Investigation reveals Tasmanian car hire prices are well above the rest of the country

Tourists wanting to hire a car in Tasmania this summer had best be prepared for some hefty prices compared to the country’s other capital cities. See just how much more it costs.

Jerome Jacotin, 30, of Montpellier, France, paid $3300 to hire his campervan for 17 days in Tasmania. It would have cost half that in Melbourne. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

TOURISTS wanting to hire a car in Tasmania this summer will have to fork out twice as much as anywhere else in the country.

A Mercury investigation has revealed the average cost for a weekly hire across the hatch, sedan and small SUV range was $447 from Hobart Airport, twice the average of the rest of the nation’s capital cities.

The investigation found the only time hire quotes from websites of four of the major rental companies — Hertz, Budget, Europcar and Avis — were more expensive in another city was when hiring a Toyota Corolla or Nissan Qashqai from Canberra Airport through Hertz.

The quotes were from 9am on January 14 to 5pm on January 18 for a driver aged 30 or older.

The sedan vehicle category — a Toyota Camry or Corolla — was the most expensive car to hire for the week at an average of $470 across the four dealers.

The cheapest hire from Hobart was a Toyota Corolla hatch from Avis at $403, $20 cheaper than the average price for the vehicle category.

Renting a small SUV, such as a Nissan Qashqai or Mitsubishi ASX, would set you back $447 for the week.

The investigation found it was cheaper to hire a large 4WD, such as a Nissan X-Trail ($167) or a Mitsubishi Pajero ($331), from Darwin Airport through Hertz than it was drive away in a small Suzuki Swift ($433) with the same company from Hobart.

Tasmanian prices return to normal by the start of May once the peak visitor season has finished.

Michael McGee, of Albury, was shocked by the high charges when he tried to book a hire car for his wife in Hobart during the second week in February, while at the same time renting one for himself in Adelaide.

He said Hobart was at least $400 dearer than anywhere else in the country.

“I was stunned, it’s ridiculous,” he said.

“If you want to kill tourism, that’s one way to do it.

“People will think twice about going there when they see those prices.”

A Hertz spokeswoman said the rental pricing structure took into account seasonality and vehicle availability in the area, which is why customers see different costs for different locations.

She said customers should book directly with Hertz and as early as possible to secure the best price.

Budget, Europcar and Avis could not be reached for comment.

Car hire is not a regulated market with businesses free to charge what they wish — it is up to customers whether they choose to pay it.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said it was the same with hotel rooms during the peak season.

He said if visitors wanted to get the best deal possible, they needed to make sure they were prepared and booked early.

French tourist Jerome Jacotin said he had rented cars all over Australia and Tasmania was definitely the most expensive.

He said it cost him $3300 for 17 days in a camper van.

It would have cost him about half that for the same vehicle and same number of days from Melbourne and about $1900 from Adelaide.

“The price is what it is,” he said.

“We’re still excited for our trip around Tassie.”

CAR HIRE PRICES
Average costs from 9am, January 14, to 5pm, January 18.
HATCH Hobart $423 Melbourne $130 Sydney $186 Brisbane $174 Adelaide $166 Perth $194 Canberra $385 Darwin $129	SEDAN Hobart $470 Melbourne $175 Sydney $209 Brisbane $204 Adelaide $204 Perth $223 Canberra $424 Darwin $190	SMALL SUV Hobart $447 Melbourne $174 Sydney $209 Brisbane $203 Adelaide $202 Perth $222 Canberra $426 Darwin $187