Our motorhome and campervan rental rates (apart from any special IdeaMerge discount) and policies match those of our vendor and therefore the rates are calculated in Australia Dollars (AUD). This means we do not inflate our rates to cover ourselves against the threat of our home currency, the US Dollar (USD), declining versus the AUD.

Moreover, we do not impose a credit card transaction fee. And we do not truncate the exchange rate (which is another way companies can favor themselves). Furthermore, we use the minimal retail exchange rate — alias the "credit card" exchange rate (as published on www.oanda.com) — to change from the vendor's currency into our currency (USD) for actual charging. Finally we present all this math in the detailed confirmation voucher that we e-mail to you soon after booking the rental. … In these and other ways we carefully save our clients from suffering hidden costs.

downpayment

balance

cancellation fees

changes

If a client requests an official change to a booking, the flex rates that will apply to the changed booking are the higher of the original versus the current rates. The following alterations are considered official booking changes: (a) change of booked date for vehicle pick-up; (b) change of booked date for vehicle return, unless that change is an extension of just one or two days; (c) change of booked vehicle category, (d) change of name in which the booking is made. (The addition of extra drivers is not considered such a booking change.) If such a change to the booked dates or vehicle is made within 14 days of the pick-up date, no refund will be made if the length of the rental duration is shortened (i.e. the rental will remain charged at the number of days originally booked) or if the client chooses a lesser vehicle. There are no exceptions to this set of change-order rules.

If after a rental has commenced the client wants to change drop-off location, the client should first obtain authorization from the destination depot. Subject to such change being approved, Apollo would levy a charge of AUD 700.

If after the rental has commenced the client wants to extend the duration of the rental, the client should obtain authorization from the destination depot. The extra cost must be paid by credit card over the telephone or at an Apollo branch immediately on confirmation of the rental extension. The additional days will be at the Gross Rate available at the time of extension. Failure to obtain such authorization will result in the renter being charged double the daily rental rate.

Refunds are not offered for early return of the rental vehicle.

security deposit

Apollo imposes a 1.75 percent credit card surcharge on the Visa/MasterCard transactions they themselves process — and a 4.5 percent surcharge on the America Express transactions they themselves process — i.e. insofar as they charge the optional items and/or the security deposit or possible traffic fines or penalities and such locally (that is, upon the pick-up and/or return occasions). Apollo does not refund their credit card surcharges. Maui and Britz, refund such surcharge insofar as they refund the portion attaching to the security deposit refund if a Visa or MasterCard is used. Kea, on the other hand, like IdeaMerge, imposes no credit card surcharges on the transactions they process.

The vendor is of course not responsible for any associated surcharges levied by the credit card company nor for any fluctuations in the applicable exchange rate (if any) between the time of the charge and the time that the vendor credits the charge (in full or in part) back to the card.

Of course the security deposit is refundable depending on whether the vehicle is returned on time, to the correct location, undamaged, with a clean interior and with appropriately full fuel tanks (fuel being gasoline/petrol, diesel, and LPG gas). The vendor reserves the right to retain an AUD 125 "soiling" fee if the vehicle is not returned with the interior in a clean condition. The toilet and waste water tank (if present) should be emptied prior to the return of the vehicle, or the vendor will retain a separate AUD 125 fee.

Important: In addition to the deductible, Apollo will charge an administration fee of AUD 75 per insurance claim and per speeding ticket, parking fine, traffic ticket, or toll-road fine.

reservation

In accord with the automobile rental industry standard, reservations may be made for a vendor's particular vehicle category (what we might call a vendor's "group") only, not for a specific vehicle. Which is to say, although the various images, model numbers and vehicle specifications presented throughout the IdeaMerge motorhome rental pages — especially on the vehicle-specification pages — are carefully selected to accurately and precisely indicate the vehicle that you will get, the vehicle model (and layout) you get might not be identical to what is indicated by said information. In the very unlikely event that a vehicle in the reserved category is not available upon the pick-up date, the rental company reserves the right to substitute a comparable or larger vehicle with the same equipment and the capacity to accommodate the number persons you have delineated (in terms of, say, adults and children) as being in your party. In this case there will be no additional charge for a larger vehicle. However, the higher ancillary costs associated with a larger vehicle — such as ferry charges, tolls, and fueling costs — are to be borne by the customer.

Minimum duration is 7 calendar days except for special peak periods when the pick-up occurs in the span 15 December through 5 January, when the minimum duration is 10 calendar days, and except for one-ways as noted on the "Locations" page.

One-way rentals are available as described on the "Locations" page.

age and license(s)

The minimum age limit for renters and other drivers of the Apollo's vehicles is only 21 years; the maximum age is 75 years.

Upon pick-up the vendor requires of the client a valid, non-provisional resident-country drivers license, held for at least one year. Moreover, if said license is not primarily or secondarily (i.e. in parallel) written in English, the vendor also requires of the client an international drivers permit (IDP). Such IDPs are available for a small charge (about USD20) from the automobile club offices in the client's country of residence (but not outside their country), and a person need not be a member of such club to obtain the IDP from the club. See the IdeaMerge "Resources" page for more about IDPs.

Drivers must of course possess their valid domestic drivers license. The Australia and New Zealand motorhome and camper van rental vehicles presented on the IdeaMerge Website are designed such that relative especially to the laws of Australia and New Zealand virtually all non-provisional domestic drivers licenses suffice for operation of these vehicles, even in nearly all cases where the inherent limits of such license (i.e. relative to your domestic laws) would preclude the holder from driving the vehicle in his/her own country. (Which is to say, standard foreign drivers licenses are translated by the laws of Australia and New Zealand such that these licenses basically function in Australia and New Zealand as standard Australia or New Zealand drivers licenses.) Nevertheless, you might be interested in researching the inherent limits of your drivers license. To do so you can check the back of your license and visit the Website of the governmental agency that issued your license. You can also see the following Wikipedia articles: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver's_license and, say, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Driving_Licence_codes.

Again, there is no charge for additional drivers.

animals

no smoking

what's included

All Apollo's Australia rentals include unlimited kilometers and 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance via a toll-free helpline. The rates include the 10 percent federal tax, as well as the Diesel Tax Recovery fee. And the total rental cost computed by the (highly specialized) IdeaMerge online reservation software does specifically include the 2.5 percent local tax levy that is, if the inclusive package has not been booked, actually charged by this vendor upon the pick-up occasion. (Hence we don't hide that cost.) The IdeaMerge-generated total price also includes the vendor's LP Gas Refill fee and other charges that might apply (i.e. charges for optional extras, any applicable one-way fee, Broome's remote-location fee, etc). There is no charge for additional drivers. Also included are liability (i.e. third party) insurance and collision and comprehensive insurance, the latter inhering a deductible (a.k.a. excess; applicable per claim not per rental) of AUD 7500. Clients can reduce this deductible to either AUD 2500 or all the way to zero (AUD 250 for Cheapa brand vehicles) and the latter reduction including one windscreen and two tires (except for Cheapa brand vehicles), this by purchasing one of two optional damage waivers (a.k.a. excess reductions). for AUD 20/day (maximum total cost of AUD 1000) or AUD 35/day The term comprehensive above signifies damage due to vandalism, fire, theft, break-in, and weather, as well as damage to windows, tires, and underbody, and towing and recovery costs. Importantly this term also signifies the cost of the daily rental for the duration the vehicle is off fleet for accident repairs (demurrage); which is to say, this cost is considered a damage. The deductible/excess is applicable no matter who is at fault; but if the client is shown to be not at fault and Apollo is successful in recovering damages from the other party, the client will be refunded appropriately (although such process can take several months).

multiple rentals

infringements

travel restrictions

Two-wheel-drive vehicles can only be driven on sealed/bitumen roads or well maintained access roads less than 5 kilometers long leading to recognized campgrounds.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles can also be driven on recognized unsealed tracks but may only travel to the following remote areas with the express written permission of Apollo, which permission can be given on the pick-up occasion only (i.e. subject to current road conditions): any islands, Tasmania, Simpson Desert, Gunbarrel Highway, Cape York (North of Daintree River), Oodnadatta Track, Birdsville Track, Tanami Track, Gibb River Road, Kalumburu Road, Warburton Road, Strzelecki Track, Cape Leveque, Bungle Bungles, the Plenty Highway and any other remote area. No vehicle is permitted to travel on the Canning Stock-route, The Lost City in Litchfield Park, to Cape York in the months December through May, the Old Telegraph Road section of the road to Cape York, or the last 2 kilometers of the Lennard River Gorge Road.

Apollo characterizes as being "remote" the locales noted in the paragraph above. This stipulation means that if the vehicle suffers an accident or breakdown in one of these areas and hence becomes inoperable, any cost of retrieving the vehicle to the nearest Apollo rental depot or other service station must be paid for by the client.

Apollo reserves the right at its sole discretion to restrict the movements in certain areas due to adverse road or weather conditions.

breakdown cover and repairs

All the vehicles do include 24/7 roadside service nationwide and membership in the Australia Automobile Association.

Call toll-free 1800 777 779.

Any problems associated with the vehicle, including equipment failure, should be reported to Apollo as soon as possible and within 24 hours, this to give Apollo the opportunity to rectify the problem as soon as possible. Failure to report as such will compromise any client claims for compensation. Apollo does not accept liability for claims submitted after this duration. In the event, please contact Apollo toll-free at tel. 1800 777 779.

Repairs costing up to AUD 50 may be effected without authorization from Apollo and will be appropriately reimbursed if the client provides the repair receipt to Apollo. For amounts estimated over AUD 50, the client should obtain authorization from Apollo. Receipts relating to any repair should be sumbitted to Apollo.

See our "Insurance, etc" page for details concerning the included insurance.

a slight disclaimer

apollo australia's terms and conditions