The staff provided excellent service, and the procedures were simple.

The airport branch is easy to find by following the signs. The Rental Car signs for picking up and returning cars in the airport parking lot are also very visible. However, when picking up the car, I mentioned that I had already purchased insurance Option Two during the rental, and that I only needed to add a second driver now. I even used my phone to translate that I had already bought insurance Option Two and didn't need any additional coverage, just the second driver. Still, the staff charged me 115.40 NZD.

Picked up the car at Auckland International Airport. The car had just over 50,000 kilometers on it, a diesel Toyota Prado, which I drove all the way to Wellington. There are two ferry companies for crossing to the South Island, we chose Bluebridge Ferry, whose departure point is near the train station in the city center, which made returning the car inconvenient. The return point was at the other ferry company, so we had to unload our luggage first and then return the car. There was no staff at the return location, so we just dropped the key in the key box. After the ferry ride, we picked up the second car, another Prado, at the Picton pickup point. This one was newer, with only 10,000 kilometers on it. The diesel Prado was really great. We drove for a total of 19 days without any issues. Finally, we returned the car at Christchurch Airport, where the office was staffed. They just checked if the fuel was full, and that was it.

Everything was just perfect. But we have asked the counter staff at the time of pick up to take the cash instead of deducting the amount from credit card, the lady said your cash will be accepted at time of dropping the vehicle, and no deduction will be made from card. But when we went to Budget office on the date of return, it was closed and they said they will deduct the amount from card. So, when we have mentioned at the time of booking that we will return the vehicle in the evening around 9PM-10PM, you should make a note of it to at least attend your customers at the given dropping time to either collect the money or to inspect the vehicle. How can you make your customers false promises to accept cash at the end and just deducting it from the card at the time of return?? I found it very awkward and disrespectful.

The car was shown on the handover sheet as having no damage. When I get to it the number plate is bent at 90 degrees one side and bent a bit at the other, ther is a large scrape on the splitter at the front, and other scratches on the car. The man on the desk did note them and said it would be fine and nothing was mentioned or has come up since the hand over.

Fairly straightforward and cheaper than going directly through them.