An Australian campervan company has seen a 50% increase in requests for relocation deals after the credit crunch.

This is especially noticeable as most relocations (or $1 a day) deals take place during peak summer season, Christmas and Easter.

Read the whole article at news.com.au

My name is Brian and I am one of the founders of Transfercar. I have written this article series to help people who are thinking of relocating a car, camper van or motorhome for the first time via Transfercar.

This is the third and last article. The first part in this series explains what a relocation car is on what it means to be a relocation driver, and the second article explains how to find and book a relocation.

On the road

Day 1, our flight was scheduled to 6.40 am and we arrived Chrichchurch on time 8.00 am. On arrival we called the rental car company and they picked up us from the airport for free. It is a good idea to arrive early to get the most out of the first day.

The relocation motorhome was ready to go, but first we had to sign a normal rental agreement (just as if you rented a vehicle under normal circumstances). Standard insurance was included in the relocation deal, but we still chose to upgrade the insurance to full cover. The additional insurance was $25 per day - no excess and a peace of mind but it is totally optional. Before getting on the road, the friendly staff of Jucy gave us a tour of the vehicle including how to operate the shower, kitchen and power.

Around 9 am we were on our way to Picton via Kaikura - approx 330 km. First stop was Kaikura to have fresh Crayfish at Nims’ Bin at State Highway 1. It was a fantastic day and absolutely gorgeous to sit on the beach in the middle of the winter.

Day 2,  we drove around the Marlborough Sound before crossing to Wellington at 2.30. The weather forecast predicted gustily wind, but luckily it turned out to be North Easterly with gave us a smooth crossing. In Wellington we stayed overnight at a public car park at Victoria Heights. We woke up in the middle of the night because we thought someone was trying to force their way in only to find out the next day that the rumble was an earthquake - 5.2 in magnitude. In a motorhome that feels shaky.

Day 3, we drove from Wellington to Napier over Greytown and Dannevirke. We found this little neat tea-house in the middle of nowhere serving high-tea in good old English fashion (sorry for those living in Greytown but it is in the middle of nowhere). We arrived Napier around 5 pm after about 5 hours driving from Wellington. Weather was beautiful the whole way and very mild 21 degrees.

Day 4, from Napier we took the inland route to Taupo, where we stayed overnight at a parking lot nearby the lake before returning to Auckland the next day. No earthquake this time but just a beautiful view over the lake. In New Zealand you are allowed to stay overnight at most public places (variation of rules may apply to different districts - see for instance camping policies for Tasman District), but the problem of course is that lack power supply and disposal of wastewater and rubbish. Therefore it is advisable to stay at a dedicated campground every now and then to put fresh water on the campervan and empty wastewater. You don’t get far with only 80L of water in the tank. Top 10 Holiday Parks are located throughout the country and they charge between $14-$22 per person per night including the campervan.

Day 5, we  returned at Auckland Airport at 3.30 pm. We had a great trip and spread out the driving equally on 4 days. One day normally goes with crossing the Cook Straight. Bear in mind that these campervans are not race cars. They can be difficult to get up to 100 km/h and it does take longer time to get from A to B than a standard vehicle. Normally we covered 70-80 km per hour depending on elevation and traffic.

For 5 fantastic days on the road our total expenses looks something like this for 2 people:

This is the third and last article in the article series about relocating with Transfercar. The first part in this series explains what a relocation car is on what it means to be a relocation driver, and the second article explains how to find and book a relocation.

My name is Brian and I am one of the founders of Transfercar. I have written this article series to help people who are thinking of relocating a car, camper van or motorhome for the first time via Transfercar.

What are rental car relocations?

To relocate is to drive a rental car or rental campervan from one branch to another within a short time frame. Because the rental car companies can’t find enough paying customers to drive their cars and campers in the opposite direction of the tourists, they need alternative ways to move them. Traditionally the rental car companies have mainly been using truck and train transport, but after the launch of Transfercar it has become more popular amongst to use ordinary travellers to drive the vehicles.

Relocations are very seasonal in New Zealand and the rental car companies often need to relocate their fleet from south to north before and during the summer season to match the flow of tourists moving the other direction. During winter the situation is opposite with rental car companies relocating cars and camper vans south to meet demand from ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

I have been relocating cars via the Transfercar website several times myself. I wanted to test the service that we at Transfercar are offering our customers but I also find it to be a fantastic way to travel and see the country with a limited budget.

In August 2009 my partner and I relocated a 3-berth, diesel motorhome from Christchurch to Auckland Airport. The motorhome was fully equipped with shower, toilet, kitchen facilities, beddings and covers, towels and a TV with DVD-player. I was given 5 days to relocate the camper van and it included free ferry and free standard insurance.

The next part in the series explains how to find and book a relocation car or relocation camper, and the last article is about the experience from picking up the relocation camper Christchurch, the trip back and dropping the camper off in Auckland.