Our Latest News

Early years educators are being encouraged to take part in a Beep Beep! Day by Brake, the road safety charity. The day is supported by Thrifty Car Rental and helps to teach children road safety basics and remind parents and drivers of their responsibility to help protect children when driving. Each week, on average, seven […]

If you’re road tripping around New Zealand you’ll see plenty of great places to stop for a holiday snap. In fact, you could easily fill your entire Instagram feed with photographs of beautiful scenery or tourist activities. But if you really want to impress your followers, sometimes quality outweighs quantity and that means carefully curating […]

Whether you’re after a souvenir from your travels, a gift for family back home, or just like to shop ‘til you drop, you’ll find New Zealand has a lot to offer. Here are some of our favourite hot spots in New Zealand’s biggest shopping cities. Auckland Queen Street Enjoy the finer things? You’ll love Queen […]

The next lot of school holidays are just around the corner, which means kiwis across the country will be packing their bags and gearing up for family road trips. For anyone with young kids, it also means buckling up for the long road ahead is more important than ever, a notion which, when it comes […]

Getting the most out of a city break doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. If you’re looking for free things to do in Auckland, we’ve got you covered because there are heaps of fun activities and attractions in the city of sails that won’t cost you a thing. Just take a look at […]

Fish and chips has to be one of the most popular takeaways in New Zealand, especially on a Friday night. We Kiwis love huddling around a parcel of deep fried and battered morsels and we all have our favourite local to buy them from. But what if you’re visiting another town and craving fish and […]

Netball New Zealand (NNZ) and Thrifty Car Rental are proud to announce a new partnership for Netball in New Zealand. Thrifty joins a growing stable of companies committing their support to Netball throughout New Zealand. With over 30 locations throughout New Zealand, Thrifty are looking forward to supporting Netball New Zealand and its members wherever […]

It’s no secret the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed in New Zealand, but did you know many other famous and critically acclaimed films were shot and produced here too? In fact, as well as being an adventure’s playground, Aotearoa is proving a popular movie buff’s scene, with film fans flocking […]

Whether you’re a local or an overseas traveller, you’ve probably heard of some of New Zealand’s famous multi-day hikes. And while our Great Walks are amazing, we know that not everyone has days to spare to take on these epic adventures. Luckily, New Zealand also has some incredible walks that can be made in a day […]

We’re pretty lucky that almost everywhere you travel in New Zealand presents amazing photo opportunities. If you’re hiring a rental car for a road trip anytime soon, chances are you’ll be able to capture an Instagram worthy image or two along the way. If you really want to up your gram game, and be the […]

Asking the hard-hitting questions in preparation for summer holiday travel – Thrifty Car Rental NZ held ‘The Great Kiwi Road Trip Debate’ on its Facebook page to find out from its customers… What’s best, lollies or a petrol station pie? Do back roads get you there faster? Do you keep going to the next town […]

Thrifty Tips – Long Distance Driving Taking a long distance drive across the country? Planning is the key when it comes to long distance driving.  Making sure you have the car stocked with everything you need as well as planning your route will ensure your journey is safe and enjoyable. You’ll need to pack a […]

The reopening of State Highway 1 between Blenheim and Christchurch Good news if you are ready for a trip around the South Island, the coastal drive between Blenheim and Christchurch is set to re-open.  NZTA offers some great advice to help you plan your trip.  Before travelling between Picton and Christchurch, check which of the two main […]

What is a Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV)? Vehicle used in a passenger service (ie a vehicle carrying passengers for hire or reward), no matter how many seats it has; OR Vehicle with more than 12 seats (regardless of whether or not it is used for hire or reward); OR heavy motor vehicle with more than […]

Currently there is a fuel shortage at Auckland airport which is expected to disrupt people’s travel plans for up to a fortnight. The fuel shortage is a result of an issue to an Auckland pipeline operated by Refining New Zealand that supplies jet fuel to the airport. 27 domestic & international flights were cancelled over the […]

We have some great news to share with you – free relo’s are now available for booking on our new website! Grab a Thrifty relo and you’ll have 48 hours to get from A to B for free. All you need to do is pay for the fuel & any optional damage cover & we’ll sort the rest. Free relo’s include Wellington to Auckland, […]

With summer almost here – the call of a long awaited holiday is top of mind. But with Christmas spending taking its toll on many of our credit cards, a holiday away can sometimes seem out of reach. Thrifty Car Rental General Manager Emma Gardiner says insider tourism knowledge can be the difference between an […]

Cyclone Cook is expected to bring severe weather over the Easter break including heavy rain and severe gales to the North Island and parts of the South. Please review your travel plans and make sure you keep safe.  Check the NZTA site https://onthemove.govt.nz/ for road closures and warnings and http://www.metservice.com/national/home for weather forecasts. If you need to […]

03 March 2017 When seconds count, 4WD traction on sand and gravel saves critical time for the team at Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ). Thrifty is a charity partner of SLSNZ and supplies ten 4WD vehicles that assist in essential activities such as search and rescue and transporting volunteer Surf Lifeguards to training at […]

Thrifty Car Rental is reassuring customers that have had to leave rental cars in Kaikōura because of the earthquake, that they will not be charged costs for relocation or any additional unused days. Emma Gardiner, General Manager, Thrifty Car Rental says that the company has up to 30 vehicles located in and around Kaikōura and […]

Christchurch’s best Coffee Breaks So you’ve arrived in Christchurch got a rental car, dropped your bags off at the hotel and headed out to grab a coffee. If you love a smooth, creamy and well-crafted cup o’ joe, check our list of some of the top coffee shops in Christchurch. Their coffees are sure to […]

Carly is a self-confessed adrenaline junky.  Last year she decided to visit New Zealand and take part in an arduous mountain run, the Kepler Challenge.  What better way to recover from a full-on day running than hire a Thrifty 4WD equipped with 2 Adventure Capital mountain bikes and hit some iconic Southern Lakes trails! Here’s […]

Thrifty Car Rental is backing New Zealand road safety by becoming a gold sponsor of Brake, the road safety charity that runs Road Safety Week (16-22 May). Brake works to prevent road deaths and injuries and supports people bereaved and injured in crashes across New Zealand. Emma Gardiner, General Manager, Thrifty Car Rental New Zealand, said […]

Over the next 8 weeks we’re giving 1 lucky Facebook fan each week the chance to win a weekend rental and get out and explore NZ! All you have to do is like Thrifty and you are in the draw! The weekly winner will be drawn at random each Friday.   There aren’t too many […]

As a proud charity partner of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Thrifty gave four deserving clubs the opportunity to win a share of $2,500 in car rental via an online social media voting competition. The votes were tallied on 22 March 2016 and it was incredibly close!! Congratulations to Whiritoa, winners of our $1,000 car […]

Five of Christchurch’s biggest car rental brands are joining forces to return to the central city. Avis and its subsidiary Budget; Hertz, Thrifty, and Apex are all going into a new International Rental Car Precinct to be built on the corner of Manchester and Kilmore sts. The $10 million three-storey complex will be built by […]

Thrifty ‘Drive My Surf Club’ Competition General 1.        Information on how to enter the Thrifty ‘Drive My Surf Club’ competition (promotion) and prizes form part of these conditions of entry. 2.        By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by these conditions of entry. 3.        The promoters are Motoka Rentals Limited, trading as […]

Congratulations to our lucky winner! As part of Thrifty’s partnership with Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer, we ran a competition throughout November 2015 to January 2016 for customers who rented a vehicle during the December and January rental period to have the chance to win One Million Velocity Points! We are pleased to announce […]

Thrifty Car Rental has won the Tourism Marketing Campaign Award in the 2015 Tourism Industry Awards. The awards recognise individual and business excellence across the tourism industry. In 2014 following surveys of AA members who had an interest in domestic travel. Thrifty Car Rental created a vision to become an industry leader and game changer, […]

As the darling buds of spring start to reveal their colours, and our famed vineyards exhibit green shoots of seasonal promise, it’s a refreshing time for road-tripping the Wairarapa.  I pointed the car north from Wellington, traversing the dramatic and intimidating slopes of the Rimutaka Ranges.  From Featherston, turn off State Highway 2 onto State […]

Thrifty 4WD rentals now come with extra wheels – in the form of bicycles! From next month mountain bikes will be available as an extra for Thrifty customers hiring a 4WD vehicle. Thrifty’s new cycling packages will give customers extra ‘wheels’ and provide exciting opportunities to get off the road and onto the beaten track. […]

Thrifty has a great range of new vehicles joining our fleet.  You can expect to start seeing these new vehicles at our branches around New Zealand over the next 3 months. While we are introducing some new makes and models the current stars will also remain on fleet, these include the ever popular Toyota and […]

The auction of a brand new vehicle valued at over $80,000 will begin on Monday in a bid to raise much need funds for the charity helping to keep New Zealanders safe at the beach every summer. As one of Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s valued partners, Thrifty Car Rental will list a brand new […]

Thrifty Car Rental has been announced as a finalist in the 2015 TVNZ NZ Marketing Awards. The entry for the AA Thrifty ‘The Price You See Is The Price You Pay’ car rental campaign made the first round of judging and has been announced as a finalist in at least two categories. The awards showcase […]

Last week we invited Clare, one of our valued customers, to try out our Metro car service during a day down in Christchurch. Our intrepid photographer James tagged along for the ride.             9:13am The last time I visited the garden city on business I relied on taxis to get […]

Our time-locked, freeze-framed southern fiords of Milford and Doubtful  Sounds serve up a dual journey of superlatives. With such a strong suit of natural treasures on its doorstep, Te Anau delivers a far richer encounter as a Fiordland base, than trying to speed-date the region from Queenstown. Te Anau Te Anau’s Wildife Centre, starring our […]

Dashing north from Taupo, the fabled Waikato River begins its meandering journey from the mighty lake with a bang. Only 5 kilometres upstream, the graceful glassy free-flowing waters are suddenly coralled into a shallow ravine of hard volcanic rock, roaring and rumbling at high speed before bursting over the Huka Falls and crashing into a […]

The pristine wilderness of the deep South is the perfect setting to stretch the legs and inject a health kick into a photogenic road trip. Skirting the South Otago Coast, the Catlins district, wedged between Invercargill and Balclutha, is a powder-keg of rugged natural wonders. Follow the Southern Scenic Route signposts, off State Highway at […]

With winter on the way – it’s not all bad news! Over the next 6 weeks we are running a Facebook competition each week to help you have ‘Snow Much Fun’ this winter. Every Monday (starting 4 May and ending 12 June) we’ll post a competition on the Thrifty Car Rentals New Zealand Facebook page […]

Coastline-hugging highways are proven performers that excel in delivering epic scenery. The South Island is blessed to have one of the world’s best in State Highway 6. The West Coast Highway, wedged between the booming Tasman surf and the Southern Alps, threads its way from Charleston to Haast. But the specific section that rides the […]

Whether it is clad in autumn’s foliage finery, dappled in winter snow, or sprigged up by the first blossoms of spring, Central Otago’s Highway 85 traverses a landscape of awe and saga. Best enjoyed as a self-drive road trip, just south of Oamaru, turn off State Highway 1 at Palmerston, which takes you on to […]

History and scenery are a mesmerising combination for the road-tripper and Double K, Kawakawa to Kerikeri, fits that bill perfectly, being steeped in some of New Zealand’s grandest heritage.  55km north of Whangarei, or 200km north of Auckland, State Highway 1 guides you into the embracing clutches of Kawakawa. Proudly strutting down the main street, Gabriel […]

Thrifty Car Rental have responded to recent concerns regarding tourist driving by partnering with GeoZone to launch a new mobile app that aims to make tripping around New Zealand easier and safer. The app features a road safety video that simply explains the ins and outs of driving on New Zealand roads for international visitors. […]

Today Thrifty Car Rental launched a fleet of scooters in Wellington. The scooters were trialled in Picton over the Christmas holidays and owing to their success Thrifty have bought a fleet to Wellington. The EURO 50, 49cc scooters will be available from January 28 2015 and will give both locals and visitors to the region another […]

The glorious Haast Highway, a pitch-perfect road journey, was the last mountain pass to be constructed over the Southern Alps, and still exudes a “final frontier” sense of escapism. Connecting Central Otago with the West Coast, the Haast Pass wasn’t completed until 1966 and only received its complete tarmac surface in 1995. The pass route […]

This week Thrifty launched their new fleet of scooters – available at their two Picton locations through summer. The EURO 50, 49cc scooters will be available from December 16 2014 and will give visitors to the region another option for getting around. Thrifty’s General Manager Emma Gardiner thinks the scooters will be an attractive option […]

The medley of sun-kissed pickings along Coromandel’s Pacific Coast are as a sweet and succulent as holiday berries. Few New Zealand beaches can compare to the sweeping magnificence of Whangamata’s main ocean beach, renowned amongst surfies as a most reliable performer, with the legendary “Whanga bar” delivering the best breaks. Big game fishing, golf, mountain […]

Thrifty Car Rental is offering heavily reduced rental vehicle rates (up to 50% off) exclusively for AA Members. The all-inclusive product features late model vehicles and is available year round across all Thrifty New Zealand locations. Three years ago Thrifty signed an exclusive partnership with The Automobile Association New Zealand (AA), seeing the partnership marketed […]

The mighty Coromandel peninsula is holiday-making in excelsis. Blessed with bucket loads of sunshine, lighting up its sapphire waters and warming long stretches of sugar-sand beaches, it’s the glint of gold that powered its first flush of population growth in the late 19th century. Before succumbing to the shoreline pleasures, dip into the region’s pioneering past, […]

5 great rest areas in the South Island Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road… take it.” Sometimes, you’ll want to relax and enjoy the journey. Other times you’ll just need to […]

The auction of a brand new vehicle valued at over $80,000 will begin tomorrow in a bid to keep New Zealand’s surf lifeguards moving. As one of Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s valued partners, Thrifty Car Rental will list a brand new Toyota Highlander Limited ZR which has a recommended retail price of $80,990 on […]

Thrifty Car Rental has won a key government contract to provide vehicle rentals to all New Zealand government agencies. The tender was granted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and is the first “All-of-Government” agreement for car rental services. Thrifty’s General Manager Emma Gardiner says the deal is a win- win for […]

In a survey of over 2,500 New Zealand consumers, Thrifty Car Rental has achieved the highest five star rating in two key categories as part of the 2014 Canstar Blue award for car hire. Voted best overall in customer service, and achieving another five star rating for its online and phone booking process, Thrifty was […]

Thrifty is proud to be sponsoring the world-famous Kepler Challenge Mountain Run again this year, a grueling 60km event considered the ‘jewel in New Zealand’s mountain running calendar’. With our support fully behind this unique occasion it seemed only appropriate that we should have a representative competing, and Carly Wilson, the Communications Manager for Thrifty […]

Deon Hoeksema Branch Manager at Thrifty’s Palmerston North location has been presented with a special gift from an NRMA Motoring Club Member to say thank you for his exceptional customer service. When Deon managed to correct a problem with an NRMA member by offering them a relocation special to get back to Auckland Airport in […]

Thrifty Reaffirms its Pilbara Commitment with Onslow Opening Western Australia’s leading car and truck rental company, Thrifty WA has expanded its WA network with the opening of its latest branch in Onslow. Onslow is the 17th Thrifty branch in Western Australia, reaffirming its commitment to the Pilbara. It also highlights Thrifty WAs confidence in the economic […]

Thrifty WA has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, leading its Executive Management Team. Richard Simons took the chair on 14 January 2013.  With 25 years multi-national experience in business and financial management, he brings significant experience and leadership to Thrifty WA’s operations.  Richard has a strong background in commercial management and […]

Thrifty Car Rentals will not be charging its customers the full amount of their car rental if they have to abandon their vehicle due to the Tasmanian bushfires. The rental agreement will close as soon as Thrifty understands that the customer has had to abandon the vehicle. Furthermore, Thrifty will not be passing on the […]

Pictured above: Thrifty WA General Manager Craig Bedell and son Jake hand over the giant truck cheque to Channel 7’s Alison Fan Thank you to all our customers for helping us raise $100,000 for Telethon 2012 This is the 3rd consecutive year that Thrifty has donated to WA iconic children’s charity Channel 7’s Telethon. Between […]

Thrifty Car Rental now offers an easy way for customers to pay road tolls anywhere in Australia. Thrifty customers who pass through a road toll are now charged directly by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), rather than having to arrange payment for the tolls themselves. Acting CEO Michael Lamb said: “This is excellent news […]

Local Thrifty Car Rental manager Terry Christie has come up with an innovative solution to beating the traffic in South Melbourne – an electric bike. Terry and his team – based on Montague Street, South Melbourne – use the electric bike for deliveries and pick-ups, saving cost in fuel and increasing productivity from the time […]

Thrifty Car Rental has announced the winners of its annual Australasian employee awards in a gala ceremony evening in Cairns. The Thrifty awards recognise star employees from Thrifty’s 210 locations in Australia and 34 locations in New Zealand. The Thrifty awards are presented annually in 14 categories to recognise the best of the best and […]

Thrifty Car Rental has been named as a car rental supplier to the Australian Government under a panel arrangement estimated to be worth more than $23 million a year. From today, Monday 2 July, Thrifty will provide car rental services to more than 100 Government agencies. Following an announcement of the outcomes of the travel […]

Thrifty Car Rental has been awarded championship division winners at the NSW Corporate Games 2012. The team beat fierce competition from companies such as Medibank and Railcorp to take out the top prize. In the events, the team of four, based at Thrifty’s Sydney Head Office, won gold and silver medals in swimming. Reservation Consultant […]

Left to right: Michelle Little, Duty Manager; Bianca Pierce, Customer Services Representative; Emma Gardiner General Manager New Zealand. Thrifty Car Rental is signaling its commitment to Christchurch this week with the launch of its newly renovated Airport location. The business, which has its national Head Office in Christchurch, has invested in an innovative retail store […]

Thrifty Car Rental has invested in a new system to help its most valued and loyal customers get on the road faster. ‘Arrive and Drive’ is now available exclusively for Blue Chip customers at Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport with other major locations gearing up to use this system in the near future. Operations Director […]

Customers looking for a fuel-efficient yet full-sized car on their next Thrifty car rental can now choose from two new fleet additions. The Hyundai i45 and the Subaru Liberty both benefit from the space and luggage storage of a large car, with the fuel-efficiency that comes from a four-cylinder vehicle. Thrifty Car Rental Fleet Manager […]

Thank you to all our customers for helping us raise $85,000 for Telethon 2011 Between May and August 2011, Thrifty donated $20 from every moving van rental to Telethon to help WA sick kids. Pictured below, Thrifty WA General Manager Craig Bedell and family hand over the giant truck cheque to Channel 7’s Natalie Bonjolo […]

Thrifty Car Rental has franchised a further location in Victoria, as part of its plans to franchise its non-airport and non-gateway corporate locations. South Melbourne has been sold to Terry Christie and operates as a franchise as of today (Tuesday 25 October). Terry was previously Thrifty’s Regional Manager for Victoria. Three employees from Thrifty have […]

Thrifty Car Rental has signed an exclusive partnership with The Automobile Association New Zealand. As of 1 October 2011, “AA Thrifty” is being marketed across New Zealand, including at the 38 AA Centres and 34 Thrifty branches. Thrifty is owned by NRMA; the AA’s affiliated motoring club in New South Wales. Late last year, all […]

Thrifty Car Rental is gearing up for a busy month in Canberra as Floriade kicks off on 17 September. Around 230,000 people are expected to attend the festival, with many interstate visitors requiring car hire to help them make the most of their trip to the city. To support the event, Thrifty is also donating […]

Thrifty Car Rental announces the appointment of Martin Buckland to the role of National Sales Manager. Martin will be based at Thrifty’s Head Office in Mascot, Sydney and will be responsible for a corporate sales team of 12 who are based throughout Australia. CEO Bryn McGoldrick said: “Martin brings to Thrifty significant experience in the […]

Thrifty Car Rental has stepped up its plans to franchise its non-airport and non-gateway corporate locations. This month, two existing locations in Victoria – Preston and Footscray – were franchised to Simon Leech, who at the time of purchase was branch manager for Thrifty’s Melbourne City corporate location. Michael Horn, Thrifty’s Director of Fleet and […]

Helping Cantabrians Thrifty Car Rental has presented the results of its fundraising efforts to The Salvation Army Canterbury Earthquake Appeal. Donations totalling more than $42,000 were collected by Thrifty Australasia and the NRMA Group – Thrifty’s parent company. Emma Gardiner, General Manager for Thrifty New Zealand handed over a cheque to Major Robert Ross, Territorial […]

Thrifty Car Rental announces the appointment of Michael Stewart to the role of Regional Manager for Western Australia. Michael moves from his current role at Thrifty Car Rental as Regional Manager for North Queensland, which he has held since 2006. Operations Director Kayleen Collins said: ‘We are delighted to announce Michael Stewart as Thrifty’s new […]

Lucky NRMA member Susan Rich has picked up the keys to a brand new Hyundai i30, courtesy of Thrifty Car Rental. Ms Rich, from Waterloo, won the car rental for a year – worth $15,000 – in a prize draw run exclusively for members of the NRMA, in partnership with Thrifty Car Rental. “It was […]

Thrifty Car Rental had the opportunity to meet dozens of potential buyers at this year’s Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE). Thrifty was represented for four days at the industry event, which took place in the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. One lucky buyer, Jen Snow, Product Manager for Freedom Destinations in the UK, also […]

Thrifty Car Rental has been nominated for a top travel industry award – with the winner to be decided by those who work in the industry itself. Thrifty is in the running for Best Car/Campervan Rental Operator at this year’s National Travel Industry Awards, organized by the Australian Federation of Travel Agents. All Australian travel […]

Thrifty CEO Australia/New Zealand Bryn McGoldrick today announced the signing of an agreement with the Virgin Blue Airlines Group and a partnership that will offer guests of Virgin Blue, V Australia and Pacific Blue special rates across all their local and global destinations. ”Thrifty is delighted to establish a new relationship with the Virgin Blue […]

The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games are where everyday people can have extraordinary experiences. From 10-18 October 2009, Australia’s famous harbour city will host the seventh edition of the world’s biggest multi-sport event. Thrifty Car Rental have signed on as a Silver Partner of the Games and will ensure that competitors get quality vehicles at […]

NRMA acquisition to lead to further investment in systems, processes and streamlining of fleet Today the NRMA Motoring & Services Group acquired the remaining 25% of Thrifty that it did not already own. The car rental company in both Australia and New Zealand is now a 100% owned subsidiary of the NRMA. NRMA has other […]