SCOTTIES - Christchurch Airport Information, Car Rental Instructions & Policies

Explained clearly.

It’s less than a 10-minute drive from the airport. Friendly service, pick-up right downstairs, car in great condition, and easy drop-off.

The staff had a very bad attitude! The day before pickup, they called and insisted we purchase their full insurance, even threatening that they wouldn't reserve the car for us if we didn't buy it. This made us very angry, but because we had already purchased overseas car rental insurance in our home country, we managed to get the car with the help of the rental car broker. The car was old, and the front bumper on both sides was already dented. Since we picked up the car at midnight and no one was on duty, we emailed the rental company immediately, but we didn't get any response even after we returned home. When we returned the car, it was in perfect condition, and we took photos as evidence. However, after we arrived home, we received an email from SCOTTIES claiming that our car's windshield was damaged and they charged us over 500 NZD. We sent the rental car broker the photos taken at the time of return, but we were still required to pay for the damage! The broker only said they would help us file an insurance claim. This company is totally rogue! Tourists considering renting from them should think twice!

Staff member James was friendly, but the vehicle's condition wasn't great. It was a Nissan March with over 100,000 kilometers. The engine made abnormal noises when starting, and it struggled a lot on New Zealand's mountain roads.

Service attitude was decent, and the pick-up and return processes went relatively smoothly. The company is small and doesn't have a counter at the airport. You need to call in advance for someone to be at the office or arrange a shuttle. They tried to sell us insurance, but since we already had full coverage, we declined. The car was in poor condition, an old model with dirty seats. Even though we booked the cheapest option, such a car should not be provided to customers. The steering wheel was misaligned, the wipers were dirty, the idle noise was loud, and there were strange noises while driving. The headlights were very dim, and we had to use high beams at night. Due to the car's age, it consumed a lot of fuel. Upon returning, they claimed there was windshield damage and tried to charge us 500 SGD, but we showed them photos from the pickup, proving the damage was already there, and they dropped it. They probably say this to every customer.

The rental office was not far from the airport, so I walked there. On Christmas Day, they were closed. When I arrived, I called the office but no one answered and the door was closed. After a while, a staff member on duty appeared, giving me a scare for a moment.

It's hard to describe this car rental experience. First of all, our pick-up and drop-off times were outside the company's regular business hours. For pick-up, a young guy delivered the car to the Christchurch Airport's Car Rental Transfer Centre. For drop-off, there was no one there, and I had to park the car and drop the keys in the office myself, then walk back to the terminal! Yes, I had to walk back to the terminal myself (the company’s office is not located within the terminal!). I called to request a bigger car, and the company provided a higher-class Odyssey that had over 100,000 kilometers on it. The condition of the car was decent.

It's okay, nothing more to say.

I can't praise them. It's a small company and you have to haggle over everything.

Very good

Despite arriving past the pickup time, they waited for us, but everything was quite casual and the car was in poor condition with 140,000 km. They just gave us the contract, took a photo, and handed over the keys. The staff member, who was Indian, left brusquely. The car had only half a tank of fuel, and we returned it with an extra bar.

It seems relatively small, but the procedures are convenient and flexible.

Overall quite satisfied. The car pick-up and drop-off process was convenient, the vehicle was clean, performed well, and was 80% new. I would give it a ten, but there was a minor issue with an extra charge for insurance, which was directly deducted from the credit card. However, this was mostly resolved after coordinating with the website and the car rental company.

Picked up the car immediately without any wait

Good service attitude, easy paperwork, most staff speak English