Use Thrifty car rentals all the time from Auckland airport using my New Zealand AA discount.

Can't fault it. Not sure why there are so many negative reviews. I can get a small, late model runabout for $69 per day with nil excess, pick up from the airport (no waiting for pick up and taken out somewhere near the airport thus taking another half an hour). I'm a blue chip member as well which is their loyalty club. Just have to make sure I book in time to get the AA deal.

This is my first choice, when you start looking at some of the secondary rental costs, by the time you add on for nil excess insurance you are getting up to the Thrifty all inclusive rate. I'm a budget traveller but Thrifty is certainly not a budget rental company judging by the pristine condition of their cars and the fact that they are at the airport. Will use every time if they are available.

Reviewed over 8 years ago

I hired a 4 berth Gem motorhome for our 10 day trip of the South Island.

We are 2 adults and 2 children (12 and 13 years). Unfortunately, although the booking went ok, we found the motorhome poorly designed for 4 people. It was too small for 4 people compared to other 4 berth motorhomes I saw. It did not have an ‘overhead cab’ for sleeping but instead you had to make up the driver’s and passenger’s seats into a double bed each night and take it down in the morning before you could drive it. Here are my likes and dislikes:

Likes – handled roads well as not too high

Fittings in good condition

Comfortable rear king size bed.

Dislikes – poorly designed front double bed took at least 15 minutes morning and night to make up, this was 30 minutes a day taken from our holidays.

Rear seats for 3rd and 4th passengers extremely uncomfortable for more than 30 minutes travel.

Kitchen much smaller than other 4 berth homes. Not enough bench.

TV did not always pick up signal, even in urban areas sometimes

Bedding not really up to scratch for rate I paid.

I paid $330 per night in January, this was on a par with the premium rates and this van did not come up to scratch for that amount of money. The inefficiencies and poor design greatly affected our holiday. I would look at KEA next time. I noticed they have very well designed vehicles from what I saw.

To be honest with the rate we paid and by the time we paid $60-70 per night camp fees + diesel ($45/day) it would have been cheaper to take the car down and go to some nice properties –Next time I would consider getting a 6 berth van for 4 people. I noticed that some of the 6 berth vans are no bigger than the 4 berth motor homes. In my opinion the van we hired is more suited for 2 people not 4.

I have lodged my concerns with the company re this motorhome model we hired.

My last piece of advice – only deal with companies on Rankers that are achieving >85% rating. They deserve their ratings. Great website, good work guys.

Reviewed almost 13 years ago