Car hire is available from all major airports, and this is usually the best place to collect your hire from. The major brands are Europcar, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Thrifty, Apex, Rent-a-Dent, and Ace Rental Cars. Depending on the rental agency you can hire everything from small economy vehicles though to large campervans.
There are inner city depots in the larger cities, but in very small towns you will usually be reliant on local shuttle transport or private hire companies. Many towns have private hire car companies however, and the local information centre will be able to advise if there is one available.
You are usually not supposed to drive hire cars on unsealed roads, but at times this can be unavoidable (especially if you visiting National Parks or remote areas). Check your insurance agreement on this issue.
In the winter, it is highly recommended that you hire snow chains with your car (especially in the South Island, or if going skiing), as snow can fall on many New Zealand roads in winter and spring.
A GPS (Sat-Nav) device can be useful, but it is recommended that you double check routes with a map, particularly in remote areas. You should also program your GPS to use main roads only, as often the ‘shortest’ route can be over a long, winding, mountain dirt road (which may even be impassable!).
