Compass Campers New Zealand Review

Editor's Review

Compass Campers New Zealand is a motorhome for hire company that offers 2-6 berth campervans and motorhomes. 

History

Compass is originally based in New Zealand, and they have branches in several other countries as well. This is because of their affiliation with Motorhome Republic, which has holdings under different brands in 28 countries. The depots for their New Zealand company are in Auckland and two Christchurch locations.

If you care to know where your money is going, know it will be going to a very large corporation that specialises in campervan hire in over 150 locations and 28 different countries.

Reputation

The reputation of Compass Campers isn’t great, but it isn’t bad, either. Not a great deal is out there in terms of customer satisfaction, and probably the most amusing (and simultaneously the most frustrating) fact out there is that not even their website has anything in their testimonials section.

From what we can gather, the reputation of Compass rests on being part of the bigger fish known as Motorhome Republic. It’s not the worst thing that can be, but it’s not likely the best, either. There is a sense of “caveat emptor” here — let the buyer beware. In other words, if you find a campervan or motorhome that you really like, and the price works for your budget, get a quote and know exactly what they’re going to provide. Make sure that you test the equipment in the vehicle in full before leaving with it, and, if there are any signs of trouble or needing a repair, bring it up sooner rather than later.

Fleet

The fleet is made up of a dizzying array of older vehicles, enabling the company to offer some of the lowest prices around, and they’re backed up by their parent company (again). It is unclear as from where these vehicles are being supplied. However, once you obtain a quote from the company, they will tell you exactly where the vehicle comes from as well as the specific make and model. In most cases, the vehicle is actually supplied from a different hire company. It seems like Compass acts as an agent for other campervan companies and hires out their vehicles under the Compass brand.

The models available from their fleet include the following:

• 2 Berth Models: 8 different types to choose from, with years ranging from 1999 to 2010, and some models available with showers.
• 4 Berth Models: 2 different types to choose from, with years ranging from 2003 to 2006.
• 6 Berth Models: 2 different types to choose from as well, with years ranging from 2001 to 2008.

The fleet is quite diverse and has some models that will fit even the smallest budget, starting at only NZ $20.41 per day.

Extras

If you’re looking for a motorhome rental company that offers a lot of extras, you may wish to look elsewhere or inquire directly with the company about what they offer for hire. There is not a lot of information regarding for hire extras.

Included in your rental, however, you will get 24-hour assistance, unlimited kilometers, and free transport from the airport to the depot. There are more generous packages out there, really, but you will get what you pay for with Compass.

Overall

Compass is able to take advantage of being part of a huge corporation, enabling them to undercut the competition and provide basic rentals at low-budget prices. They offer a variety of models that can fit almost any budget and tend to focus on the lower end of budget rentals. Even still, they offer completely fair rentals at a good price.

If you have more money to spend, however, you may want to go with a company that offers more amenities for a higher price.