If you want to rent a car on New Zealand's North Island, the best place to do it at is Auckland. Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and it is also where the bulk of North Island flights arrive. In fact, most visitors to New Zealand arrive in Auckland first, whether they are coming in on a plane or sailing into port on one of the New Zealand cruises. There are a plethora of good Auckland car rental agencies to choose from, and they offer cars to fit pretty much any budget. As is the case with any New Zealand car rentals, it's a good idea to brush up on all things related to driving in New Zealand before you get behind the wheel. Things can be a bit different over here. For instance, they drive on the left hand side of the road, which is quite a thing to have to get used to if you've been driving on the right side all your life.

The Auckland car rental agencies offer the most diverse fleet of rides in the country, so if you want something cheap, you can probably find it. For those who are looking to not only see, but to also be seen, many of the agencies feature upscale models, such as convertibles or SUV's. Imagine taking to a curvaceous New Zealand mountain road in a zippy BMW. It definitely pays to compare the rates and packages that the different Auckland car rental companies offer, especially if you're interested in a cheap car hire Auckland options. Though you can generally arrange to rent a car in Auckland at your Auckland hotel or with a tour agency, an Auckland airport car rental is what many people choose to go with. You'll find an array of rental cars Auckland agencies at the airport, and if they don't have their rental car depot close by, they'll be happy to transfer you at no extra charge. Try to book ahead if you want the best deals, as many companies offer discounts to attract customers that are only available, say online, or at your home office. Though you might not recognize many or most of the Auckland car rental agency names, there are plenty of internationally-known companies operating here, such as Hertz and Avis.

If you plan to head out of Auckland to enjoy trips either in the immediate area or far away, you might see what kind of extras your rental cars Auckland agency offers. For example, if you're headed north to spend some time at the Bay of Islands, you might rent a cooler box to store food for a picnic along the way. If you have small children or a baby with you, most reputable companies can rent you baby and child safety seats. Auckland and the nearby Northland region are known to produce some of the best New Zealand wines, so that aforementioned cooler box could serve to keep your bottle of Chardonnay cold for when you get back to your hotel. Since Auckland is the country's largest city, you might imagine that it could be easy to get lost while trying to navigate its streets. Some Auckland rental car companies will rent you a GPS navigator, which can come in pretty handy.

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On New Zealand's South Island, the city of Christchurch has the most car rentals to offer, so if you are headed down there, you might interest yourself with the Christchurch car rentals. While Auckland is found on the North Island, you can always rent a car and drive to Christchurch if you want to. There are ferries at Cook Strait that can transport you and your car between the two mainlands. If you are going with rental cars Auckland agencies that also have offices in Christchurch, you can just rent a car for a one way trip if don't plan on returning, and thus drop it off in Christchurch. This certainly makes for convenient traveling. Speaking of crossing the Cook Strait by ferry, some Auckland rental car agencies will arrange this for you at no cost. More than anything, it pays to compare the different Auckland rental car companies if you can. Chances are one might offer a discount or amenity that another doesn't which can mean fewer hassles in the end.