What is a vehicle relocation? How it works in New Zealand
Rental companies around New Zealand need cars, campervans and motorhomes taken to another city. Drive one there for $1 a day or free.
Rental companies around New Zealand regularly end up with vehicles in the wrong place: too many cars, campervans and motorhomes in one city and not enough in another. A vehicle relocation fixes that by getting a traveller to drive the vehicle to where it's needed. In return, the hire costs $1 a day or free.
Most people use relocations for a cheap holiday, but they also suit anyone moving to a new city, heading off for seasonal work or visiting family. Because the price looks almost too low, it helps to know how the deal works first. Below you'll find why relocations exist, which costs you cover, the rules for drivers and the steps to book on Transfercar, plus what it means to travel with a set route and a return deadline.
A vehicle relocation is a one-way hire that helps a rental company get a vehicle to another city. Rather than paying staff or a transport truck to move it, the company hands it to a traveller for $1 a day or free, with a set number of days to make the trip. On some deals, the company also covers part of the fuel or the Cook Strait ferry.
WHY RELOCATIONS EXIST
Why rental companies relocate vehicles
Few visitors travel around New Zealand in a tidy loop. Many land in Auckland and head south. Plenty hand their vehicle back in Wellington before crossing Cook Strait, and others finish in Christchurch or Queenstown and fly home from there. Before long, some branches have more vehicles than they can use, while others don't have enough for the customers about to arrive.
Seasons make it worse. As the summer travel season goes on, vehicles collect in the South Island, where many trips end, and North Island branches need them back for the next wave of bookings.
To rebalance their fleets, rental companies can pay for a truck, send their own staff to drive, or offer the trip to travellers. Travellers are the cheapest option by far, which is why relocation deals exist.
HOW IT WORKS
How does a vehicle relocation work?
The rental company sets a few conditions for every relocation:
- Pickup and drop-off locations. Normally an airport or city branch at each end of the trip. The listing shows the area each branch is in.
- A date window. A range of dates for collecting and returning the vehicle. You pick your own dates inside it.
- Included days. Always enough to make the drive, and on some deals a little extra.
- Kilometres. Unlimited on some deals, a fixed allowance for the trip on others.
- A bond. Paid to the rental company when you pick up and refunded once the vehicle is back without damage.
Extras vary from deal to deal. A rental company in a hurry to move a vehicle may put money towards fuel, and some listings include the Cook Strait ferry, which is common on trips from Christchurch or Queenstown to Auckland.
Inside those conditions, you plan the trip your way: where to stop, where to stay the night and how long to spend in each place, provided the vehicle reaches its destination on time.
Common New Zealand relocations link the main cities and tourist centres. Wellington to Auckland, Christchurch to Auckland and Queenstown to Auckland come up often.
COSTS
What a vehicle relocation actually costs
The daily rate tells only part of the story. These are the costs to plan for on a typical relocation in New Zealand.
| Cost | How much |
|---|---|
| Daily hire rate | $1 a day or free |
| Booking fee | $0 with Transfercar |
| Bond | Set by the rental company and shown on every listing. |
| Fuel and ferry | You cover these, and the amount depends on the route. Some relocations include help with fuel or a ferry ticket. |
REQUIREMENTS
Who can drive a relocation vehicle?
Every rental company has its own driver requirements, and they're listed on the deal. Usually you'll need:
- A current full driver licence that covers the vehicle you're driving.
- To be over the minimum age, normally 18 or 21, and older for some companies.
- A credit or debit card for the bond.
- A Transfercar account, which is free.
Most campervans and motorhomes don't need a special licence. A full New Zealand car (class 1) licence lets you drive motorhomes and light vans with a gross laden weight of up to 6,000 kg, which covers most rental campervans and motorhomes.
Visitors from overseas can usually drive in New Zealand on their current overseas licence for a limited time after they arrive. Keep it with you whenever you drive, and if it isn't in English, also carry an accurate English translation or an International Driving Permit. Rental companies may set extra conditions, so read the listing before you request.
STEP BY STEP
How to book a relocation with Transfercar
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Search your route
Type in your pickup and drop-off cities, or look through every relocation on the map. If nothing suits yet, set an alert for the route and you'll hear when new deals come in.
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Read the deal
Look at the date window, included days, kilometres and any fuel or ferry inclusions, plus the area of each branch. The policy tab lists the bond and the cancellation terms.
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Send your request
Request several relocations at once to give yourself a better chance. If your plans change, you can withdraw a request before the rental company confirms it and choose another date or deal.
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Wait for confirmation
The rental company looks at the requests and picks a driver. When one of yours is accepted, any other requests you've made for the same dates and locations drop off automatically. Requests for other trips on other dates, such as a return journey, stay active.
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Pick up and drive
Pay the bond to the rental company when you collect the vehicle, then head off. Return it before the deadline, and you'll get the bond back if there's no damage.
It's the rental company, not Transfercar, that picks the driver for each vehicle. Requesting a few deals at once is the simplest way to improve your odds.
VEHICLES
Cars, campervans and motorhomes: what you can relocate
Relocations go well beyond small cars. Depending on what rental companies need to move, you'll see:
Cars and SUVs
For fast trips between cities.
Vans and people movers
Room for a group or a load of gear.
Campervans
Your bed for the journey, too.
Motorhomes
Extra space and a bathroom for longer trips.
Backpackers and couples like campervan relocations because the van is both transport and a place to sleep. Motorhome relocations are a good choice for anyone wanting more comfort on a long run, such as Queenstown to Auckland.
Is a vehicle relocation right for your trip?
Relocations suit trips that can work around the vehicle's schedule.
A great fit if
- Your dates are flexible by a few days
- You only need to go one way
- You don't mind driving most days
- You'd like a campervan without paying the usual campervan rates
Less suited if
- You need a particular vehicle on set dates months from now
- You're planning a return trip
- Long days of driving don't appeal. Christchurch to Auckland, for example, is around 1,050 km plus the ferry crossing
Most deals are listed in the same month as pickup, and few appear more than two months ahead. A route alert tells you as soon as a new deal goes up. Weighing up your options? Our guide to relocations vs one-way car hire compares what each one really costs.
WHY TRANSFERCAR
Why book your relocation through Transfercar
Finding your first relocation
With a vehicle relocation, you swap some flexibility for a very low price. The rental company sets the route and the return deadline, and you get the trip for $1 a day or free, with fuel, any ferry crossing and a refundable bond as your main costs. Transfercar adds no booking fee. If your dates have a little give, few options are cheaper for a one-way trip around New Zealand.
Or set an alert for your route and get the next deal straight to your inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vehicle relocation really free?
It can be. Deals cost $1 a day or free, depending on how quickly the rental company needs the vehicle moved. You cover fuel, parking and any ferry crossing, though some deals help with fuel or include the ferry. You'll also leave a refundable bond with the rental company. Some relocation websites charge a booking fee as well, but Transfercar doesn't.
Does Transfercar charge a booking fee?
No. Transfercar is the only relocation marketplace in New Zealand that doesn't charge a booking fee. Other relocation websites may add one to each booking. On Transfercar, the price on the deal is what you pay for the hire.
How much is the bond on a relocation?
That depends on the deal. Each rental company sets its own bond and shows it in the policy tab of the listing, so you'll know the amount before you request. Cars tend to have lower bonds than campervans and motorhomes. As with any hire, you pay it to the rental company at pickup, and it's refunded if the vehicle comes back without damage.
What is a campervan relocation?
It's a relocation deal for a campervan rather than a car. The rental company needs the van in another city, and you drive it there for $1 a day or free within the days allowed. Since you can sleep in it, it doubles as your accommodation. Bonds are usually higher than for cars.
Who pays for fuel on a relocation?
You do, although some deals come with a fuel allowance to help with part of the cost. Rental companies tend to add one when a vehicle has to move quickly or the trip is a long one. Each listing sets out the fuel policy for that vehicle, including how full the tank should be when you return it, so read it before you request.
How far in advance are relocations listed?
Most relocations are listed in the same month as pickup, and few go up more than two months ahead. Rental companies only know where they need vehicles once their bookings settle, so many deals appear at short notice. A route alert on Transfercar is the easiest way to hear about new deals as soon as they're published.
Can I take passengers on a relocation?
Yes, as many as the vehicle has seats for. Anyone who'll share the driving has to be listed on the rental agreement and meet the same age and licence rules as you. Extra drivers can cost a small daily fee with some rental companies, and the deal shows it.
Do I need insurance for a relocation?
Relocation vehicles include the rental company's standard insurance, just like a regular hire. Your bond acts as the excess, so you could lose part or all of it if the vehicle is damaged. Some rental companies sell excess reduction if you'd like more cover.
Can I cancel a relocation after it's confirmed?
Yes, but once the rental company confirms your request, a cancellation fee applies. You'll find the fee in each deal's policy tab, so you can check it before requesting. Before confirmation, you can withdraw a request at no cost and pick another date or deal.
Is Transfercar legit?
Yes. Transfercar has run vehicle relocations in New Zealand since 2008. The vehicles on the site are listed by the rental companies themselves, and you sign the rental agreement with them and pay them the bond at pickup. Transfercar doesn't charge a booking fee on any relocation.