Scotties New Zealand

2011-07-01T10:00:00.002+12:00

Here we are in winter again and Ruapehu is open for skiing, yeah finally. If you are feeling like a buzz in the snow don't forget our super weekend deals and check out our chalet at National Park. If you can not get away in winter enjoy the beautiful walks,fishing and heaps of other activities available year round in the area. We also have a branch here so if you want to enjoy the train to Wellington with a stop off in National Park ,you can hire a car to check out the area and then again in Wellington.

The Tongariro crossing is recognized as one of the best short walks in the world.

Scotties now has cars available in the beautiful Queenstown. No tourist should come to New Zealand with out a visit here, it is truely beautiful and if sking isn't your thing there is also a lot to do here. The winter festival is on at the moment so the town is abuzz with live acts, parades and the Mardi gras this week was great.

The walks in Queenstown lakes are fantastic, there are fantastic places to stay and visit and the new Hilton hotel has the best coffee in town and is well worth a visit for the interior design alone.

Auckland elections

2010-09-02T20:43:00.002+12:00

Keith Scott is standing for the Auckland City elections in the Maungawhau Local Board.

You can check out his webpage here

Relocations

2010-08-27T10:46:00.003+12:00

Forgot to say in our travels last week we relocated a couple of cars from Christchurch, if you have little time to cover the whole country or want a really good deal one way ask about relocations. The scenery between Christchurch and Picton was breath taking, snow on the mountains and a beautiful clear crisp day. We stopped for a coffee at Hislops Wholefood cafe. They have a wide range of yummy goodies with allergy friendly options.

Ski Ruapehu

2010-08-25T20:47:00.003+12:00

Had a great day up the mountain yesterday. You don't have to be in the South Island to enjoy a good day skiing. We stayed in Ohakune for a change in a great little lodge called Tussock grove www.tussockgrove.co.nz. Dinner was at the Powderhorn which was a big let down as I nearly broke my tooth on the bones in the sausage. I am told this is not normal by the locals

Dunedin

2010-08-25T20:34:00.003+12:00

Just got back from a trip to Dunedin for our daughter Nicky's graduation at Otago University. Stayed in a very nice motel at 858 George St

We then drove up to the world famous Moeraki Boulders and had an amazing dinner at Fleurs Restaurant - worth a visit.

Toll road a nightmare,

2009-03-12T21:43:00.001+13:00

Toll road a nightmare, says car rental firm

09.03.2009
by Peter de Graaf

The electronic toll system for the new northern motorway extension is an "administrative nightmare", according to a Kaikohe-based car rental company.

The 7.5km Northern Gateway toll road from Puhoi to Orewa shaves about 15 minutes off the old route between Northland and Auckland. It opened on January 25 and includes soaring viaducts, a tunnel, and a high-tech system for recording licence plates and charging $2 per car or $4 per truck. Drivers can pay over the phone, via the internet, or at machines at either end.

However, the owner of Nationwide Car Rentals - which has offices around the country but is headquartered in Kaikohe - said the tolling system was "ill-conceived and ill-thought-out".

Peter Petersen said 90 per cent of his clients were overseas visitors whose credit cards did not work in the payment machines. Nor could they call the 0800 number from their international cellphones, leaving them to find a computer in their hotel or an internet cafe.

"All that costs them time and money when they're supposed to be on holiday, spending money in Northland," Mr Petersen said.

The company asked its customers when they arrived in Auckland whether they were planning to use the toll road and charged them there and then.

However, there was no way of checking who had used the road until a $2 deduction showed up the company's toll road account.

"The whole thing's an administrative nightmare," he said.

Mr Petersen said he was considering advising his customers to use the old road through Orewa and Waiwera.

One company already doing just that is Auckland-based Scotties Rent-a-Car. Director Keith Scott said in one week alone half-a-dozen customers had trouble paying. Most were Americans or Europeans, and the payment machines would not take their overseas credit cards.

The company was now charging customers a $500 infringement fee if they used the toll road without paying.

Mr Scott defended the charge, saying it was not a fine but an "infringement processing fee" to cover legal costs if the company ended up in court over unpaid tolls.

Mr Scott said he was not telling customers not to use the motorway, but he was urging them to use the old route.

Mr Scott said "heaps" of his customers went to Northland, in particular to Tutukaka and the Poor Knights, the Bay of Islands and the Hokianga.

However, the New Zealand Transport Agency - which is in charge of the country's highways - said the world-wide trend for tolling motorways was to use fully electronic, free-flow toll collection systems, not cash booths.

Cash-based toll collection was becoming increasingly expensive to operate, Auckland/Northland director Wayne McDonald said.

Rental car companies in Australia and Europe had put measures in place so their customers could use electronic toll roads, and he expected companies in New Zealand to do the same.

Toll Road a Disaster for Tourists

2009-03-12T21:27:00.002+13:00

24/02/2009 7:08:01

The Land Transport Agency is frustrated that some drivers are having problems with the Northern Gateway toll road, north of Auckland.

Rental company Scotties is discouraging customers from using the new highway because many have had trouble using overseas credit cards to pay the toll or have found the kiosks out of order.

Scotties says the LTSA is cheating tourists who can make the trip quicker on the free road..

But Andy Knackstedt of Land Transport says rental car companies in other countries have come to terms with electronic toll roads.

"The trend worldwide for toll roads is towards fully electronic roads and away from cash-based roads. Now, rental car companies in other parts of the world, in Australia, Europe and North America all have mechanisms in place that allow their customers to use toll roads."

Mr Knackstedt says LTA expects New Zealand car rental companies to do the same thing.

New Zealand Car Rental - Corporate disaster video

2008-10-31T22:54:00.002+13:00

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Scotties decided we needed a corporate video, we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

FREE NEW ZEALAND GPS

2008-10-01T21:47:00.004+13:00

Scotties Rental Cars New Zealand is celebrating its 21st birthday and any bookings made on the website the week qualify for a free GPS rental.

This is a huge saving and a fantastic thank you from Scotties.

Driving around New Zealand can be a challenge, and this is one way we can make your trip more fun - so what are you waiting for, book today at Scotties.co.nz

Skiers paradise in New Zealand

2008-07-20T12:05:00.002+12:00

Scotties have a great Ski-riffic package on now.

Just $99 for a weekender car rental deal. Pick up Friday pm and drop back Monday morning.
You get 500km free and this is a great chance to get up to the snow.

Click here for latest availability

http://scotties.co.nz/ski-newzealand.htm

The latest weather and snow reports

Winter Rates

2007-06-16T14:49:00.000+12:00

Low winter rates are now available at Scotties

Welcome

2007-06-16T14:32:00.002+12:00

Annie and Keith welcome you to Scotties new blog. We own a car rental company in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand.

We have been operating for 22 years now and specialise in giving overseas travellers a real taste of kiwi life.