the controls etc etc etc. We would gladly give a manual
for the car upon request.

You want to see someone do a check, just watch my oh - he used to
travel worldwide as part of his job besides constant travel in the US.
He does a more thorough check than I do.

If not, the next hirer is the next victim. (Mind you, I am talking about
'little' things (which can be quite annoying and even problematic), not
essential things like brakes, tyres, etc..)

Don't forget once you sign that dotted line, you could be held liable
for one or more of those little things!

We weren't held liable, it was just the trouble/time of going to the repair
place for several hours (we reported the non-working items by phone within 2
hours of taking the van). We had gone over the van and recorded every chip,
dent etc- next time I'll try all the electricals too!

So we didn't actually get docked any money- they refunded the entire $5000
NZ bond. It was apparently the enchange rates with the Aussie dollar that
lost us money- over $100 for a 5 day rental. Seemed a bit excessive. Anyone
else lost on the enchange rates (or gained!?)

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 22:26:01 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On 07 Oct 2003 17:54:00 GMT, Frank Slootweg
wrote:

wrote:
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and
would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio
didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work
(surely
illegal)

This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.

No offense, but that is not really practical. You can and should check
some things and perhaps even many things, but "everything" is not
practical.

Darn sure I would *never* sign a rental contract unless I had been
over the thing inside and out including looking for little chips on
the windows.
As for those little scratches, dings etc, everyone gets noted on the
check sheet!

It does not take many more minutes to go through everything period -
and we used to be regular renters [as well as I was a rental car agent
myself].

If I had a vip corporate rental to go out, I'd do a check myself
before the client arrived.

On our four rentals we have had many 'little' things which we
only discovered after we left the rental agency, even the last time when
the rental agent took a lot of time and effort. In our experience the
problem is often that people do not report anything when they drop off
the vehicle, so the rental agency has to find the problems themselves.

This is quite true and another reason why you should check everything.
It pays to familiarise oneself with all the controls, the gear levers,
etc etc, even where the power seat control is located/how it works
[some are in the strangest places]; the heater works and the ac
works, all the controls etc etc etc. We would gladly give a manual
for the car upon request.

You want to see someone do a check, just watch my oh - he used to
travel worldwide as part of his job besides constant travel in the US.
He does a more thorough check than I do.

If not, the next hirer is the next victim. (Mind you, I am talking about
'little' things (which can be quite annoying and even problematic), not
essential things like brakes, tyres, etc..)

Don't forget once you sign that dotted line, you could be held liable
for one or more of those little things!

We weren't held liable, it was just the trouble/time of going to the repair
place for several hours (we reported the non-working items by phone within 2
hours of taking the van). We had gone over the van and recorded every chip,
dent etc- next time I'll try all the electricals too!

Excellent idea to phone in any complaint including the smallest ones!
If they don't have a 1-800 freely advertised do ask if they have one!
If not, ask what after hours phone number/s are to be used. It is
imperative that you have a contact phone number 24-7.

Electricals - I often wonder how many prep peeps actually check these
things out - they probably don't! I know our guys didn't.

I couldn't think of anything worse than to be in the middle of the
boondocks in unfamiliar terriotory and find the headlights don't work!

So we didn't actually get docked any money- they refunded the entire $5000
NZ bond. It was apparently the enchange rates with the Aussie dollar that
lost us money- over $100 for a 5 day rental. Seemed a bit excessive. Anyone
else lost on the enchange rates (or gained!?)

The NZ dollar is a "floating dollar" and can fluctuate considerably.
I could call the bank and be told it was worth x amount to cash US$
but by the time I got there 10 mins later, it had changed.

Cath

wrote:
On 07 Oct 2003 17:54:00 GMT, Frank Slootweg
wrote:

wrote:
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 11:50:40 GMT, "sdf" wrote:


"CT" wrote in message
news:85wfb.9770$da3.9278@edtnps84...
We are thinking of renting a camper for eight days from Aukland and would
appreciate any advice on rentals and possible travel plans.

We had a Maui van from Wellington to Auckland. Nice van, but... radio didn't
work (got it fixed for nothing on route though) horn didn't work (surely
illegal)

This is why you MUST do a total and thorough check of everything
before you sign the contract and depart the premises.

No offense, but that is not really practical. You can and should check
some things and perhaps even many things, but "everything" is not
practical.

Darn sure I would *never* sign a rental contract unless I had been
over the thing inside and out including looking for little chips on
the windows.
As for those little scratches, dings etc, everyone gets noted on the
check sheet!

It does not take many more minutes to go through everything period -
and we used to be regular renters [as well as I was a rental car agent
myself].

If I had a vip corporate rental to go out, I'd do a check myself
before the client arrived.

On our four rentals we have had many 'little' things which we
only discovered after we left the rental agency, even the last time when
the rental agent took a lot of time and effort. In our experience the
problem is often that people do not report anything when they drop off
the vehicle, so the rental agency has to find the problems themselves.

This is quite true and another reason why you should check everything.
It pays to familiarise oneself with all the controls, the gear levers,
etc etc, even where the power seat control is located/how it works
[some are in the strangest places]; the heater works and the ac
works, all the controls etc etc etc. We would gladly give a manual
for the car upon request.

I think you are mainly talking about a *car*, but the subject of this
thread, the sub-thread and my response is a *campervan*. Do you really
expect people to check *everything* in *those* (i.e. even the number of
tea spoons)?

Just some examples of what we found after the fact on our last rental:

- Hand operated waterpump (for 'fresh' water) did not work. These things
normally only work after a few times up and down and leave water in
the sink, so you are not likely to try them.

- The temperature control in the fridge was (or became?) loose.

- One of the clamps of the lid above the stove was broken.

- The hole for the gastank was too small, which resulted in shaved-off
wood (don't know the English term) while driving.

- Rubber was missing on one of the legs of the lower bed, which caused
scratches/holes on/in the linoleum.

Of these, the waterpump was the biggest deal. Luckily, before going
into the outback, we came to a 'big' town (Katherine, NT) and replaced
the pump.

On one of our other rentals, the cigarette lighter didn't work. Do you
*really* check things like these? We don't smoke, but it was a nuisance
because I could not use/charge some of my stuff (mainly GPS, but also
GSM to a certain extent).

sdf wrote about a non-working radio. Do you check the cassette-player?
I didn't think so.

You want to see someone do a check, just watch my oh - he used to
travel worldwide as part of his job besides constant travel in the US.
He does a more thorough check than I do.

If not, the next hirer is the next victim. (Mind you, I am talking about
'little' things (which can be quite annoying and even problematic), not
essential things like brakes, tyres, etc..)

Don't forget once you sign that dotted line, you could be held liable
for one or more of those little things!


Cath