[Moorf]

Having never rented a campervan in NZ before I decided to look up prices as we might do a couple of weeks touring later this year.

OH MY GOD - it seems very expensive - 10 days was coming in at around $1600!!! It's almost cheaper to go to Fiji!! Even taking the car and staying in Top 10 chalets would be just $70/night...

Does anyone have any cheap campervan suggestions/recommendations? (I don't fancy the Spaceship ones - bit too small!!)

Cheers
Moorf

[kanatakiwi]

I earlier pointed out the cheap one way campervan rental that we used, it served us well.
check this site just in case..
http://www.standbycars.com.au/oneways.aspx?cid=2
probably none of these routes fit your travel plans, but if you can make them fit....... :)
G

[nippa&pippa]

I have heard from somewhere that they are cheap, have you try them?
http://www.ezy.co.nz/vehicle2.asp

or this?
http://cheapmotorhomes.co.nz/

[willsken]

http://www.nzmotorhomes.co.nz/index.php are the ones we used and they seemed the best value for money at the time. Worth a look.

[Andy-Dee]

We decided against it due to price - its ok if you are a family with 2+ children but as we only have one it worked out cheaper to book into Top 10 or anywhere else we fancied.

We wouldn't have found the Punakaiki Rocks hotel which for me was the highlight of the trip - stunning location.

[Carey]

Yes they are expensive but so much fun, so easy stopping to make a coffee or toast whenever or wherever you fancy and you don't have to pay camp ground fees if you like the solitude of just parking up - freedom camping (buy a permit) round Gisborne is very very cheap, some areas allow it anyway, in others just find somewhere off the road eg. scenic reserves. Our best nights were spots we found ourselves - you feel like you own the world camping right by a deserted beach, no-one near by...depends what you prefer. But its something you will always remember as a great experience and sometimes you just have to pay for that!

[Anita & Marco]

I can't agree more with what Carey stated above!!!
Would never like to swap a tour by campervan by a tour car/b&b - independent of the price.
It will be worth all the money spent on it (assuming you have the money)

Cheers,
Anita

[katandbob]

Having never rented a campervan in NZ before I decided to look up prices as we might do a couple of weeks touring later this year.

OH MY GOD - it seems very expensive - 10 days was coming in at around $1600!!! It's almost cheaper to go to Fiji!! Even taking the car and staying in Top 10 chalets would be just $70/night...

Does anyone have any cheap campervan suggestions/recommendations? (I don't fancy the Spaceship ones - bit too small!!)

Cheers
Moorf

BUY a tent :laugh .... and thick sleeping bags!;)

Kat

[Oregonkiwi]

I saw this special deal advertised in the Herald travel section this morning:
http://www.jasons.com/new-zealand/hot-deals/
(scroll down to the Kea campers item).

[Moorf]

Thanks everyone :nice1 - it's not so much we don't have the $$'s it's just that there's this little Kiwi voice in my head calculating what "useful" stuff I could spend $1600 on, and a little British voice that tells me to, go oooonnnn, fly somewhere hot and exotic :D

[nippa&pippa]

Thanks everyone :nice1 - it's not so much we don't have the $$'s it's just that there's this little Kiwi voice in my head calculating what "useful" stuff I could spend $1600 on, and a little British voice that tells me to, go oooonnnn, fly somewhere hot and exotic :D

for me, campervan again! My OH and I get little bit jealous when we see campervan around as love to do it again, freedom....well will be doing it in december *finger crossed* :D

[marcia]

We had friends come over in January - they hired a camper, but say they wouldn't do it again, Our nmate came out just him and his son for the first two weeks, then his two daughters joined him later, unfortunatley he is not really domesticated, and if he wanted a cuppa and a snack he would stop at the nearest cafe, he didn't do much cooking either.

So it just depends if you want a 'real' holiday not doing any cooking, making beds every night, or if you are prepared to have BBQ's and make do dinners!!

I think if you way up the cost of (hiring) a car, then the petrol, then motels, all the food ontop that you have to stop and buy because you don't have the facilities to cook, you will be looking at a substantial amount of money. this all depends as well on how many of you are travelling.

Good luck and have fun whatever you decide to do!:nice1

[Moorf]

Ok, BIG concern (having been through a few NZ winters!)... do campervans have heaters? Do you NEED a heater? Should I take extra duvets?

Our friends camper-bus has a coal stove in it!!

[vixxann]

Ok, BIG concern (having been through a few NZ winters!)... do campervans have heaters? Do you NEED a heater? Should I take extra duvets?

Our friends camper-bus has a coal stove in it!!

they certainly do :nice1 blown air heating in most
and if you are on a site with electric then you can always take a plug in elec heater too;)

If I had the choice and no probs with the money side - I'd go for campervan - we had brill time in ours (even tho' a little squashed with 5 of us!)
A smaller one for just two people would also be easier to park up in town - go down small lanes etc so there should be no stopping you really :D

[Moorf]

I saw this special deal advertised in the Herald travel section this morning:
http://www.jasons.com/new-zealand/hot-deals/
(scroll down to the Kea campers item).

Now $60/day is much better - thanks!!

The swing-o-meter is definitely edging towards the campervan!

[liamnrach]

Moorf

We found a good site (we are due to tour in Feb 08 - Peak Season). We managed to get a deal for $135 per day. They are currently offering deals as low at $55 per day. This company actually specialise in motorbike tours but do have 3 campervans on thier books. They are not the biggest, but were fine for Rach and I last year (we went for 3 weeks). Have a look at the website and see what you think

http://www.banz.co.nz/travelcars/tcenghome.htm

Apologies if this post reaches you too late....:o

Liam

[Moorf]

Brilliant Liam, thanks I'll check them out. We're not planning the trip until mid-winter so plenty of time :yes

[Oregonkiwi]

Now $60/day is much better - thanks!!

How about $24.90 per day?
http://www.mustdos.co.nz/

[nd293]

We had friends come over in January - they hired a camper, but say they wouldn't do it again,

I've only heard one other person say that campervans didn't work out, and what she said was that it was a major hassle having to pack everything up and tie everything down if you wanted to take a 5 minute drive to the shops. But I guess that depends on how organised you are in the first place!

Nikki

[vixxann]

we booked ours through here..
http://www.campervanhirenz.co.nz/
they search everywhere for prices for you and seem to be pretty well priced - but we got extra discount too when arranged car hire through them too - so maybe worth asking for something off?!

[Moorf]

How about $24.90 per day?
http://www.mustdos.co.nz/

Wow, amazing bargains there! Thanks Oregonkiwi and all :nice1