Kiwis Cautious About Car Hire

Media Release

Kiwis Cautious About Car Hire

Gen Ys car hiring habits exposed

Auckland 12 February 2015 – A new survey looking into New Zealanders’ car rental habits, by Canstar Blue has shown that Kiwis are a savvy bunch when it comes to hiring a car.

Sixty one per cent read the terms and conditions in full before finalising any rental agreement, and it’s the young Gen Ys (65%) who are more vigilant about the contract than Baby Boomers (59%).

While just a third say they take a photo of the car before driving away, Gen Ys are more than twice as likely to do so as Baby Boomers, says Canstar New Zealand General Manager, Derek Bonnar.

“The majority of Gen Ys (51%) are savvy enough to always take a photo of the hire car before leaving, in case of a dispute.

“But despite their caution, millennials are the most likely (28%) to have been caught out by unexpected charges upon return of the car, compared to just 9% of Baby Boomers.”

Hire the car of your dreams

A small number (13%) of Kiwis surveyed choose to hire a car that they dream of owning but it’s the younger drivers (24%) who are the most likely to get behind the wheel of their fantasy car.

Those from the City of Sails are the most likely of the regions (21%) to hire their dream car compared to just 3% of those from the Waikato.

Nervous to drive your hire car?

Thirty five per cent of New Zealanders are nervous about driving a rental car. Women (43%) are considerably more likely than men (29%) to feel anxious when they are driving a hire car but their worry could be unfounded as more men (13%) than women (8%) have crashed or dented a rented car.

Gen Ys (57%) are the most likely age demographic to feel anxious when driving a hire car and also, to not be able to drive on unfamiliar roads without a GPS (59%).

Nearly half of Kiwis can’t drive in a foreign city without a GPS (48%) and Aucklanders are the least confident about driving abroad (57%), says Bonnar.

“Though men are often accused of being the gender least likely to ask for directions, they rank equally with women (48%) when it comes to relying on the GPS when abroad.”

The survey asked respondents to rate car hire companies across six categories:

1. Value for money

2. Customer service

3. Availability of vehicle booked

4. Booking process

5. Transparency of cost and fees

6. Overall satisfaction with the hire car company

For the second year in a row, Apex Car Rentals has taken away the top spot for customer satisfaction but is this year joined by Avis in equal first position.

Apex, an award-winning brand, took home five star ratings in overall satisfaction, availability of vehicle booked, booking process and transparency of fees and costs, says Bonnar.

“Avis was awarded five stars in customer service, booking process, vehicle availability and overall satisfaction.

“Both Apex and Avis have been rewarded by their customers for doing a great job,” says Bonnar.

Canstar also tracks drivers of satisfaction, which for hire car customers rank as follows:

1. Customer service

2. Booking process

3. Transparency of cost and fees

4. Value for money

Car hire by region

Auckland: Aucklanders are the most likely to have had to pay unexpected charges when returning the hire car (23%), most likely to always take a photo of the hire car before leaving with the car to back themselves in case of a dispute (38%), most likely to always hire the cars that they dream of owning (21%), most likely to feel anxious when driving a hire car (42%), most likely (equal with Waikato) to have crashed or dented a hire car (13%) and most likely to be unable to drive in a foreign city without a GPS (57%).

Waikato: Those from the Waikato are the most likely to read the terms and conditions in full before finalising the hire of a car (74%), least likely to have had to pay unexpected charges when returning the car (3%), least likely to always hire the car they dream of owning (3%) and most likely (equal with Auckland) to have crashed or dented a hire car (13%).

Wellington: Wellingtonians are the least likely to read the terms and conditions in full before finalising the hire of a car (54%).

Canterbury: Cantabrians are the least likely to have crashed or dented a hire car (5%).

Otago: Those from Otago are the least likely to typically hire a car for leisure travel (66%) and least likely to always take a photo of the car before leaving to back themselves in case of a dispute (24%).

Bay of Plenty: Those from the BOP are the most likely to hire a car typically for leisure travel (85%), least likely to feel anxious when driving a hire car (23%) and least likely to be unable to drive in a foreign city without a GPS (31%).

ENDS

About the survey

We partner with respected professional market research agency Colmar Brunton Australia, who undertake research on our behalf using Your Source.

The outcomes reported here are from the 467 people who have hired a car within New Zealand in the last 12 months. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.8%.

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