Car Rental AKL

[tucho]

Have question. Looking to rent at AKL airport. Doing a search some sites are adding third party collision coverage. Seems very reasonable compare to actual rental Co.  How reliable if needed?

[lyndarra]

I rented a car (pre-booked) from GO Rentals at AKL in Jan 2020 for a 7 day pre cruise  tour. The rental fee included a basic excess (deductible). I can't remember the actual amount. I did purchase extra insurance so that in event of damage I would have no deductible. I also can't remember how much the extra was.

However, during the rental period the windshield acquired a stone chip, not uncommon in NZ as there are many unsealed, gravel ("metalled" in Kiwi speak) roads.

The chip was noticed on inspection when I returned the car. I was told the stone chip was not covered by the basic excess but was covered by the extra insurance I paid. I do recall the extra payment was much less than the cost of a new windshield. Walk away, nothing to pay😁.

I always purchase extra cover when I rent a car. On one occasion in UK it saved me from forking out for expensive panel repairs after I scraped a fender on a low, stone wall in Caernarfon.

You should, at pick up, receive an inspection paper listing any existing damage. I also take photos of the car at pickup and on return just in case.

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by lyndarra
typo

[cruisine21]

We have just booked with Economy Car Rentals for 2 weeks in NZ. We have used them quite a few times without any issues

[Jean C]

2 hours ago, lyndarra said:

However, during the rental period the windshield acquired a stone chip, not uncommon in NZ as there are many unsealed, gravel ("metalled" in Kiwi speak) roads.

 

Hi, not so many "metal" roads in the main tourist drives in NZ these days. However, most of our roads are sealed with a cheap loose chip surface that car/truck tyres are supposed to bed into the thin strip of wet tar laid underneath. You often get windscreen chips from this. Also from stone debris dropped from the many trucks on our roads 🥴

Edited July 4, 2023 by Jean C

[LittleFish1976]

5 hours ago, tucho said:

Have question. Looking to rent at AKL airport. Doing a search some sites are adding third party collision coverage. Seems very reasonable compare to actual rental Co.  How reliable if needed?

 

Some car rental companies at AKL airport are not exactly on site and have closing times that can be difficult for international arrivals. Check where your proposed company is located before committing i.e. do they have a desk in the terminal?

[lyndarra]

36 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Some car rental companies at AKL airport are not exactly on site and have closing times that can be difficult for international arrivals. Check where your proposed company is located before committing i.e. do they have a desk in the terminal?

That was the case with GO Rentals. They (and others) have an office a short distance away and have a shuttlebus pick you up (if you have pre booked) at the airport to take you to their office.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:2&tbm=lcl&q=auckland+airport+car+rentals&rflfq=1&num=10&ved=2ahUKEwiZ6pyfhPT_AhWKr1YBHUCtDRcQtgN6BAggEAI#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[-36.989438396828014,174.8176299816895],[-37.01644504142439,174.7563468701172]]

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by lyndarra

[LittleFish1976]

Just now, lyndarra said:

That was the case with GO Rentals. They (and others) have an office close by and have a mini bus pick you up at the airport and take you to their office.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:2&tbm=lcl&q=auckland+airport+car+rentals&rflfq=1&num=10&ved=2ahUKEwiZ6pyfhPT_AhWKr1YBHUCtDRcQtgN6BAggEAI#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[-36.989438396828014,174.8176299816895],[-37.01644504142439,174.7563468701172]]

 

 

Yes that's true they can provide transport but some companies' offices close at 6pm (for example) and being off-site and having to get there after waiting for luggage and the queue for customs and immigration can make it difficult to predict the time as well as often being quite late. Sixt, for example, is a great company to rent through but I don't use them if I'm picking up a car at the airport as they are off-site. Also, it's a hassle if you have to return the car before their office opens in the morning - there's a drop-box for the keys there but you then have no transport to the terminal (and as a single female traveller I don't wish to wait there in the dark for a cab at say 4.30 in the morning!).