How to hire a relocation vehicle in Australia for just $1 per day

How to drive into your dream holiday for next to nothing with this ultimate travel hack.

The pandemic has seen Australia’s roads buzzing with recreational vehicle (RV) traffic. Caravanning grey nomads, families in four wheel drives towing camper trailers and young van-lifers are taking to the open road in pursuit of some quintessential outback adventure.

If you didn’t buy your caravan before 2020, it’s likely you’ll be holding off. With many travellers still opting to venture closer to home in a bid to avoid lost luggage and flight cancelations, high demand continues to drive lucrative prices for recreational vehicles. The solution? Vehicle hire.

If a good old fashioned Australia or New Zealand road trip is on your bucket list, chances are that you’ve thought about hiring a vehicle. Though this mode of travel tends to be the best way to reach lesser-known spots, car hire costs can be really expensive, especially if you’re embarking on a one-way journey or are lucky enough to hit the roads for months on end. In this scenario, nabbing a savvy relocation offer might be just the thing!

The good news is that it’s simple to hire a vehicle for as little as $1 per day. With accommodation onboard and fuel often thrown in for free, you can score an incredibly inexpensive road trip holiday this way. There’s a reason why it’s the backpacker holiday of choice.

Searching for a Relocation Vehicle deal

The traveller’s trick is to search for ‘relocation’ deals advertised by vehicle hire companies, such as Cruisin’ and Europcar. These deals appear when companies find themselves with too many vehicles in one city that they need to move somewhere else.

For example, perhaps someone wants to hire a motorhome from Perth, but all the vehicles have travelled to Adelaide. In this case, a vehicle hire company may compensate a traveller to drive across the Nullabor ⁠— Australia’s infamous long way road ⁠— some even offering to cover your flight back! You’ll typically find many types of vehicles on offer, including sedans and rooftop tent 4 x 4s, through to RVs and larger camper vans.

van hire road trip 1
Fitted out vans such as this are a growing trend for hire companies in Australia and New Zealand

Consequently, you’ll find these deals on one-way rental routes that are commonly used by tourists. Common routes include Sydney to Cairns, Darwin to Adelaide, and Auckland to Christchurch.

To transport vehicles to the location where there is a demand for hire, the vehicle hire company would usually need to spend hundreds of dollars on transport. Instead, by advertising a win-win relocation deal, a customer is provided with the opportunity to drive the vehicle to the required location for almost no cost! Furthermore, it’s a great outcome – the rental company avoids expensive transportation costs, and the customer gets a great deal.

A massive downfall to road tripping is the almost inevitable breakdown and vehicle maintenance, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll have to worry about any of that with a relocation deal. By nature, these vehicles have driven more laps of the country than most combined (resulting in high kilometres) however they are regimentally serviced and maintained by hire companies, making for some of the most reliable vehicles on the road.

Limited time offers

Most relocation car hire deals are usually only advertised two to three months in advance and for a specific time period. You will need to channel your inner nomad and be flexible with your road trip plans, so this form of travel isn’t for everyone. It’s also best to devote some time to thoroughly researching the different relocation deals on offer (some deals are better than others).

Often, the rental agency will throw in a generous fuel allowance and other extras (such as a free driver plus vehicle ticket on the Spirit of Tasmania, which is standard for relocation hire deals starting or ending in Tasmania).

Rental companies also make a point of adding further incentive by making sure relocators have ample time to complete their journey and stop to smell the wildflowers along the way.

There are a number of websites which regularly post available vehicle relocation opportunities. Some of our top picks are as follows:

Europcar

Pros:

  • Low cost of as little as $1 per day
  • Available to drivers over 21 years of age (with a full license)

Cons:

  • Limited relocation opportunities

Sound like the offer for you? Visit Europcar’s website to search for one-way rentals.

Cruisin’

This rental agency is a staple on Australia’s tourist roads. A Cruisin’ relocation could see you travel from Cairns to Hobart, stopping at breathtaking scenic hotspots along the way.

Pros:

  • Low cost of as little as $1 per day
  • Up to 3930 kilometres (8 days) of travel
  • Spirit of Tasmania ticket included for Hobart to Cairns route

Cons:

  • No relocations in New Zealand
  • Fewer relocation offers

Subscribe through this link to receive regular updates on relocation offers

Drive Now

Drive now is a great option if you’re searching for a range of different trips to choose from. At the time of writing there are 38 motorhome, campervan or 4-wheel drive camper rental relocations in Australia – which road will you take?

Pros:

  • Usually active deals in Australia
  • Free fuel allowance

Cons:

  • Slightly more expensive ($5 a day)

Click here to join the Drive Now watchlist or request a relocation today.

JUCY

Aimed at a younger crowd, Jucy is all about helping travellers hit the road for less. While Jucy hires are traditionally the green and purple vans you cant miss, its newer fleet is an ode to today’s minimalistic era – paired back all white vehicles with a modest Jucy logo.

Pros:

  • Low costs of as little at $1 a day
  • Smaller vehicles (vans) perfect for solo travel

Cons:

  • Usually booked out
  • $3,000 bond
  • No free fuel

Thinking of a Jucy road trip? Bookmark this link to keep an eye out for current relocation deals.

Rental agencies are offering one-way road trips that are almost too good to be true – almost. This is one of those classic travel hack examples where persistence is key. Don’t give up if you can’t see a relocation deal on the first day you look. Perseverance will be rewarded with wide open spaces, starry nights, red dirt and some of the world’s most awe-inspiring scenery – all for as little as $1 a day.

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