Travellers Autobarn Opiniões 

My experience with Travellers Autobarn New Zealand was extremely disappointing and ultimately led to a formal complaint.

I hired a Kuga self‑contained campervan from 15 December 2025 to 5 January 2026. After only 5 days of normal driving, the vehicle overheated. I stopped immediately for safety and waited several hours for NZ roadside assistance.

The vehicle was assessed, declared undriveable, and towed to Nelson, where a garage confirmed the issue was a blown head gasket — a major mechanical engine failure that is clearly not caused by normal use over such a short period.

Despite this diagnosis, on 22 December 2025 I was effectively blamed for the failure and presented with two unacceptable options:

1) terminate the rental immediately with no refund, or
2) pay NZD 5,000 for a replacement vehicle, which I would have had to collect myself from Christchurch.

I find it unreasonable to hold a customer responsible for a catastrophic engine failure occurring after just five days of careful use, reporting the issue, and following instructions.

As a result of how this was handled, the service I had paid for could not be delivered, and I had no confidence in the company’s approach to fault responsibility or customer care.

Based on my experience, I would not use Travellers Autobarn New Zealand again or recommend them. I would suggest paying more for a reputable company that operates a fleet of purpose‑built campervans, rather than self‑converted vehicles that are not designed to reliably handle the weight they carry.

Rented a campervan in NZ for 14 days. After one night we realised they had not changed the sheeds and sleeping bags, also some cutlery was missing and the cups and glasses were dirty. The van gave us electrical shocks when the van was plugged in at camp sites. While on the road as the weather got warmer, we found out the AC diden’t cool. They suggested we went to a mechanic in a major city, out of our Way, for who knows how Long to get it fixed. We chose not to chance our planes and spend a lot of time at the mechanic. At the end they compensated us one days gire

Eigentlich zu empfehlende Autovermietung, was den Preis betrifft, Fahrzeugflotte eher älter. Wir übernahmen in Christchurch einen Campervan, Einweisung war mäßig ,nur durch Nachfragen erhielten wir mehr Informationen, auf unseren Hinweis, dass die Frontscheibe und die Scheinwerfer trüb bzw. teilweise auch beschädigt ist, erhielten wir die Antwort, dass es wohl die letzte Saison des Fahrzeugs wäre. Außerdem sollten wir immer wieder den Ölstand überprüfen.( gekauftes Öl wurde uns erstattet)
Soweit so gut, das Auto war unser Begleiter für 5 Wochen, ohne größere Probleme, bis auf dass die seitliche Schiebetüre immer wieder mal blockierte!
Bei Regen und Nachtfahrten war die Sicht leider nur mäßig durch die teilweise verkratzte trübe Frontscheibe! Die Rückgabe in Auckland verlief sehr freundlich und problemlos, obwohl wir den Mitarbeiter über die Mängel informierten!
Zu Hause bekamen wir eine Mitteilung über Berechnung von Verwaltungskosten wegen Falschparken! Das Bußgeld haben wir sofort beglichen bei der örtlichen Behörde...ein bitterer Nachgeschmack bleibt wegen der 75 NZDollars für Travellers Autobarn...das finden wir überzogen!!
Nach zähem Ringen in mehreren Emails wurden uns jedoch die Verwaltungsgebühren erlassen. Es gibt einige sehr nette kompetente Mitarbeiter im Customer Service, zu nennen Erin S. und Sam M.

I recently rented from Travelers Autobarn and was shocked by the poor condition of the vehicle. This wasn't just about minor inconveniences – there were serious safety defects that should have prevented this vehicle from being rented out at all.
Critical Safety Issues:

- Low steering fluid
- Brake lights not functioning
- Engine warning light on
- Traction service alerts appearing intermittently
- Cruise control inoperable
- Windscreen washer pump broken (unable to clean windscreen while driving)

Any reputable rental company should ensure these basic safety systems are functioning before handing over keys.

Additional Problems:

- Side door handle broken (could only open from inside)
- Door lock remote control not working
- Fridge lock broken
- Table stand damaged
- Excessively noisy fridge

I understand rental vehicles experience wear and tear, but there's a clear difference between cosmetic issues and safety hazards. Travelers Autobarn failed to meet even minimum safety standards. I would not recommend this company until they implement proper vehicle inspection protocols.

I strongly advise anyone considering this company to thoroughly inspect your vehicle before accepting it and document all issues.

We had a very old van with moisture, rusty fridge and kitchenware. An uncomfortable bed and a leak.
Experience avec cette companie: vieux van avec de la rouille, de la moisissure, une fuite quand il pleut et un lit pas aux bonnes dimensions (la blague)

We saved for years for a family trip, but our Travellers Autobarn van had a faulty cooker, a leaking toilet, broken sleeping bags, the heater failed, and a check engine light on for three days. When we raised these issues, the responses were dismissive and at times felt personal and rude, which was really upsetting. Faulty equipment and poor customer service tainted what should have been a special holiday.

Mechanical issues can happen, but three serious breakdowns requiring towing in just two weeks show that the van we were given was not safe or roadworthy.

Minor problems started right away (propane bottle, screeching brakes, multiple warning lights) and were brushed off as “safe to continue.” Soon after, the first breakdown came when the water pump failed on the motorway. While the repair was handled efficiently, the van had to be towed and we lost a day.

In Yosemite, after we had repeatedly reported jerky steering, ABS warnings and brake issues, we were again told to keep driving. Deep in the park, the steering locked, brakes malfunctioned, and smoke came out of the hood (it later turned out the wheel bearing had broken and the wheel was coming off). We were left stranded without phone signal, had to hitchhike for 1.5 hours, and only received a call back from the company after the same delay. Instead of helping with accommodation or arranging a replacement, their first response was to suggest terminating the contract — leaving us with nothing in a remote national park.

The same van broke down again two days after we had gotten it back from the mechanic, once more with steering and brake failure in heavy traffic. We lost another 5h waiting for a tow truck.

At every stage, we had to fight for the most basic support. Refunds were partial and framed as “goodwill,” while the company insisted problems were just “misinterpretations” rather than acknowledging responsibility.

Mechanical failures are one thing. But repeatedly dismissing clear safety warnings, leaving customers stranded without help, and renting out a van that broke down three times in two weeks is unacceptable.

And yes, we drove a significant distance (~4500 miles) — but that doesn’t justify the issues we faced. A company shouldn’t advertise unlimited mileage if their vehicles are not maintained well enough for long trips.

Der Kuga Camper war in einem unzumutbaren Zustand und nicht Verkehrssicher.
Gasleitung undicht.
Frontscheibe kaputt.
Gaspedal Hakte.
Sietenfenster (Fahrerseite) wegen Folie undurchsichtig.
Spur extrem verstellt.(Zog nach rechts)
Unwucht in den Räder.
Innenausstattung wie ein Schweinestall.
Schiebetür klemmte.
Auf unsere Voicemail keine Reaktion.

I'm so sorry I didn't see these reviews before I rented from them... I'm only 8 hours into my rental and discovering a defective tire that they will not take responsibility for... and yes the van is old and not in good condition... I do not feel safe taking this van for 16 more days... but I've already paid...

Camper full of defects, and the customer service is absolutely worthless. We had multiple issues (missing inventory, broken chairs, clogged kitchen sink, broken gas igniter) but everything was dismissed as "normal" for a budget camper. Even for obvious defects like a leaking toilet or broken USB ports they give zero compensation or solution. They want you to contact them, but they do nothing. Save yourself the frustration and rent somewhere else!

Doesn't pay the hosting fees. INstead of they are moving their servers and even didn't reply emails and invoices.

READ YOUR CONTRACT BEFORE PAYING ANYTHING!

TA is probably great if you're lucky enough to get a decent van, but for those who aren't, you'd be left out of pocket and with a ruined holiday.
We got a van that had an external leak so the inside got wet when it rained; another crack in the water inlet so it also got wet inside when you filled the water tank; missing mirrors; mouldy interiors; and in general poorly-maintained cooking gear. These things could probably be overlooked on a short weekend trip, but we were on the road for 4 weeks, and half the time we slept with wet pillows and could not use the sink and tap due to the leakage.
TA's customer service to their credit was very prompt in their response, but the pros ends there. The contract apparently states that you have to drive to one of their two locations to get anything fixed, and they will only recompense you for the time it takes to fix it (1-2 hours, essentially ~$10) and not the gas, work and time it takes for you to get there, which could mean a multiple-day delay to your itinerary. All this for a fault in the van that is out of your control.
I did eventually get a satisfactory resolution with the customer team, but this was after a lot of frustration with an unsympathetic team, during which I was accused of making deliberate trouble for a cheap holiday. Not the best experience and wouldn't recommend.

This trip was taken in Sept-Oct 2024.

In San Francisco angekommen, wurden wir bei Travellers Autobarn von einer Aushilfskraft eingewiesen. Das Fahrzeug mit einer Laufleistung von 275.000 km machte schon auf den ersten Eindruck einen abgerockten Zustand. Unterwegs fiel uns auf, dass die Bremsen anfingen zu riechen. Auch die Stellung vom Lenkrad stimmte nicht. In San Francisco, Presidio wollten wir das Fahrzeug starten, aber die Batterie versagte komplett. Es war bereits später Nachmittag und vom Notdienst kam die Meldung, help is on the way. Wer es glaubt, wird selig. Spät in der Nacht wurden wir von der Highway Patrol eingekreist. Camping verboten. Erst um 13 Uhr am nächsten Tag wurde unser Wohnmobil abgeschleppt. Mitfahren war nicht möglich. Also müssten wir auf ein von Travellers Autobarn bestelltes Uber-Taxi warten. Sollte in 20 Min. vor Ort sein. Nach zwei Stunden des Wartens machten wir uns auf den Weg zur Werkstatt. Auch da machten die Kollegen einen ratlosen Eindruck. Es war mittlerweile 17 Uhr und wir suchten uns ein Hotel. Wir wurden hier richtig über den Tisch gezogen. Lieber etwas mehr Geld ausgeben und auf diese Erfahrungen verzichten. Travellers Autobarn wird natürlich behaupten dass Wohnmobil wäre technisch okay gewesen. Bei der Überführung des Fahrzeugs waren die Mängel aber immer noch nicht beseitigt. Diese Fahrzeuge gehören einfach ausrangiert.

The worst experience with a rental car. DO NOT use this company. We had to drive back several km 4 times to have things fixed. Fridge stops working after 2 hours nonpowered despite an extra battery, Emergency exit closed due to a faulty lock, broken ladder, faulty seatbelts etc. Beds are horrible, cushions falls apart, sleeping bags very thin, bad pans and no sharp knives. Our list is very long. We had to buy many stuff to live in the car, and we are experienced backpackers. They gave us a new car, but a defect waterpump after just 2 hours ment we had to drive back. Better of renting from other company even though more expensive, in the end less time with damage stuff and less problems. They wouldn't refund money even though experience was horrendous and they didn't keep their contract with the standard of the car.