Small Island Loop

The car was delivered later than the scheduled time. We arranged to pick it up at 9 AM, but by 9:31 it still hadn't arrived. While driving, the car made a loud noise and couldn't be driven properly. They claimed it was sand in the brake pads. We drove on regular roads, not gravel, and requested a repair. They demanded a credit card for security and blamed us for the issue. When we reported this to the rental company, their staff insulted us, questioning our integrity. We didn't make up the problem; the car had an issue and the rental company should inspect it to determine responsibility. Instead, they asked for our credit card with unclear intentions. This almost ruined our plans. With such an attitude and service, who would dare to rent from them? Cars can have issues, but this approach and attitude are unacceptable.

Aside from the car’s condition not being great, everything else was fine.

In early March, we rented a car from a Chinese company in Christchurch through Zuzuche. The car we rented was a 2005 Toyota hatchback. When we picked up the car, we noticed it was very old and the engine didn't sound right, but considering it was only a little over 100 RMB per day, we decided to rent it. From March 2nd evening when we picked up the car until March 10th, we drove it without major issues until we were heading to Lake Tekapo from Queenstown. Around 11 PM, while driving through a mountain, a high temperature warning suddenly appeared. We immediately stopped the car by the roadside. Since there was no mobile signal, we had to add water to the radiator. We added about 2-3 liters and the warning disappeared. However, after driving for 5 kilometers, the high temperature warning appeared again, and there was a persistent burning smell. We stopped by the roadside and flagged down passing vehicles for help. It was past 11 PM, and luckily a couple from Israel in an RV picked us up.

Great service, they accommodate the actual needs of the customers, and the car was in excellent condition with only about 3,000 kilometers.

During pick-up, they only conducted a superficial inspection and told me that everything was recorded, and there should be no issues. Trusting them, I only checked for scratches on the surface. However, when returning the car, their inspection was very detailed, even feeling under the bumper and claimed it was scratched. It was frustrating, and I had to accept it. Please, everyone, be sure to carefully check under the front and rear bumpers during pick-up, especially in areas you can't see. Take photos for evidence! Otherwise, you won’t have any proof if something goes wrong! Take note! On this trip, a friend borrowed from another slightly larger company, and we had no such issues. Although it was a few hundred bucks more expensive, it was worry-free! Everything else was fine!