Elliott
North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
5.0/5
As someone who's lived in a van for 2 years, I felt the only thing I was missing to prepare my trip was a local's perspective.
Cy offered a complimentary session to help walk me through a potential route, despite having no concrete plan. The general route was more beautiful than I imagined. With the extra context, I felt comfortable enough to take some minor detours as I settled in, and the phone app helped greatly.
Kia ora Elliott. Thanks for your kind words. It's great to know that we can add such great value for a seasoned campervan traveler. Ngā mihi and safe travels, Sarah
Sarah
North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
4.5/5
I got lucky because the vehicle was brand new.
The facilities were pristine. The newness factor contributed to some minor hiccups which fortunately didn't impact me significantly (check for hose attachments and test all the barrel locks on the RV before setting off).
If you are tall, I suggest requesting the same RV layout with the corner bed. I am tall (6'2" or 188cm), and this bed worked well for me while parked on even land.
I submitted my DL and all info before arrival and paid for the extra insurance/peace of mind. Pickup was quick, friendly, and helpful. Drop-off was lively with more workers and customers around. I made sure everything was in great condition, emptied, and clean before return, and I had no issues or complaints about extra fees or charges ($0).
There could've been improved documentation on places to dump grey water near Pōkeno. It's helpful to use water for cleaning the day of drop-off. Based on my adventure to that point, I thought finding a dump station would be straightforward, and even gave myself a few extra hours. However, I struggled to contact gas stations or campgrounds within 1hr of Pōkeno specifically for grey water dumping.
I believe McRent should provide their own dump station without the added anxiety at the tail-end of a trip. Black water is easier with the portable container.
The taxi was free via a 3rd party (from/to the airport and surrounding area), which was awesome because Pōkeno is far. The downside: the drivers aggressively marketed themselves and one called my phone several times during my trip. The latter kept questioning my drop-off point which I chose to save money and take my own taxi to get into Auckland, which was not complimentary.
My US tipping habits likely did me a disservice, but I would've preferred the ride without the interrogation (which I mistook for friendliness).