Originally Posted by
wanderlustFL
based on the research I have done thus far, it strikes me that 9 nights is simply not enough time to transit the entire length of the country by car without the constant pressure of having to move on quickly to meet the daily schedule.
This is exactly right. You'd be driving for 3-4 hours per day if you wanted to take everything in (stop for photos, roadside, etc). There are no major highways outside of Auckland, and driving in NZ is very mentally draining IMO. It is do-able, but it would be far from pleasant.
If you are set on doing some driving, consider flying to Christchurch and driving to Queenstown, it's quite a nice drive. Or fly to Queenstown and drive to Fox Glacier or Te Anau for a night, then back.