Lucky Rodeo (2-Berth)
Toyota Alphard sleeper
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- No
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
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Lucky Rentals review
Unbranded white campers give Lucky Rentals a low-key presence on New Zealand’s roads.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Lucky Rentals operates a New Zealand campervan rental business with its own commercial range and off-airport bases in Auckland and Christchurch. The contracting company is Lucky Rentals Limited, which also trades as Happy Campers. The two brands share an airport shuttle service.
The Lucky range centres on Toyota Alphard and Hiace vehicles. Rentals are offered in defined categories, from a two-person sleeper to a four-person camper, with different combinations of transmission, water systems and living equipment.
Our verdict
Editorial review
Lucky’s proposition is built around older, compact vehicles with useful camping equipment. The differences between its categories matter more than their similar external size: a basic sleeper, a manual camper and a hot-water model serve quite different needs. This is an offer to assemble around the trip, with bedding and protection among the choices that shape the final rental. It is less convincing as an all-inclusive proposition for someone expecting a recent vehicle and every comfort bundled into the starting price.
Good points
- Distance without a mileage allowance.Unlimited kilometres remove a distance-based rental charge from the calculation, which is useful when the route changes during a longer New Zealand trip.
- A practical link between the two islands.Auckland and Christchurch pickups, airport transfers and one-way rentals allow a trip to start on one island and finish on the other. The ferry discount adds value for renters taking the vehicle across Cook Strait.
- Protection choices with tangible extras.The higher protection options combine a lower excess with benefits such as windscreen and tyre cover or roadside assistance extras. Their differences extend beyond the headline excess figure.
Things to consider
- Older vehicles remain central to the range.Lucky’s vehicle-year ranges run from 2004 to 2019, depending on the category; some camper fitouts are newer than their chassis. A more recent interior conversion should not be mistaken for a new vehicle.
- Uneven preparation experiences.Customer accounts include clean, trouble-free rentals as well as reports of dirty interiors or equipment faults. Helpful contact and practical assistance also appear in some accounts of difficult hires, so preparation and the response to a problem need to be considered separately.
Vehicle categories
Lucky Rentals fleet
Lucky Roadie (2–3 Berth)
Toyota Hiace camper
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
Lucky Roadie + (2–3 Berth)
Toyota Hiace camper
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
Lucky Rambler (2–3 Berth)
Toyota Hiace camper
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Lucky Rover (4-Berth)
Toyota Hiace camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- No
- Transmission
- Automatic
Lucky’s fleet stays compact, spanning a low-roof sleeper and taller Hiace campers with different levels of living equipment.
The Rodeo is the simplest option. Its 1.37 m interior height leaves no standing room, and the equipment centres on a double bed, a single butane burner and a small fridge powered by the engine. It is not self-contained. This is a different style of camping from the Hiace range, whose 1.92 m interior height, water tanks and two-burner cookers support more activity inside the vehicle.
Roadie and Roadie + share the same bed dimensions, cold-water setup and tank sizes. The main distinction is the gearbox: the Roadie is manual, while Roadie + is a separate automatic category with a later vehicle-year range. Both have a fixed toilet.
The Rambler adds hot water and a shower, with larger fresh- and wastewater tanks than either Roadie. The Rover instead provides a fourth travel seat and sleeping place, rear-cabin seating and the largest fridge in the range, but retains cold water and has no built-in shower. Two beds in the Rambler do not increase its three-person travel or sleeping capacity.
The self-contained Hiace categories offer a different level of independence from the Rodeo. Category choice still does not guarantee a particular assigned chassis or layout, and self-containment is not permission to camp anywhere.
Locations
Lucky Rentals pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
New Zealand
-
Auckland Airport Depot 107 Montgomerie Road, Mangere (Airport Oaks), Auckland 2022
-
Christchurch Airport Depot 791 Wairakei Road, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8053
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Booking payment | A NZ$99 advance secures the booking, with the balance due at collection. |
| Rental duration | The usual minimum is five days, with the booking minimum depending on season and availability. |
| Mileage | Unlimited kilometres are included. |
| Protection and pickup hold | The Gambler adds no daily protection charge and carries a NZ$3,000 excess and preauthorisation. On the Fence costs NZ$20 per day, with a NZ$1,500 excess and preauthorisation. Sure Thing costs NZ$30 per day and Worry Free NZ$45 per day; each reduces the excess to NZ$0 while retaining a NZ$250 refundable card hold. Paid protection has a five-day minimum and a maximum charge of 50 days. Contractual exclusions remain, including misuse, breach and unsealed-road damage. |
| Pickup and holiday charges | The terms effective from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 include a GST-inclusive NZ$10 pickup-location fee per booking and a NZ$75 holiday collection or return charge. |
| Card payments | Visa and Mastercard payments carry a 3% surcharge; American Express payments carry a 5% surcharge. |
| Additional drivers | The first additional driver is included. Further drivers cost NZ$1 per driver per day, waived with Sure Thing or Worry Free. |
| Bedding and cooking equipment | Cooking equipment is included. A two-person bedding pack costs NZ$25 per hire; Worry Free includes up to two linen packs. |
| Power and heating | For campers with a house battery, the 2026/27 terms require at least eight hours on mains power every three days. A 240 V fan heater costs NZ$15 per hire and needs a mains hookup. The Rodeo’s fridge uses engine power. |
| Airport transfers and collection | A free airport transfer operates on collection and return days at Auckland and Christchurch. The depots are off-airport and the shuttle does not collect from hotels. After-hours camper collection is unavailable; a prearranged late return is a separate arrangement that may incur an additional day. |
| One-way trips and ferries | Rentals between Auckland and Christchurch are available in both directions. A confirmed Lucky booking gives access to a 10% Bluebridge ferry discount, with the ferry booked directly using the supplied instructions. |
| Cancellation near pickup | Cancellation one to ten days before pickup incurs 50%; cancellation on pickup day or a no-show incurs 100%, including extras. Unused time after early return or late collection is not refunded. |
| Gravel roads and beaches | Beach driving is forbidden. Renters are liable for damage on unsealed or gravel roads, with stated exceptions for access roads up to 100 m, roadworks and rest areas. |
| Child restraints | Child-seat compatibility must be confirmed for the selected vehicle and seating position; sleeping capacity alone does not establish that a child restraint can be fitted. |
| Pets and service animals | Pets are excluded, with an exception for certified service animals. |
| Return condition | Under the terms effective from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, unemptied toilet or wastewater facilities incur NZ$150 and smoking incurs NZ$250. A fuel shortfall is charged at the fuel cost plus NZ$25; unfilled LPG incurs NZ$25. These are conditional, GST-inclusive charges. |
| Breakdown assistance | Breakdown assistance is available 24/7. Emergency repair spending up to NZ$100 can be authorised with a receipt; reimbursement is not automatic. The 2026/27 terms provide a breakdown-refund request mechanism after a stationary delay of at least 48 hours, while preserving statutory rights. |
More about the company
Explore Lucky Rentals
Choosing a protection package
Sure Thing and Worry Free both reduce the excess to zero, but the extra NZ$15 per day for Worry Free buys a different set of benefits. Sure Thing includes one windscreen replacement or multiple chip repairs, multiple tyre replacements and additional drivers.
Worry Free adds a table and a chair per passenger, up to two linen packs, premium roadside help, rollover and height-damage cover, and accident recovery costs. These additions matter if equipment hire or the wider damage cover is valuable to the trip. They do not turn the package into unrestricted cover: the rental agreement’s exclusions still apply.
Quick answers
Lucky Rentals FAQ
What is the difference between Lucky Roadie and Roadie +?
The Roadie has a manual gearbox; Roadie + is automatic and has a later vehicle-year range. Their bed dimensions, cold-water systems, tank sizes and cooking equipment are otherwise the same. Both seat and sleep up to three people.
Which Lucky camper has hot water and a shower?
The three-person Lucky Rambler combines hot and cold water with a shower and fixed toilet. The four-person Rover has cold water and a fixed toilet, without a built-in shower.
Can four people travel in a Lucky Rambler?
No. The Rambler’s capacity is three travel seats and three sleeping places, even though it has two beds. The Lucky Rover is the four-person category.
Does zero-excess protection remove Lucky’s pickup hold?
No. Sure Thing and Worry Free reduce the excess to NZ$0 but still require a NZ$250 refundable card hold. The excess and the hold serve different purposes, and the protection packages retain contractual exclusions.
Can I collect a Lucky camper after a late flight?
After-hours collection is unavailable. A flight arriving too late for collection will require a different pickup arrangement; prearranged late returns do not create an after-hours collection service.
Can I take a Lucky camper between the North and South Islands?
Yes. Auckland–Christchurch rentals are offered in both directions. A confirmed Lucky booking provides instructions for a 10% discount with Bluebridge; the ferry reservation is made directly with the ferry company.
Is Lucky Rodeo self-contained?
No. The Rodeo has no built-in toilet or shower and is not self-contained. It is a two-person sleeper with a low interior, a single burner and an engine-powered fridge, rather than the same living setup as Lucky’s Hiace campers.
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