Private Campervan & Motorhome Rentals in New Zealand: FULL Guide

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The Advantages of Hiring a Private Campervan or Motorhome

Why should you use a private campervan rental? Here are a few worthy reasons.

A Wide Range of Vehicles

Peer-to-peer campervan rental websites list a huge range of camping vehicles. Vehicles are much less standardised than rental company fleets, offering everything from vintage caravans to high-tech motorhomes. If you want to travel around New Zealand in something unique, then private campervan rental is for you.

More Pick-Up Locations

While traditional rental companies are only located in New Zealand’s largest towns and airports, private rental companies can be found anywhere! Some private rentals may also offer pick-up/drop-off at a local airport too. If you want to rent a vehicle near you, chances are, you can find one on a peer-to-peer campervan rental website.

Some May Be Pet-Friendly

Want to travel around with your beloved pooch? Some private campervan owners are Ok with pets being in the vehicle, likely because they have their own pets. Rental companies, however, rarely allow animals in their vehicles.

Long-Term Rental Rates

Although you may be able to rent a motorhome with a rental company for a long period, it is hugely expensive. Some private owners, however, are happy to set long-term rates that are cheaper than the usual daily rate so you can road trip for longer without burning a hole in your wallet. This is a good idea if you plan to travel the country for a month or longer. At this point, it may also be worth considering buying your own campervan or motorhome.

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The Disadvantages of Hiring a Private Campervan or Motorhome

Why shouldn’t you hire a private campervan or motorhome? Well, we have some reasons for that too.

It’s Not Cheaper

You might expect that a benefit of renting from a private owner is that you’ll get a better deal on your campervan or motorhome rental. You won’t. The daily rates for private campervan rentals are essentially the same as what you would find from a rental company. Of course, you’ll find the odd good deal but the same can be said for rental companies. See our guide on the cost of campervan rental so you can budget for your trip. Plus, many of our 21 Ways to Save Money on Car and Campervan Rental in New Zealand apply too.

Quality Standards

With private campervan rentals, you don’t know what the standard of cleanliness or maintenance is going to be. Just like with Airbnb, the quality of motorhomes differs, although, you can check reviews on peer-to-peer rental websites. In our experience, rental companies have much more consistent quality standards – it’s better for business, after all!

Customer Service

With private campervan rentals, you have two contacts for support; the peer-to-peer rental website and the vehicle owners themselves. This means more hassle on working out who is the right person to call if something goes wrong. Some private owners will be happy to troubleshoot when appliances aren’t working, for example, while others may take a more hands-off approach.

No One-Way Rentals

A popular way to travel around New Zealand is by starting on one island and ending on the other island. As many rental companies have depots on both the North Island and South Island, this is a benefit that they can offer to customers. With private rentals, however, this just isn’t an option. You have to return the vehicle to where you picked it up from.

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Is it Worth Renting a Privately Owned Campervan in New Zealand?

The aim of this private campervan rental guide is to help you discover whether a private campervan or motorhome rental is right for you. As you can see, it has its pros and cons. So, ultimately, it depends on whether the pros and good enough for you or the cons are too bad for you.

We recommend keeping private campervan rentals in mind when planning a campervan road trip around New Zealand. Look at the prices and inclusions for both rental companies and private rentals. If you find a great deal on a private campervan with glowing reviews and a great location, go for it! If a private rental offers about the same as a rental company, then perhaps going with the rental company would be the most beneficial.

See how hiring a private campervan compares to The Best Motorhome & Campervan Rentals in New Zealand. You might also be interested in campervan relocation, so check out New Zealand Campervan Relocations: How to Get a Free Campervan Hire.