Traveling to NZ in April. How do I get the best deal on a car?

This should be fun....

You are probably better off going to Travelocity and looking for promotional weekly rates there. My best deals have come from Travelocity or Easysabre over the years. I got an unlimited mileage rate in South Africa for Budget and in Australia on AVIS on the Internet (Travelocity) that Budget and AVIS wouldn't give me directly (they would only give me 200 free km per day). You will have to assess your travel pattern (can't drive quite as far in NZ as Australia and South Africa) and see which rates do better. I have searched for local rental firms on the internet and they have usually been unable to match rates I can get from the majors (AVIS HERTZ BUDGET) on the internet (usually the locals have a daily kilometre charge). The classic difference was my $20.00 US per day weekend rental in Switzerland (booked on internet) versus friends who showed up in Geneva at the last minute and cost them $120 US for the same weekend.

Thank you. We will be visiting the North Island of NZ for 11 days. Will need car for 8 or 9. Expect to drive about 700 miles. I will try your net suggestions.

Any comments about individual hotels, versus buying a hotel color pass?? New at NZ. Open after the first 4 nights at Hyatt (my points). Plan 1 nt Rotorua, 1nt Napier, 2 nt Wellington, 1 New Plymouth and 1 Hamilton.

Flight was easy UA on points (wife's points)