Pro Camper

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In a highly competitive market like the New Zealand Campervan Hire, sometimes things are not as they appear to be. You may not yet be aware of some fees and charges that are not obvious during the campervan reservation process.

This is a summary of the most common fees charged by campervan hire companies.  

(The amounts mentioned can vary between campervan companies.)

 

Diesel Tax

In New Zealand a tax is charged on all vehicles running on diesel fuel. It is known as “Diesel Tax” or “Road User Charge” and calculated by distance travelled. Depending on vehicle type the charge per kilometre can be anywhere from NZ$ 3.50 to NZ$ 6.50 per 100 km travelled. Many Campervan Hire companies pass this tax on to their clients and charge it on return of the campervan.

 

Vehicle Registration Recovery

In New Zealand every vehicle needs to be registered once a year. To re-coop this expense (and benefit from it) the campervan hire companies charge a percentage (approx. 2%) of the total rental amount extra. Luckily, this (very questionable) fee is not very common these days.

 

One Way Fee

If you are planning to hire your campervan between two different locations, most companies charge a One Way Fee to recover potential costs of relocating the campervan for the next hire. This fee generally ranges from NZ$ 300 to NZ$ 500.

 

Location Fee

Should your campervan hire originate or finish in an “exotic” location, like e.g. Greymouth, Picton or Wellington, you will be bound to pay a location fee. This costs approximately NZ$ 400 and relates to the extra effort the company has with driving the campervan to the desired location. To avoid this fee you are best to hire from Auckland or Christchurch, as these are the main campervan hire centres in New Zealand.

 

Gas Refill Fee

Campervans usually comes with a full gas bottle. Depending on size it generally costs NZ$ 25 or NZ$ 35 to refill the LPG gas. Many campervan companies charge extra for this, especially if the standard insurance is taken.

 

Cleaning Fee

This is an easy way to loose NZ$ 250. Some companies require you to return the campervan in clean condition. As this is usually stated somewhere at the bottom end of the terms and conditions, it is easily overlooked. Remember to double-check the hire terms and clarify all grey areas before booking your campervan hire!

 

Insurance Exclusions

To ensure a worry free holiday, you chose the full insurance cover, often called “All Inclusive Pack”, with your campervan hire? Please be aware that it does not always mean all damage is covered.

Obvious exclusions are, for example, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving off-road, submerging the vehicle in water, and so on. However, many companies like to exclude underbody and overhead damage. This kind of campervan damage can easily happen when driving on unsealed roads or parking your vehicle in tight spaces.

Some providers even go as far as excluding damage to the windscreen or tyres, which are among the most common incidents in New Zealand.

Single Vehicle Rollover is another one that is often excluded.

A good campervan hire company includes all accidental vehicle damage in their insurance cover. It pays to check!

 

Currency Fluctuations

If you hire a campervan with standard insurance, a security deposit ranging from NZ$2500 to NZ$7500 is usually payable on pick up. This means the campervan company charge the deposit (also called “bond”) to your credit card.

Providing there is no damage on return of the vehicle, the security deposit will be refunded to your card. As time passes between these two transactions, you should anticipate currency fluctuations. In some cases foreign currency bank fees may also apply.

 

Bond Administration Fee

When paying the security deposit (=bond), a bond administration fee of approximately 2% is often charged. Some companies refund this amount at the end of your hire, however, others don’t. It should be noted that bond payments can only be made by credit card. No company accepts cash or cheques for the security bond.

 

Credit Card Fee

The majority of campervan hire companies charge 2% credit card fees on payments made by Visa or MasterCard. (This fee is waived when booking via Pro Camper Limited.)

 

Make sure to check the terms and conditions in detail before booking or simply talk to us. We deal with campervan hire companies every day.

Contact Us Today if you would like to take advantage of our free service and advice. GUARANTEED NO HIDDEN FEES!

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Posted by Gigi - 12 October, 2013 at 10:14 pm, Posted in Campervan Hire New Zealand