Apex Car Rental New Zealand - www.apexrentals.co.nz

There was no after hours drop off at Christchurch Airport location, unless scheduled beforehand, but they don't let you know this beforehand when renting from Queenstown. I wouldn't rent with them again. I rented from Queenstown with a drop off at Christchurch Airport. My flight left at 8:35 am and on the contract said I was dropping off at 8 am. I assumed that there would be an after hours drop off since it is an airport location. When I showed up at 6 am to drop off car, I was met by a locked gate and no after hours information. I missed my flight and had to spend $745 for same day tickets on a later flight. I've never rented from an airport car rental with no after hours key drop.

I felt as though Queenstown should have given me the information when I rented with them. When I contacted them, they didn't seem to care. I was hoping to inform them so others wouldn't experience what I did.

I learned my lesson and next time will rent with Hertz or Avis, in the end, Apex cost me a lot more money and stress.

We hired a vehicle from Wellington and dropped off in Wellington. We hired an IMax as they were 6 adults and a lot of luggage. The service to pick us up at airport and drop off was outstanding. The vehicle was perfect as well. Would highly recommend.

Arriving late, very stressed, the drivers picked me up on the shuttle, loaded my bags into the rental car and made the whole experience extremely easy. I didnt get their names but they were fantastic! The process in the office was informative and quick. The car was a late model Carolla and thoroughly clean. Top marks, will definitely hire again.

Picked up a car today that was booked by my partner via a 3rd party. Asked attendant if any was paid and they said no. They offered insurance for $200.

30 minutes after taking the car, I spoke to my partner who informed me that we already had insurance when we booked. I immediately called Apex and explained what had happened, and that I had paid for insurance based on the information when I picked up the car.

The manager was unsympathetic and said they was nothing that they would do to help. This was very soon after we had paid them a significant sum of money on car rental.

I strongly recommend against using Apex. Their systems are poorly integrated with their 3rd party booking providers, and they are clearly not interested in helping their customers. They are looking to maximise profits.

The manager told me to add to the review that the attendant told me the price of insurance and the excess. I’m including it here as a follow though and because it demonstrates the complete lack of understanding or care..

NOT EVEN WORTH ONE STAR. You won’t get what you pay for

NOT EVEN WORTH ONE STAR!

We had booked ten days car rental in Christchurch branch and experienced unpleased services in both pick up and return.

1. Dirty & irregular serviced car. So it’s safety issue involved. Car we had been given is a Toyota Corolla, trunk does close properly. Dirty and smell. Spotted all over the car body. Did ask staff help but that even worse to ask. Too unpleased to repeat what their response. Of course didn’t offer any apology and helps. REMEMBER TAKE PHOTOS

2. Highly opportunity you won’t get what you booked. 3yrs new; what marks online won’t be what you get. DON’T pay extra 15d per day for new car; they will give you irregular serviced 5yrs+ car anyway. Plus their excess fee is 2000 so you will add another 200 NZD for insurance. Can tell they try to put up a eco car rental image, But you will pay MORE afterall

3. Service; Totally nonsenses; not trained for service and non- respectful.

Very poor experience and I will never rent from them again! You won’t get what you pay for.

I hired from Apex twice just before the covid lockdown in March 2020, first to make a run from Queentown to Christchurch to try and catch a plane home when my original flight was cancelled and then the next day back to Queenstown when I was refused boarding due to boarders shutting down and no other immediate way to get home. The Apex team in Queenstown and Christchurch were completely amazing, kind and sympathetic to the jam I was in. When it looked like I could be stuck for a month they made it possible to rent a vehicle for the period and could not have been more helpful and understanding. Thankfully I was able to get a flight out after two weeks and the team at Apex, though working at home, ensured a speedy refund for the early return of the car. Thank you all, you made a stressful time that much easier!

We had booked a Toyota RAV4. Collecting in Christchurch City Centre and dropping off at Auckland Airport 19 days later.

Reasonable price. They booked the car and us onto the Cook Straits ferry and happily changed the ferry booking when we changed our itinerary a bit.

We had requested a luggage space cover so that our cases wouldn't be on show while we were on the road. The lady at the pick up managed to find one for us.

I have to say that the car was not squeaky clean. The driver's seat and the consoles in the front were quite grubby.

The car was super. Very comfy to drive (we did a lot of KMs).

The drop off at Auckland went without a hitch with a quick transfer in their minibus to the terminal.

Recommend.

Hired a car from Wellington and then drove through NZ and dropped off at Auckland. Just the basic Corolla but it was a really nice car. Very clean and tidy. Staff were all great. Paid out on top insurance and miles and the price was still way under all the other companies. After reading some of the reviews I was a bit sceptical but my experience was great.

I experienced a bizarre incident when I returned a hire car to Apex at Queenstown (NZ) Airport. I had just refuelled the vehicle but was not believed because the (faulty) range indicator was showing less than 500kms. The fuel gauge showed full and I produced receipts for all fuel purchases made during the hire period. But I was still not believed and was told that I had to either leave it for Apex to decide if the tank was full and therefore risk a refuelling charge or return to the filling station to fill up (again!).

I was suspicious that this strange behaviour may have been part of a scheme, so I elected to go back to the local filling station and attempt to put more fuel in the vehicle. I have been driving for 45 years and am confident in my ability to refuel a car, but strange things can happen. However, as soon as I started to ‘fill’ the tank, the pump cut out. It was full. Undeterred, I pulled the nozzle back to the very top and squeezed some fuel in, drop by drop. I managed to dispense 2 litres, some of which inevitably ended up on the forecourt. The tank was now filled above normal recommended levels and certainly had far more fuel in it than when I initially hired the car.

Back at the Apex depot, armed with yet another fuel receipt, I was at last believed, though the range indicator had not changed. I wanted to ask the manager (who, apparently, had made the decision not to believe my earlier statements) what was going on, but he was no longer available. I left the premises totally bemused by the whole episode. I later discovered that the issue with the range indicator is a known problem on that model (Toyota Corolla) – a relatively small amount of fuel added may not be enough to impact the range reading, as stated in the owner’s manual. (When I had earlier filled the car up, it had only required around seven litres.) I did not know that as I have never owned a Toyota Corolla, nor was there a manual in the hire car. But I would have thought that Apex would be aware of that.

I wrote to Apex NZ Head Office, asking why I was not believed and why the manager would not speak to me. I received a holding email, promising a response within a few days, but that was over a month ago. I am still at a loss as to what it was all about.

My advice? If you use Apex, allow plenty of time when returning your vehicle, keep all fuel receipts, record kms travelled, note range readings on collection, before and after every refuel and do not trust Apex to decide later whether you owe them money or not – get the matter resolved at the time. I would not be tempted to bypass this potential nonsense and accept the pre-purchase of a full tank. This never makes economic sense when hiring a car unless you have the ability to pre-plan distance and can accurately predict fuel consumption and thus return the car empty, but in NZ it is not at all practical. Towns and therefore fuel stops are few and far between, so the golden rule is to top up whenever you are able to. I think it is shameful that hire car companies in NZ promote this money making practice.

During my recent trip to Christchurch, where I had a booked a vehicle from Apex Car Rentals, I arrived at their Christchurch branch expecting to hire a car from them, and I was ABSOLUTELY DISAPPOINTED. As a person who does not own a credit card, I was told that even though I had the money required to hire the car I had booked from them, that because I did not have a credit card, I would not be able to hire from them unless I paid them $2000. Unfortunately I am not the type of person that has that type of money just lying around and so I had to quickly contact another car company to hire a vehicle from them.

Thankfully Go Rentals in Christchurch were able to help me out when I needed to find a reasonably priced vehicle in a hurry after Apex Car Rentals let me down.

I will NEVER EVER be renting a vehicle from Apex Car Rentals EVER again. And I will NEVER recommend my family and friends to hire from them. The customer service was beyond poor, their expectations of customers who don't own credit cards are unrealistic, and they were the most unhelpful people I have ever dealt with.

I am just thankful that Go Rentals were available to help me when I needed them. I will be recommending Go Rental car services in the future to all my friends and family.