FAQs

Top Questions

• Do I need a credit card?
  You do not require a credit card to confirm the reservation. However, suppliers require a credit card when the car is picked up.
  
  You do require a credit card present and the credit card owner present to sign the Rental Agreement when collecting the car. The terms and conditions on the booking page will display the rental requirements of your supplier - each vary slightly. Please note, pre-paid credit cards will not be accepted, ie. Bopo cards.
• Can I use a debit card?
  Only Avis and Hertz will accept debit cards (not pre-paid cards) with the Visa/Mastercard emblem. This excludes any luxury fleet bookings.
• Tell me about car rental excess cover?
  Click Here for a very simple guide to car rental excess cover. You have 3 options: No cover, supplier excess cover or purchase travel insurance.
• Inter-island Travel?
  Avis, Budget and Hertz have minimum requirements for Inter Island travel.
   

  • A minimum rental of 3 days is required on each island, with a minimum total of 6 days. If this requirement is not met the rental will be charged as two separate hires.
  • If you are travelling more than once between the two islands, the third (and subsequent) rental period has no minimum length of rental requirement.
  • You can cross between the two islands using the Picton Ferry Terminal and the Wellington Ferry Terminal. Note: this policy only applies if you are travelling to the other island, not to a location within the same island.
  • A maximum of 5 hours is allowed between the drop off of the vehicle in one island and the pick up of the next vehicle.
  • A minimum of 48 hours notice is required of the customers intention to cross between the islands if a crossover booking has not been previously made. If notice is not given, we cannot guarantee a vehicle will be available on the other side.
  • Ferry terminal changeover fee of $40 is charged by some suppliers.

  Thrifty terms and conditions are that all multi-island hires (rentals covering both islands) must have a minimim of 3 days rental on any one way sector in each island or a $562.50 one way fee will apply to the hire. ie; A 6 day Auckland to Christchurch booking must have 3 days in the north island and 3 days in the south island. Please note that multi-island hires require return of vehicles when crossing between the islands at Wellington in the North Island or Picton in the South Island and collecting a subsequent vehicle upon arrival in the other island. We will contact you to confirm your island crossover dates.
  
  If your reservation meets their requirements, you must then advise the supplier your ferry dates as soon as possible. The vehicles at the changeover are subject to availability.
  
  Europcar allows one way bookings online with no minimum days per island. You are required to call reservations at least 72 hours prior to ferry schedule so the car will be ready when you reach the other side of the island. 

  Thrifty require you do go direct to their site at www.thrifty.co.nz
  
  All confirmations are based on travel meeting the suppliers requirements.
  
  Please note, the suppliers do not allow the vehicles on the ferry. Vehicles that are taken on the ferry are subject to relocation fees, and the renter is liable for full cost of any damage.

• How do I add a child seat or GPS to my booking?
  Child seats and GPS units can only be added once your booking has been confirmed.
  Option 1 - Contact the supplier directly. See our Contact Us page for phone numbers.
  Option 2 - Contact VroomVroomVroom by replying to the automated confirmation email.
  Option 3 - Take your own baby seat or GPS with you.

More FAQs

• I can't see the car I want?
  If the vehicle you want is not showing in our comparison it is probably booked out and not available. Please Contact Us if you need help.
• How do I view, cancel or modify my booking?
  Use our Modify Booking link for the easiest way to modify or cancel your booking from your Confirmation Email.
  Suppliers re-calculate the reservation rate if pickup times, dates or locations are amended.
  Please Note: All extra add-ons will attract additional percentage taxes and surcharges. Any modification to the reservation may alter the price.
• I am travelling with over 5 passengers. What car should I hire?
  Only cars under the category 'Van' have more than 5 seats. Vans seat 8 passengers. ALL other categories seat only 5 passengers. Van Examples: Toyota Previa, Kia Carnival.
  
  To find an 8 seater simply complete a search, scroll to the bottom of the results and look for the car group 'Van'. 8 Seater vans need to be booked early because they are always in high demand.
   
• I want to hire a truck, bus or ute?
  We do not offer these sorts of vehicles within our comparison so we created some very helpful guides to help you.

  Email	Phone	International
  Avis	0800 284 722	+64 9 526 3256
  Budget	0800 283 438	+64 9 529 7784
  Europcar	0800 800 115	+61 3 9330 6160
  Hertz	0800 654 321	+64 3 358 6789
  Thrifty	0800 73 70 70	+64 3 359 2721

• Is my credit card debited at the time of reservation?
  No. Your credit card is debited at the time of pickup or return only. The credit card is used as a security measure for the car rental suppliers.
• Can I get a complete "quote" without entering any credit card details?
  Yes. That is what VroomVroomVroom does best.
• Will I be charged by failing to show up?
  No. However, if you do not require a vehicle please cancel the booking at least 24 hours prior to the pick up time.
• Will my overseas drivers licence work for New Zealand?
  If you have held a valid, unrestricted drivers license, for a minimum of 12 months and it is in English you will not require an international permit. If you do not have these prerequisites then you will need an international permit. All documents must be original. No photocopies are recognised.
• Why are flight details important?
  There are two important reasons why this information is helpful on reservations.
  
  The flight information indicates to the Car Rental Company where to have your vehicle parked to be closest to your flight arrival. There are usually kiosks at both domestic and international terminals. Delays can occur if no flight numbers are available.
  
  Also, if your flight is delayed, the Car Rental Companies will ensure a staff member is available for a confirmed reservation.
• I have not received my confirmation email?
  Check your spam or trash, as yahoo, and some business email clients recognise the email as spam.
• How old do I need to be to hire a car?
  In most cases you need to be a minimum of 25 years old BUT you can still rent a car if you are over 21 years old. In this case a mandatory surcharge usually applies and the in ability to lower excess charges may also apply. This varies from company to company. Some vehicle types may also be restricted.
  
  No one under the age of 21 can rent a car from any of our suppliers at any time. This is for insurance purposes. P platers or drivers on restricted/ provisional licenses are also unable to rent under any circumstances.
• Are the quotes comprehensive of all fees and charges?
  Yes. For the most part the quotes are comprehensive of Airport Recovery Fees, Goods and Services taxes, and 3rd party insurance.
  Please Note: All extra add-ons will attract additional percentage taxes and surcharges. Any modification to the reservation may alter the price.
• Can I make a reservation for a one way car hire?
  Yes. All of our suppliers allow one way rentals via the VroomVroomVroom website. Please note: one way rentals may incur a one way fee, though this fee will always be included in our quote for your vehicle.
• Why is it more expensive when I say I'm a foreign customer?
  The differences in price are due to different insurance regulations in each country, eg. some residents have lower quotes as most credit cards carry insurance and so they do not need to be charged extra.
  
  Each different country has a different rate that needs to be charged according to the insurance terms and conditions of each rental supplier. These laws make some rates slightly higher than some others. Unfortunately this is unavoidable and part of the conditions of renting a car.
• Can I take my car on the Ferry?
  No. If a vehicle is taken on a ferry for travel over bodies of water, the vehicle will be void of insurance during the ferry trip. Islands such as Kangaroo Island are considered to be 'full responsibility' locations, meaning that you will have to pay in full for all damage incurred.

  Purchased Excess Reduction insurance will also be voided for the ferry trip

• What happens if I receive a Speeding Fine?
  Your car hire company will take one of the following actions:
  
  1. Charge your credit card for the amount detailed on the fine.
  2. Supply your information to law enforcement agencies, who will in turn issue a fine to your postal address.
  
  In any case is advisable that you pay any fines you receive before leaving the country. Failure to pay fines received in New Zealand may result in refusal of a hire car, refusal of entry or cancellation of a visa on a return visit.
• Are seatbelts required in New Zealand?
  
  Legislation in New Zealand requires that the driver and all passengers must wear correctly fitted seat belts. Children under the age of seven years must be in a child restraint that is appropriate for the age and weight of the child and properly adjusted and fitted.
• Can I travel with my pets?
  As each location is different, it is best to contact your pick up depot beforehand.
  
  Suppliers will generally allow small pets to travel along with you, though the car must be returned in the same condition in which it was rented out. Cleaning fees will apply. If there is any damage from the pet, you will be charged for the damage or charged the extra cleaning fee. Traveling with the proper equipment is advised.
  
  You are not allowed to travel with pets in a Thrifty vehicle.
• What happens when I book and the page says 'unavailable' and to call you?
  The booking has NOT completed. The reasons can be:
  
  The session timed out - (the rate may no longer be available if someone else was booking at the same time) The time has passed - a lot of customers are booking for the same day, and have not adjusted the time for the afternoon The flight detail is not correct - if airport arrival, the flight details are very important and some suppliers will not complete the booking without it.
  
  What to do:
  Resend details after checking flight, times, etc. and complete. In most cases this works. Suppliers operate on a supply and demand basis, which means someone may have been trying to book the same car as you and got in first. So please try again, if you're quick you'll find another deal straight away, if not, you can always call us and we can guide you through it!
• Glossary
  Additional Driver
  When there is more than one driver associated with a hire, the second and any subsequent drivers are referred to as the additional driver(s). There may be a charge applied for additional drivers.

  Airport Surcharge / Airport Recovery Fees
  An additional surcharge applied to airport location pickups or premium location pickups. The surcharge is applied to airport depots by the Federal Airport Corporations, and passed on to renters collecting at those locations. Premium location fee is a surcharge applied to premium high rent areas such as major downtown locations.

  Check-out / Pick-up
  The location and/or time from when a hire starts.

  Check-in / Return
  The location and/or time, from when a hire ends.

  Insurance
  New Zealand Car Hire vehicles all have mandatory third party cover. You may increase your level of insurance when you pick up your vehicle, for an extra fee.

  One Way
  To hire a vehicle at one location and to return it at another is referred to as a one- way hire.

  Refueling Service
  A service provided at check-in which enables a customer to return a vehicle which does not have a full tank of fuel.

  Rental Agreement
  The formal contract, signed by Company and the hirer at the time of check-out, which shows the terms of the rental.

  Rental Day
  Normally, a 24-hour period which starts at the time of check-out, however can also apply to a rental period that is of several hours' duration.

  Rental Duration/Length
  Normally, the total of rental days, however can also apply to a rental of several hours' duration.

  Rental Qualifications
  The conditions imposed by a rental location, or country, in order to satisfy their legal requirements. Details of these can be obtained from each renting Company.

  Car Excess Reduction
  Basic Excess Reduction is included in the price, however, this has a high excess if you are at fault in an accident. In order to reduce this excess, you can optionally pay $25 - $35 to reduce your excess. If you're looking to insure your own car, check out car insurance New Zealand to get a car insurance quote for New Zealand.