BACKPACKER CAR RENTAL INFORMATION 01 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 TERMS AND CONDITIONS This document contains a summary of some of the Rental Conditions. For full detailed conditions refer to the rental agreement provided when the vehicle is collected. Please note all prices quoted in this document are gross and in New Zealand dollars. Rates and conditions are subject to change without notice. INCLUDED IN RATES: • Unlimited kilometres • Extra driver fees • GST • Vehicle insurance (excess applies – see the “For Your Protection” section for more information) • Customer care 24 hour 7 days per week road service helpline (toll free) • All branches have local tourist information and maps available RATES EXCLUDE: • Excess Reduction Options • Refundable Security Deposit • Fuel and LPG costs • One-way Fees and Location Fees if applicable CREDIT CARDS The credit card holder will be jointly and severally liable as a customer. Accepted credit cards are Visa Card, MasterCard and American Express. A non-refundable 1.75% administration fee will apply to all Visa and MasterCard transactions. A non-refundable 4.5% administration fee will apply to American Express cards. Credit card administration fees also apply to debited security bonds and only the hirer’s credit card is acceptable to use for the purpose of the security bond. RATES Backpacker use ‘smartrates’ to determine the daily rental rate. Backpacker smartrates are released by each Friday effective for sale from the following Monday. As such all Backpacker rates/quotes expire at the close at the close of business on Sunday. The smartrate is determined by the date of pick-up, location and date of booking. When a rental moves from one rate season into the next, the calculation is based on both rates. Amendments prior to pick-up will be re-calculated at the smartrate applicable on the date of amendment. This applies to changing the vehicle type, reducing the number of rental days, changing pick-up dates or changing the pick-up or drop-off location. Where the number of rental days is being extended (days are being added onto the end of the hire with no change to the original pick up date) prior to pick-up, the extended days will be charged at the original smart rate which applied at the time of the original booking. FOR YOUR PROTECTION New Zealand legislation provides limited coverage for personal injury. Backpacker strongly recommends that all people travelling in New Zealand take out personal travel insurance. All vehicles are insured for the damage to the vehicle or to the property of a Third Party. The hirer is responsible for the first NZ$1,000 (“the excess”) for rental cars of the cost of damage to Third Party property or to the rented vehicle, including single vehicle accident, windscreen and tyre damage, towing and recovery costs, theft, fire, break-in or vandalism with the exception of the ‘exclusions’. This also includes the cost of the daily rental for the period the vehicle is off fleet for accident repairs. Please see the ‘Exclusions’ section below, whereby all insurance cover will be made void. The excess is applicable regardless of who is at fault and must be paid at the time the accident report is completed, not at the completion of the rental. The excess will be refunded if Backpacker is successful in recovering the cost of the damages from the Third Party. Please note that Third Party claims can take months to resolve. The excess applies in respect of each claim, not rental. Excess Reduction Option Cost per day Excess reduced to $12 (maximum charge per hire NZ$360) NZ$220 With Excess Reduction Option 1 the hirer is responsible for the first NZ$220 of ANY ACCIDENT COST of damage to Third Party property or to the rented vehicle, including single vehicle accident, windscreen and tyre damage, towing and recovery costs, theft, fire, break in or vandalism. This also includes the cost of the daily rental rate for the period the vehicle is off fleet for accident repairs. The excess applies in respect of each claim, not rental. Please see the ‘Exclusions’ section, whereby all Excess Reduction cover will be made void. Premium Cover Option (PCO) – Available for car hire only The Premium Cover Option is a one off fee of NZ$40 per rental. The Premium Cover Option is only available when Excess Reduction has been purchased. With the Premium Cover Option, the hirer will not have to pay any excess at all for any damage to the vehicle or property of a Third Party with the exception of the ‘exclusions’. EXCLUSIONS: All insurance cover will be made void if any of the following ‘Exclusions’ are breached: 1. Overhead and underbody damage to the vehicle – except where no worries cover has been purchased. 2. Any water related damage which includes, but is not limited to: a) any vehicle submersion b) creek or river crossing c) driving through low plain flooded areas d) beach driving 3. Personal belongings. Backpacker recommends the hirer does not leave valuables in the vehicle and that they have insurance to cover for the loss/damage of personal belongings. 4. Any damage caused by willful misconduct (e.g. sitting or standing on the bonnet or roof of the vehicle). 5. Any damage caused while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 6. A single vehicle roll over occurs. 7. The Customer will be liable for any costs associated with the incorrect use of fuel or the use of Bio-Diesel which should not be used (fuel being diesel or petrol), or water or other contamination of fuel. 8. The cost to retrieve or recover a vehicle, which may include, but is not limited to a vehicle that has become bogged, submerged or has been abandoned. 9. The cost to replace keys, which have been lost or retrieval of keys, which have been locked in a vehicle. 10. The vehicle rented may only be used to carry the maximum number of passengers as dictated by the vehicle type. If more passengers are carried than what is allowed Backpacker does not accept any liability. 11. Drivers not identified on the rental agreement and/or drivers that have a licence that has been cancelled or suspended and/or drivers who have a licence that is classified as a learners or probationary licence. VEHICLE SECURITY DEPOSIT - CARS Upon vehicle collection, a security deposit is required. The amount is determined by the Excess Reduction option selected. For security purposes, only a credit card can be used to provide a vehicle security deposit. The credit card holder must be present and able to sign for the vehicle security deposit upon vehicle collection. The credit card holder is jointly and severally liable for any damage to the rental vehicle. If the Excess Reduction Option is not selected, the security deposit is NZ$1,000 to be supplied by credit card. The NZ$1,000 is taken as an imprint to the hirer’s credit card when the vehicle is collected. If the Excess Reduction Option is selected the security deposit is NZ$220. The NZ$220 is taken as an imprint to the hirer’s credit card when the vehicle is collected. An imprint simply records the figure against the hirer’s credit card that Backpacker can then debit if required. The security deposit is not debited provided the vehicle is returned on time, to the correct location, undamaged, in a clean condition and with a full fuel tank. Except where the customer has purchased Pre Purchase Fuel (PPF), failure to return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel will result in refill charges, which will be advised upon return of the vehicle. Backpacker reserves the right to retain an NZ$220 cleaning fee if the vehicle is not returned in a clean condition. FOR SECURITY PURPOSES, ONLY THE HIRERS CREDIT CARD CAN BE USED FOR VEHICLE SECURITY DEPOSITS. RENTAL DURATION Rental Cars • Rental days are calculated on a 24 hour basis. • Minimum rental period is three days. For one-way hires that are southbound the minimum rental requirement is seven days. • Minimum rental period is subject to change during peak periods. Early return of vehicle does not entitle the hirer to any refund of the unused portion of the rental. Backpacker allows a grace period of 59 minutes before the hirer is liable for late return charges. Late return fees are applicable as follows: • 1 hour late, one third of daily rate will apply • 2 hours late, two thirds of daily rate will apply • 3 hours late, one full day rate will apply AIRPORT CONCESSION FEES (CARS ONLY) An airport concession fee may be charged for hires with pick-up or drop-off from airport locations. An airport pick-up fee of NZ$20.00 per hire will apply for hires with pick-up at Queenstown airport. This fee is subject to change and new airport charges may arise as required. This surcharge is payable to Backpacker directly upon collection of the vehicle. ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Picnic Table NZ$22 per rental • Picnic Chair NZ$12 per rental • Child / Booster seat NZ$25 per rental • Tent (4 persons) NZ$75 per rental • Camping Pack NZ$20 per day • Snow Chains Details on request • Mountain Bikes Hire free of charge at selected Top Ten Holiday Parks • First Aid Kit From NZ$30 for purchase • Souvenir Road Atlas From NZ$25.00 for purchase CHANGE OF LOCATION If the customer wishes to change the pick up or drop-off location from what was originally booked, permission must be first obtained from the reservations or scheduling departments. Subject to the change being approved, an additional charge of up to NZ$550 may apply. RENTAL EXTENSION If the customer wishes to extend the rental whilst on hire, they must first obtain authorisation from reservations or any of the Backpacker branches. The rental extension is subject to vehicle availability. The cost of an extended rental must be paid by credit card over the telephone on confirmation of the rental extension. The rate charged may not reflect the original rate booked. Failure to obtain authorisation will,result in a daily fee of NZ$150 in addition to the daily rate. TRANSFERS Backpacker Campervans and Rental Cars provides free airport to branch and branch to airport transfer on day of arrival and departure for our Auckland and Christchurch Branches. Customers can also take the Airbus free of charge from downtown Auckland to the Auckland Branch on day of pick up. Queenstown branch is located at the airport. The Wellington agency is located 40 minutes from the airport and clients must find their own transportation to and from the branch, at their own expense. Note only campervans are available from the Wellington office, rental cars are not available from Wellington. INFRINGEMENTS Backpacker reserve the right to charge the hirer for any speeding or parking fines, associated administration costs and/or accidents including third party property damage not reported on return of the vehicle. The administration fee per fine, in addition to the fine, will be NZ$60. EXCHANGE RATE / CURRENCY VARIATIONS All credit card transactions are conducted in New Zealand dollars. Due to exchange rate fluctuations and bank transaction fees there could be some variance in the amount refunded compared to the amount initially charged. Backpacker does not accept any liability for variances up or down. LICENCE A current and full motor vehicle driver’s licence is required and must be produced upon vehicle collection. Should a foreign licence be in a language other then English it must be accompanied by a current international driving permit issued in the same country as the driver’s licence was issued. An accredited English translation will be accepted in lieu of an international driving permit. AGE RESTRICTIONS Drivers must be 21 years of age or over. A medical certificate stating that the customer is fit to drive the vehicle they have booked for the duration of the hire is required for drivers 75 years of age or greater. ROAD RESTRICTIONS Vehicles can only be driven on sealed/bitumen or well-maintained roads. No vehicle shall be driven on Skippers Road (Queenstown), Ninety Mile Beach (Northland), Ball Hut Road (Mt. Cook), Bluff Road that runs between Kuatunu and Mataurangi and North of Colville Township (Coromandel Peninsula). Backpacker reserves the right at its sole discretion to restrict vehicle movements in certain areas due to adverse road or weather conditions. ON-ROAD ASSISTANCE Any problems associated with the vehicle, including equipment failure, must be reported to Backpacker as soon as possible and within 24 hours in order to give Backpacker the opportunity to rectify the problem during the rental. Failure to do so will compromise any claims for compensation. Backpacker does not accept liability for any claims submitted after this period. REPAIRS Repairs up to NZ$100 may be affected without authorisation and will be reimbursed. For amounts over NZ$100, Backpacker will need to be informed in advance. Repairs will be approved provided the hirer was not directly responsible for the damage. Receipts must be submitted for any repair or the claim will not be paid. CHANGE OF VEHICLE Should the vehicle booked be unavailable Backpacker reserves the right to substitute an alternative vehicle without prior notification and at no extra cost. This shall not constitute a breach of contract and does not entitle the hirer to a refund. VEHICLE CATEGORY Vehicles cannot be requested by make or model, only by vehicle category. VOLUNTARY DOWNGRADE Should the hirer decide to take a lesser vehicle than booked they will not be entitled to any refund. CANCELLATION POLICY There are no cancellation fees applicable to car hire unless the original booking was for a campervan which was subsequently amended to a car rental and then cancelled. In this case the campervans cancellation policy applies. DISCRETION Backpacker reserves the right to refuse any rental at its discretion. ANIMALS No animals are permitted in our vehicles, excluding guide dogs. PERSONAL AND COMPANY CHEQUES Personal and Company cheques will not be accepted as payment for rentals at the time of pick-up. These must be paid to Backpacker 14 days prior to commencement of rentals. Personal or Company cheques are not acceptable as the vehicle security deposit. CALCULATION ERRORS Backpacker will not honour calculation errors. Should a calculation error occur Backpacker will charge for the shortfall. DISCLAIMER Illustrations and text in any of our brochures or website are a representation only of the vehicle depicted. Variances in the vehicles offered for rental may occur due to substitutions made by Backpacker or modifications and/or upgrades to the vehicle design made by the manufacturer. BRANCHES FOR VEHICLE COLLECTION AND RETURN Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown Wellington Backpacker Cars are available for pick up and drop off 24 hours per day from Auckland and Christchurch – times must be pre-booked. Auckland Vehicle collection and return - CENTRA HOTEL, Richard Pearse Drive Mangere – clients can take the courtesy transfer bus to the Centra. Christchurch Vehicle Collection – COMMODORE HOTEL, 447 Memorial Ave, Christchurch – call the Commodore courtesy transfer bus from the free telephone light box service in the domestic or international terminal Vehicle Return – Drop at the Backpacker branch. Leave the keys in the box.

close window