Rental Car Village (Hokianga) Review

Editors Review

Last Updated: 10/6/19

Rental Car Village is a family-owned motor vehicle business in New Zealand that was established in 1938, but later diversified into the rental business in 1997. With almost 2 decades of rental expertise, the company brags of its cheap rental rates and basic yet personalized fleet.  

About Rental Car Village

Being in the rental industry since 1997, Rental Car Village appears to utilize a unique marketing strategy by having different brand names, apart from their main business name, which is Rental Car Village. Their two other brand names— Hokianga Campervan and New Zealand Campervan Rentals, are all part of Rental Car Village, providing the same fleet, same rental rates and same contact numbers. The odd way of marketing publicity may have kept their business on top of others, but it can certainly be misleading, especially for those who would never delve into some in-depth research.

Though Rental Car Village has put serious efforts with their tacky online advertising, they have kept a low-profile with regards to their fleet. In fact, they have uphold their tag line of 'no sign writing' or no advertising on their vehicles' exterior for many years. And because of this rather unique fleet, the company is one of the cheapest campervan and car rentals in New Zealand. However, be reminded that you only get what you pay for and nothing more! Each campervan features the basic camping amenities such as cooking & dining essentials, gas cooker, power connection, hanging light, power board, awning, water bottle and mosquito net. So, it's technically an economical campervan a very cheap rate. They have two branches in NZ—in Auckland and Christchurch. Go freedom camping at different NZ districts by knowing the rules beforehand. 

Fleet

With only two choices on hand, you can have your campervan selection after a minute or two. Rental Car Village has a limited fleet, giving travellers only two 2-berth campervan choices: the Micro Campervan and the Economy Campervan. Aside from the campervans being offered, there is also a car rental, run by a Sedan or Station Wagon. All these campervans feature a folding double or two single beds, awning, and a tent that can be attached to the rear door, and a mosquito net for a more peaceful retreat with some fresh breeze. At night, you can plug in the 240 volt power connection in a holiday park powered site, giving you access to use the hanging light and charge the fridge and any other electrical devices. However, since these vehicles are economical campervans, just be ready with  certain drawbacks such as no CD players and hard mattresses. These downsides may  annoy you all throughout the trip, so it's best you know them ahead of time. And to make your New Zealand road trip more convenient, there are optional extras like ice box, linen pack, solar shower, GPS, and the like, at an additional fee.  

Vehicles

Micro Campervan

To begin with, Micro Campervan is a 2-berth campervan but can belt up to five people. The automatic vehicle is operated by a Nissan AD Van, with all the basic essentials. This may be pretty small compared to other campervans on the road but it's quite enough for two via its folding bed. Plus, storage area is provided under the head of the bed and an awning that can be attached to the rear door. Detachable curtains are also provided for privacy. With the 240 volt that you can connect to holiday parks, you can charge your appliances and use hanging light. 

Economy Campervan

On the other hand, the Economical Campervan, run by a Mazda Bongo, is also a 2-berth campervan but with three seatbelts. Unlike the previous campervan, this model offers both automatic and manual model. Plus, it features a double gas cooker and a fixed table. Aside from that, there are also additions like day sofa, ground sheet and cabinet with a folding table.

Insurance

Rental Car Village imposes a standard excess of $3,000. Just like other rental companies, you can also limit the liability by paying a certain amount per day. For all their vehicles, whether campervans or cars, you can have a zero excess if you opt to pay an additional $22 per day. Of course, it's preferable to pay the additional amount for an easy going holiday.

Reputation

Rental Car Village is typically given a 5- 9 rating, which is quite good for a well-established company. However, there were a couple of bad reviews that revolved around same issues like very hard mattresses and overly-basic interiors. But all in all, Rental Car Village is a nice pick, taking into consideration its very cheap rate, with no hidden costs. All their campervans provide all the basic camping essentials and only differ in certain aspects like the vehicle model and some additional features. Most of their campervans offer great gas mileage, but compared to other models on campgrounds, their fleet seem to be very old-fashioned and offer no frills. Literally, a basic campervan hire that will bring you safely to your destination, which is the campervan's main purpose! However, this company might not be for everyone, especially if you want a more glamorous road trip. But if you want to save heaps of money, you can definitely consider them.

Summary

Rental Car Village is certainly a 100% budget campervan hire company that offers ultra-plain exteriors and interiors. There might be a few things left out when it comes to the camping essentials, but the company is a good catch for travellers looking for an economical road trip in New Zealand.