We have recently completed our third Peugeot EuroLease holiday within five years. Altogether we have travelled more than 32,000kms through France, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Italy, San Marino, Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Andorra.

As a relatively 'seasoned' traveller our tips to new customers include the importance of choosing the right sized vehicle for your needs (go to your nearest Peugeot showroom with your luggage to help), definitely book a diesel, plus GPS is highly recommended - never 100% perfect, but worth every cent!

Also, while we have never had a problem, we are always vigilant with our security - keeping anything of value out of view, or better yet not left in an unattended car.

And finally, we can't stress enough the importance of spending the time before you leave NZ to research well - it makes a huge difference to your overall experience.

If any future EuroLease customers would like any information or advice we are happy to help - please contact Peugeot EuroLease and they will give you our details. 

We look forward to continuing our travels in 2014, when we travel to the British Isles, Ireland and northern and central Europe.

(Photo - enjoying a picnic lunch on the road between Bergerac and Cognac in wid-western France.)


T Letica, Jun-Sep 2012

We had a fantastic holiday!

We picked up our Peugeot 3008 Economy MCP Auto 1.6L diesel with GPS at Paris Orly Airport.
We drove to Rome via the Loire Valley, Burgundy, French Alps, Provence, Venice, Tuscany, and Umbria.

The 3008 was fabulous – very easy to drive and with a great GPS system. Being a little higher than a saloon it gave us great vision, either looking over cars on the highways, or over fences and hedges on the many back roads we took. The Peugeot was effectively our home for a month and we were a little sad to give the keys back at the end – the car had looked after us well, and was very economical.
Although I must say I was chuffed to get to Rome with both wing mirrors intact, some of the little village roads we chose were very narrow!

Here is a photo of our Peugeot 3008 at a Renaissance Fighter memorial in the Vercour Gorge, France.



P.Martelli, June 2012

21 days and just over 3800kms later, as we toured France, Italy, Austria and more. Here are some of our highlights.

Ladoix-Serrigny - one of the wine communes in the Cote de Beaune near Burgundy, France. A compulsory photo stop - a typical beautiful old village.

Lunch in St Tropez is a must. As well as a few days in old Antibes (on the coast, not too far from Nice).

We also enjoyed the CAP3000 Shopping Mall in Nice, near the airport.

Santa Margherita Ligure was a real highlight - an old fashioned seaside resort on the Italian Riviera, about 35km southeast of Genoa. Close to Portofino (which was full of tourists). Recommend Hotel Laurin, overlooking the boat harbour - with a fabulous well-priced restaurant next door. http://www.laurinhotel.it/

Must do - drive to La Spezia via the beautifully picturesque coast road.

Still in Italy, our drive from Santa Margherita Ligure to Cernobbio included a stop at Serravalle Scrivia - home of the McArthur Glen Outlet Mall.
(Refer www.mcarthurglen.com - you will see they have designer brand outlet malls all over UK/Europe.)

Cernobbio is located on the shores of Lake Como and we stayed at the Hotel Miralago - owned and managed by a family who made us feel as if we were home. Great food - including NZ lamb! http://www.hotelmiralago.it/

The Foxtown Outlet Mall in Mendrisio - on the border of Italy and Switzerland and just a short drive north from Cernobbio - is worth a trip. (Refer www.foxtown.ch)

Not to forget a mention of our Peugeot 5008 MCP AUTO 1.6L diesel with GPS - it was perfect for 4 adults and the increase of luggage after each shopping trip. The cruise control and GPS were simple to use. A very comfortable car for front and back seat passengers. Plus the glass roof offered great viewing of the mountains and chalets as we drove through Austria.

Important tip if you are planning to lunch at Schattenburg Castle, built in the 1100's - their famous weiner schnitzels are 30cm long and more than one person can eat!

The Ibis CDG Roissy (near terminal 3) was a good choice for our last night, before catching our flight home early the next morning.
http://www.accorhotels.com/
Close to the Peugeot return location and a short walk under cover to the free shuttle train to our departure terminal 2.
The Peugeot depot staff also transferred us back to the Ibis, instead of the terminal, which was great.

R Johnson, September 2012

I have travelled through various regions of Europe many times over the years and have experienced most modes of transport.
For 2012 I chose a self-drive holiday with Peugeot EuroLease. 

I was totally impressed!
It is not simply a 'rental car', it is a brand new European driving experience. 

I selected the Peugeot 308 2.0L diesel auto with GPS. What an awesome motor vehicle! All the power you would ever need, with exceptional road handling. And I found that paying the extra for an automatic was worth every penny. 

Our journey started in Montpellier and I took the coastal route into Italy, also visiting Portofino, Pisa and on to Florence.
After a short stay in Florence we spent a week in the Chianti region of Tuscany, finally dropping our Peugeot at Rome FCO Airport.

The Peugeot staff in Montpellier could not do enough. They spent all the time necessary to explain and demonstrate all the car had to offer - GPS for example.

After selling Peugeot EuroLease for many years, I can see why our customers return year after year.
I am totally sold on the Peugeot experience and will continue to highly reccommend it to my customers.

David Smith, Brooker Travel Dunedin.
(September 2012)

We had a wonderful trip, our 4th since 2005, and as usual the Peugeot service was impeccable.

Even before embarking on the trip, the whole process of ordering the car here in New Zealand was just as smooth. The whole process works so well.

We have picked up vehicles outside France from a number of different locations over the years, and it was Frankfurt's turn this time. We arrived at Frankfurt Airport on a Sunday around 10:30am. During a quick phone call we were informed where to find the shuttle bus that would take us to the pick-up location. Just a few papers to sign (car registration and insurance), followed by a thorough explanation of the car's features, and we were on our way.
The start of a wonderful 7 weeks.

Whilst we had quite a schedule, with visits to the UK, Netherlands, Czech Republic etc we had a ball.

As you state on your web site, there are some specfic country requirements when driving through Europe. I found that the easiest way to get the environment badge for Germany is to go to one of their testing stations. I know that you can order them online, but I got one by just popping into a Tüv Testing Station in Bocholt. It took 5 minutes to get things sorted, at a cost of 5 Euro. Here are some web addresses for the Tüv group:

General environment sticker info. 
Locating a testing station in North Germany. 
Locating a testing station in South Germany. 

We also noticed that when driving along the motorways in the Czech Republic, getting a toll sticker is a requirement.
We saw several cars without them being stopped by police. You can get one for 7 days (cost Euro 12.50) and for longer periods.

Seven weeks just flew by, and before we knew it we had to leave. The return process at Frankfurt was just as smooth. I had made our return appointment four days prior, and at the appropriate time the representative was there. Not only that, the booking on the shuttle bus back to the airport had already been made as well.

Whilst it is good to be back home, we have fond memories of a great holiday.

J de Mooy, Jul-Aug 2012

A word of warning with toll roads and fuel stations through France and Europe.

Our brand new VISA Platinum electronic super high tech credit card was not accepted at many motorway toll booths.

We also got rejected at some automatic unattended petrol stations (Euromarché and Leclerc) .

You should carry plenty of cash, including coins, for these situations.


O Duhamel, Aug-Sep 2012

It was three years ago but the memory is still fresh of sitting in a queue of cars at the TGV railway station at Avignon, southern France, trying to return a rental car.

Horns were hooting and tempers were rising in the 35 degree heat as drivers tried to find a way into their respective car company park. The pressure was on as trains approached and people scrambled to find a rental car rep – let alone get the paperwork done. An argument over a scrape on a bumper took 20 minutes to sort out.

I swore then, that was the last time, so when we travelled to Europe in June this year, I forgot about a rental car and chose a Peugeot EuroLease. This is the way to go!

*All the paperwork done before you leave New Zealand
* Everything paid up – no little surprises at the rental car check-in counter
* all insurance covered and no excess to worry about
* your own brand new car, and the cost is as good or better than a rental
* a Peugeot rep practically waiting for you at your European arrival point (ours was Nice airport)
* easy return – we dropped our 3008 at a service station centre in Avignon, signed one piece of paper – and the rep drove us to the railway station.

We had a Peugeot 3008 – and for part of our trip we shared it with two friends. Daily trips to village markets and lunches under the Plane trees. Four adults in the 3008 – plenty of space and stacks of room in the back for the right shape/size of bags.

You will appreciate the height of the 3008 when you are travelling along skinny little French and Italian roads. You get a good view of where you're going. On the autoroutes the Peugeot was quiet and very comfortable and our 1.6 litre diesel was a fuel miser.

Would I use Peugeot EuroLease again? You bet.

G Moffett, Jun-Jul 2012

Our Peugeot 207 diesel 1.6L with GPS was very good - economical and smooth running - just what you want.
For just 2 of us the luggage space was not a problem.

Collection at Madrid Airport went well. But customers should take their time to make sure they leave the depot fully aware of how everything works. The staff were fine but stepping off an aircraft into the heat, learning a new vehicle and the left hand drive etc can be daunting - so don't rush.

A GPS alone is not enough. You should also have a map.
Always enter the postal code of the destination as there are many villages with similar names.
Use the www.viamichelin.com website to plan ahead if you can, then you will know the tolls to be paid and ensure you have the cash.
Overall, the GPS is brilliant.

My wife and I have just returned from an 8 week Peugeot EuroLease - which could be described as a post retirement trip - and we had a ball. We did spend some time dashing around Europe back in 1997 but this time we we were able to take our time and "smell the roses".

We picked up our Peugeot 308 MCP auto 1.6L diesel with GPS as we left Paris (Orly Airport) and returned it to Paris CDG Airport prior to catching our flight to Singapore. This allowed us great flexibility in what route we took, what we went to see, and how long we stayed in any location.

Just a few statistics on these 8 weeks.
We travelled 11,466km, visited or passed through 6 countries (France, Italy, San Marino, Slovenia, Croatia and Switzerland) and spent 868 Euros on Diesel. The diesel cost amounted to the equivalent of 13cents (NZ) per kilometre, which is super economical compared to the car I drive in NZ, even allowing for the higher cost of fuel in Europe. The car performed excellently throughout the time we had it.

We visited all the historical (me) 'stuff' and artistic (my wife) 'stuff' in the large cities of Paris, Florence, Rome and Venice but also saw some amazing scenery at the Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Gorge du Tarn and the Dolomites. It was a bit of an eye opener, in that while we love New Zealand I am now more aware that we do not have a monopoly on fabulous scenery. Between us we took about 2500 photographs, many of which show us sitting in the sunshine outside street side cafes partaking of excellent, well priced (cheap), red wine or coffee. We were hopeful that the Mediterranian diet might be good for our figures. No such luck, the pain au chocolat and gelato were far too tempting.

This brief resume cannot come close to fully describing the great time we had, so if anyone is thinking of a similar trip our message is 'just do it'. For those thinking of leasing a car our advice would be, make sure you have GPS, and that you get an automatic - there is enough to think about with driving on the right without also having to change gear with your right hand and read a map.

What about the driving of the locals? We were pleasantly surprised. They do tend to drive a little agressively, like 5m behind you at 130km/hr on the motorway on occasions, however we found them generally courteous. Our car had a red number plate identifying us as tourists, and on many occasions I am sure this was recognised and we were allowed to change lanes in cities when we had gotten ourselves into the wrong one, although you do have to be confident and not inclined to panic if you do find yourself in the wrong place.

M & C Reynolds, Apr-Jun 2012

We arranged for a Peugeot Tepee Pack HDi diesel 1.6L manual to be collected from Geneva airport and returned there 10 weeks later.

Everything was in order when we arrived to pick up the vehicle (we had phoned 4 days earlier to reconfirm as we were not collecting off a flight). The vehicle had done just 14kms.

We were heading into France straight away so people doing the same thing should realise that they will need some euros handy for the toll roads!
(If you're heading into Switzerland you will need to get a Swiss highway sticker (40 francs but going up to 70 I believe). Coming through Swiss border customs in the car, they will check and if you haven't got one, you have to get one there and then.)

We drove 10,500kms in the car through Switzerland, Italy, southern France, Spain, Portugal and back to Switzerland.

The Partner Tepee was a superb vehicle - compact yet roomy (there were 4 of us most of the time) and very comfortable. It performed very well, was economical (overall average of 5.7l/100kms), had cruise control, climate control and heaps of luggage and storage space. It is fair to say it exceeded our expectaions easily and I would thoroughly recommend it.

For travelling in Europe a GPS is essential. (I took mine from NZ, with a Europe map chip). An alternative to that is to buy one at an electronics store in Europe (aprox EUR100-120), if your vehicle doesn't already include it.

It pays to be aware that there are plenty of toll roads in Europe if you stick to motorways. The tolls can add up pretty quickly! Motorways are fine if you want to cover a lot of ground quickly but if you want to really see the country, stay away from them.

One thing to note too is that in Portugal there are now some electronic tolls (they use number plate recognition.) Peugeot EuroLease give information about these with your documents so take good note of this.

We had no problems with the car etc but some friends had their backpack expertly "picked" in Granada and lost their passports/bankcards and some cash. The thieves were very slick - as we were warned before we left, they are professionals.

Overall we were very satisfied with the whole exercise.


P Knox, Apr-Jun 2012.

Here are a couple of new things that people need to be aware of:

FRANCE
From 1 July 2012, it is compulsory for all drivers in France to carry a breathalyzer kit (Alcooltest in French). I understand Peugeot will provide these from 1 September 2012 which is fine as the police are only issuing warnings until 1 November 2012. (PS - if you need to stock up on these, they are available at gas stations, pharmacies, supermarkets - although there is currently a shortage for sale.) They must be French certified and are priced at around EUR2 for the kit (2 per kit - so you still have one in the car after you have tested yourself!). The fine from 1 November is approx EUR15 but is reportedly considerably higher for a second offence.

SPAIN
The Portuguese are converting many highways to electronic tollroads, but there is no room for tool booths.
For more information refer www.visitportugal.com and click on Electronic Tolls - for a list of the electronic toll roads and options for payment for "foreign vehicles".
PS - we simply avoided these roads!


T Pullen, June-July 2012

The car – Peugeot 308SW diesel manual 2.0L with GPS.

We drove more than 5,000kms in just over 3 weeks. The 308SW was perfect for 4 adults and luggage. We were impressed with the comfort, space, performance, handling and economy. The boot was excellent with a luggage cover of course and the glass roof was most appreciated by passengers.

The in-built GPS was very good, although no GPS is ever perfect so you should still carry a current detailed road atlas with you as a back-up. Don't forget to select the places you want to stop en route, when entering your destination, otherwise you will miss them. We would not have been without the GPS, particularly in urban areas and on the urban motorways.

Collection at Paris CDG Airport went well, however when you call the location on arrival be sure to ask exactly where to meet the courtesy shuttle so there is no confusion.

Our driving experience:

• The traffic on motorways was generally very good at pulling right as soon as possible – and into smaller spaces than we are used to. However the lack of indicating before changing lanes, tailgating at 130km/hour and straddling two lanes was an education.

• We developed the habit at intersections and roundabouts of the passenger chanting "look left, keep right”. Particularly in light traffic or when you are a little stressed.

• Road signage is often in black and white particularly on secondary roads. This can be difficult to read at night. In towns street signs are not reflectorised and are often quite small and placed high on buildings. The GPS was indispensible in these circumstances.

• Toll roads: If you want to cover large distances quickly, the toll roads are great. 350km for EUR28.50 is a bargain! However, there were some fast learning curves.
  1. When you first start out, ensure you have a supply of EUR1 or EUR2 coins and small notes. A EUR50 note for a EUR1.80 toll caused the cash machine to work overtime!

2. Some credit cards and debit cards are not accepted in the automatic gates.

3. If you are paying cash, slow down well before the gates to determine which is the "Cash” gate. It is not always clear from the overhead signage and even the locals get confused. Choosing the wrong lane is stressful and seldom improves conversation in the car.

4. At all times have cash ready because at some gates you pay to enter.

5. The overhead signs describing the gates vary between motorways and can be inconsistent – just to add to the challenge!

A few final tips:

We used the "National Bank Travel Card”. This is a Mastercard debit card, preloaded with Euros. It was fantastic! Preload (in one hit if possible) with your expected spend + shopping money. Easy to use with minimal fees but:

1. Doesn't work at motorway toll stations

2. Expect to sign the voucher as PIN's are not always used

3. Some ATM's charge commission for cash withdrawals – just cancel and go to the next machine.

Cash: In Europe (and Britain) you will need to carry a lot more cash than you may be used to doing here. We had budgeted EUR75 per head per day for casual spending (excluding fuel, accommodation, etc.) and found we needed to carry at least EUR300 – 400 in cash. All of the apartments required cash in advance including the refundable deposit. Most ATM's had a limit of EUR300 for each withdrawal. So you need to plan ahead.

Most of the trip was planned ahead using the various internet searches. Where possible, we paid in advance. There were no disappointments. But beware of apartment owners who attempt to hike the price to recover their PayPal commission!

We went to the trouble of arranging in advance for a private fluent English speaking guide at several places (Chartres Cathedral, Al Hambra, etc). Well worth the effort and expense.

A do not miss experience: Plan to drive south on the A71 – A75 when driving to the south of France. You will come to the viaduct at Millau. Stop at the visitor centre. Walk up the hill and marvel. This is a seriously sexy example of 20th Century technology. Simply stunning.

Overall, we had a ball and want to go back to complete the bucket list. Three weeks was definitely not long enough!


A Cornwall, April 2012

We had a fantastic time in Europe!

One of the things we wanted was to have enough storage space to keep our suitcases under cover, and the Partner Tepee had plenty of it!

See photo which may help potential customers who are trying to get an idea of how much gear it can take. Not a great photo I know, but as this model is not in NZ it at least gives you an idea. When I took this there were only 3 of us, but we did get 4 people's luggage (including a guitar) in the boot!
[EuroLease note - soft bags were a smart choice too!]

I was really impressed with the power of the 1.6L diesel engine. Maybe I'm just not used to modern cars, but I thought it may have been a bit under-powered. Not at all! We had 5 people in it at one stage and there was plenty of get-up-and-go.

Another thing that was fantastic was the built-in GPS (who we nicknamed Lucy). We hadn't expected it, but it was built into the car. Lucy would even turn down the music temporarily if she had something to say. I would say that a GPS is an absolute must for anyone travelling in another country. It was fantastic.
[EuroLease note - lucky you to get GPS included as it is not a standard feature in the Partner Tepee for 2012!]

Picking up and delivering the car went perfectly to plan (Paris CDG Airport + Calais). So all in all we were very happy with the car, the process and everything, and would definitely do it again and recommend it to others!


K Shore, May 2012

Our family of six: husband, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren aged 7 and 4 had a wonderful trip to Ireland/UK, then on to Paris where we picked up our 5008 Peugeot EuroLease.

We did a lot of research in order to choose the right sized car as we were doing some serious km's and wanted to be comfortable.
I had numerous conversations with our ever helpful Delwyn at EuroLease to assist me with the right sized car to choose.

After Delwyn measured the boot for us with one of the back seats (row 3) down - which would seat one of the grandchildren - and us measuring our suitcases, we came to the conclusion that we could all fit plus luggage.

We managed to fit FOUR suitcases (height 70cm and width from front to back 29cm full) stacked in the available boot space with room behind the 6th seat for more, as well as hand luggage on top of the suitcases.

The 5008 was superb, absolutely everything we could wish for as far as room, fabulous little trays that folded down from the Row 2 seats, and Sally our GPS (we had to give her a name as she did us proud when we got into some sticky situations where we had never been before).

We thoroughly enjoyed the car and all our initial worries about perhaps having not quite enough room went out the window.

Thank you again to Peugeot EuroLease!

J Marinovich, June 2011

The travel insurance that came with my Platinum Visa paid out for the tyre replacement we required in France.
You may like to let future customers know.

A Lee, Sep 2011

5525 kms in 36 days.
Your recommendation of a small car, once we had discussed our probable journey, was good advice -  especially in Salerno on the Amalfi Coast and in Nice.
There were a few other 'tight' spots, and some of the roads off the autostrada in Italy and main roads in Corsica were very narrow.
One of the most scenic routes was from Vencie through Tuscany to Siena off the main roads.

'Dick Turpin' the highway robber is alive and well in France. Our first day on the motorway = 600kms and 45 Euros, but a great way to get distance covered quickly as we had to do. We had a deadline to meet in St Malo, to catch a ferry to Guernsey.

[note from EuroLease - be careful not to speed on the motorways as the 'in' and 'out' time on the motorway will alert police to your average speed!]

G Smith, Aug-Sep 2011.

The Peugeot 308 MCP AUTO diesel with GPS was a great car and being a diesel saved us NZ$518 on fuel compared to the cost of fuel last year in France. For us, the 308 averaged 5.2L/100kms compared to the 207 petrol average last year of 7.4L/100kms.

The Peugeot's GPS was interesting and took a wee bit of getting used to. The Peugeot system operates on route numbers whereas the TomTom system we normally use operates on direction, ie turn left or right. The Peugeot system assumes if you're on the correct route then there's no need to advise otherwise. Once we came to 'grips' with it we were able to alter the scaling when getting closer to our destination or find a McDonald's to access our emails etc.
We stayed at a couple of places we had visited last year and the Peugeot GPS showed us routes we hadn't been on before!

Our Peugeot 308 had similar safety features to theMercedes we drive in NZ - so this gave us a lot of confidence (eg. ESP, hill start assist, auto wipers and lights etc).

Peugeot's representative in Calais, Veronique, once again gave us excellent service.

Thank you for your help and advice to upgrade to the Peugeot 308 - it certainly added to the enjoyment of our travels in France.

A & R Howlett, 2011

My husband and I leased a Peugeot 207 for our trip in France and Spain, 25th May to 15th July inc. I was a little reluctant to pick up the car in Paris and tackle all the traffic so we flew to Birmingham, UK and then flew in to Brest, Brittany the next morning. On arrival at Brest airport the representative was there to meet us, took us to the car close by, showed us what we needed to know, programmed our GPS to get us from the airport to our farmstay and away we went.

Not having ever used a GPS before I mastered it straight away although it did seem to want to take us straight through the middle of most cities, that was, until I purchased a France atlas which was most useful for bypassing places.

We travelled 6200kms in France and Spain, the car performed well and was very, very, economical, we went for a manual but automatic probably would have been better. We found the compact size of the car invaluable when pottering about in villages and overtaking bicycles in the Pyrenees!!

We stayed in B&B's in France which was great fun, thank goodness I learnt a bit of French before we left NZ though, most people did not speak very much English but it made the trip all that more enjoyable and challenging. We did think that using cottages here and there would have been better, the downside of that would be not chatting to the French people. The countryside was wonderful along with the wildlife, castles, gardens, mountains etc. etc. Weather cooler than I thought it would be though. In Spain the roads were wonderful, a lot of them very new, hardly any traffic on them, certainly in the North anyway. The temperatures were a lot higher too which was pleasant for a while. In Spain we stayed in either hotel or hostel accommodation which was basic but okay.

J and M Tapley, Rotorua (2011)

We had a terrific trip to France and Italy.

Our Peugeot 308 was great and a good size for us to be able to put all luggage in the boot and out of sight.
Here is a photo of the car parked in Riomaggiore on the Cinque Terre.
Only 2 cars are allowed into the village at one time.
 
A suggestion to people travelling here, is to book a parking space when making their hotel reservation. It makes life a lot easier when you arrive by car at the entrance to this village.

J Reid, Auckland (2011)

I would like to let you know what an absolute pleasure it was to lease our Peugeot with EuroLease.

It is always a bit of a concern when you venture into something like this for the first time, wondering how it will turn out and what will the service be like and will everything go smoothly.
It is so unique these day when a company offers something that sounds and looks as wonderful as the EuroLease program does, to find out that it actually is just as good or even better than the literature and website say it is.

From the time we were picked up at the airport in Rome, until we dropped the car off a month later at the designated point in Spain, the staff could not have been more helpful, the service more friendly, and the car more comfortable, or tailored to suit our needs exactly.

Our Peugeot 207SW diesel was just delightful and never missed a beat the whole way and was sooo economical.

We had a fabulous time in Europe and that in no small way was helped by the smooth and reliable experience we had with Peugeot EuroLease. Thank you so much. 

Keep up the good work and we will definitely be using this service again soon.

S Sharp, Dunedin (2011)

Following a short (21 day) lease in 2005 during which we loved our Peugeot 308 deisel manual and travelled 6,500km without any problems at all (except for getting lost on the odd occasion!) we had no hesitation in leasing another Peugeot for a 4 month period from April to August 2010.

This time we decided that we would splash out and have all the 'bells & whistles' so that two 60+ drivers would have to think about as little as possible beyond just driving. As part of a reasonably budget conscious trip this was the best decision we made. This time our Peugeot 308 deisel was an auto model with a built in GPS and glass roof (although the glass roof was not a necessity with just the two of us). Once we learned not to disagree with 'her ladyship' (the GPS) we happily covered a distance of 18,600km in style and comfort.

The pick up and drop off procedures were very easy to handle and our unfortunate altercation with a deer two days out from returning the car only added about 30 minutes to the drop off while we completed insurance claim papers. We were grateful for the fully comprehensive insurance which Peugeot EuroLease provides (even though there was little damage to the car). This is a totally hassle-free method of car hire which we would always use again in the future, and would certainly recommend to others.

We spent a total of 6 months away from NZ - so a considerable amount of time went in to investigating accommodation options which would suit our budget. Wherever possible we used self-catering accommodation which proved to be both cost effective and pleasant.

If you are considering a trip (ours included Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia, Italy (& Sicily), France, Northern Spain and the UK)and would like to ask us anything, we would be happy for you to email us at elgeeb@gmail.com

Leone & Graeme, Auckland
April-August 2010

This was our latest experience with Peugeot Eurolease & again the service, vehicle & peace of mind were 100%!

We were delayed in Singapore, arrived in Europe & were again delayed in the snow in Frankfurt & eventually collected the car in Portugal 12 hours late - having called to advise we would be late the local office were more concerned for us than any disruption to their delivery.

The 3008 is a fantastic car - the cost worked out to be only just more than the 308 & with the extra luggage (travelling in winter) & older children than last time - we were so happy with the car & pleased with our decision to go 'big'.

The local rep was efficient, courteous & helpful at both pick-up & drop-off, in fact we were quite sad to see him drive off in our car at the airport.

European motorways are brilliant to drive on & even when driving on cobbled streets in 'ancient' villages the car performed well.

In closing, why would we look anywhere else for this service - we'll be back.

S Anderson, Hamilton
December 2010

We booked a Peugeot 5008 Premium HDi diesel 1.6L manual for 32 days.

You will see this photo shows our car in front of a Monastery in Carrion de los Condes. 

We liked this car very much as it had ample space inside for four passengers and their luggage, travelling a long distance (5000km +). Low fuel consumption was also to our satisfaction. All in all we concluded that our selection was excellent for what we had planned to do.

We found that passengers sitting at the back had ample leg room, even for long-legged people which is not often the case, adding to the overall comfort of this model.

Should we travel next year we would go for the 5008 again.

Marie-France & Dominique, Northland (Sep-Oct 2010)

It was a real challenge returning our vehicle to the Bordeaux city office.
It is not such an easy city to drive in.
Plus, the office closes from 12 noon to 2pm (usual French lunch break).
In future I would drop off the car at Bordeaux Airport (where we picked it up).
It was simple to find the service desk and there is plenty of parking close by.

I Wynn-Williams, Christchurch (Sep-Oct 2010)

Everything went absolutely perfectly again this year.
We will almost certainly be returning in 2012 and use Peugeot EuroLease of course.

I found these websites for road works, possible delays and traffic information very useful.
The telephone contacts for Switzerland also give real time information on any delays for the tunnels eg Gotthard etc (delays at peak periods can be loooong!!).

France
www.sanef.com
http://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/diri/Accueil.do?langue=en   (in English)
http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/homepage.html   (in English)


Italy
http://www.autostrade.it/en/index.html   (in English)


Switzerland
www.tcs.ch 
or phone  0900 57 1234   or   mobile 163


R Walters, Auckland (Aug-Sep 2010)

I am pleased to say that the Peugeot Expert Tepee Premium HDi 2.0L with GPS was an excellent machine, once I had mastered the gear shift being on the right and that all the other cars were on the wrong side of the road! 

We had a great time.

Here is a photo of "the van" taken ouside the Gite (Back packers) at Gerbier du Jonc which is the source of the Loire River high in the Central Masif.

There were 8 cyclists doing the 'Tour of the Loire' from Avignon to St Nazaire, a total of 1300+ kms.
The journey was highly successful.

And I found the side mirrors on the van were terrific. I had no problems backing the van or parking. In fact I would like a set of these mirrors on my own car.


J Howie, Picton (Aug-Sep 2010)

After nine successful Peugeot EuroLeases we had some really bad luck on this trip.

It happened in Spain...

When we stopped at an "Autogrill" layby on the drive south towards Valencia, we were distracted by thieves.
We would like to advise other travellers to be aware of their techniques.

Whilst standing beside our car, stretching our legs, we were distracted by a person shouting out and running around the rear of the car causing my wife and I to both look back at him. An accomplice meantime came from the front of the car and stole my wife's handbag from under the passenger seat, via the front door. Both then rushed off to an awaiting car which sped off before we had time to realise what had happened.

So,
- beware of people creating a scene and distracting you.
- do not keep all your documents in one container or bag -although we did loose our passports, mobile phone, some credit cards and prescription glasses, our money and other credit cards fortunately were elsewhere.
- always remove the key and lock the car, even if you are just going to stand beside it.
- report the robbery to the local police as soon as possible, as you will need their documentation before you can arrange new passports, credit cards etc, and start your insurance claim.
- ensure your phone is turned off and has a PIN for security so it is useless to the thieves.

We hope this feedback helps to warn other New Zealanders.

E & D Turner, May-Jul 2010

During May and June 2010 I leased a Peugeot 308 diesel manual with my wife and brother-in-law.

Touching down in Munich on a chilly Sunday morning in May we were a little nervous about how this rendezvous with the Peugeot representative was going to work. We were tired, having flown from Christchurch with a short wait in Singapore and then on to Munich. Arriving at 5.50am we are early for our arrangement to ring Peugeot at 7.30am so we took a seat in the terminal to fill in some time. Within five minutes a young man walked past with a name board under his arm and hey, that's my name. Simple as that! He is a charming young Bavarian, effortless English (just what he learnt at school he tells us), heaves our bags into his Peugeot and whisks us off to the Peugeot Open Europe office five minutes away, in the German countryside.

At first sight of our Peugeot 308 - which is going to take us 5000kms through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Italy and France - we loved it! It had just 20kms on the clock. Our three bags fitted into the boot with a squeeze and when the hatch closed it completely hid the fact that we were travellers. (If there were four of us we would definitely have wanted the 308 station wagon.)

It took about fifteen minutes to do the paperwork, be shown how to use the features of the car and go through the requirements of European law regarding coloured vests and reflective triangles (compulsory if you breakdown to put the reflective vest on before getting out of the car), then we were off. The car only had a small amount of fuel in it (the documentation we were given in advance warned us of this), so the first stop was a fuel station.
We were pleasantly surprised at the cost of diesel and the convenient dashboard displaythat showed1160kms before we'll need to refuel!

We set off on the autobahn heading south for Lake Bled in Slovenia, through the Austrian Alps. We were not sure how long it would take before jet-lag kicked in but we calculated that the drive would take about three and a half hours. With an open speed limit the cars just whizzed by, as we did a sedate 100km/hr -getting used to driving on the right. We settled down for the long drive and soon stopped for lunch in Slovenia, with wooded hillsides around us and warning signs that bears and wolves were close by. Not too long later, with jet-lag lurking, we rolled into the picturesque lake town of Bled, very happy and satisfied with our first day.
Our new Peugeot has performed like a dream.

The next two days were spent purring along on the quiet motorway down the Croatian Coast to Split and on to the beautiful old walled city of Dubrovnik - the jewel of the Adriatic. A stunning drive down what is said to be the most spectacular coastline in Europe. Travelling by car really is the best way to travel this coast, as the public transport options are limited. Apart from that we loved the freedom of stopping wherever and whenever we liked, to sit in seaside cafes, swim in the clear warm water of the Adriatic and stroll around charming old Croatian villages that cling to the side of the steep rocky mountains rising up out of the sparkling blue sea.

Medjugorie (near Mostar) in Bosnia was our next stop. We were warned to stay on the road because of unexploded land mines. This makes us a little nervous but with the help of our GPS we wound our way into Medjugorie (site of regular Marian apparitions since 1981) and out again the next day, back to Split to catch the roll on / roll off overnight ferry across to Ancona, Italy.

The GPS was wonderful but it can sometimes take you on some weird roads that you wouldn't choose if you knew better. One of these was Ancona to Assisi. I just couldn't believe that this remote rough narrow road was the main road to such a well trod tourist town. Well, I was wrong because we were soon ascending the hill of Assisi and found a convenient car park just a short walk from the Basilica -built above the tomb of St Francis. We are happy to spend a few hours here - an amazing place and not to be missed if you are in the area.

As an aside, we did not had any difficulty parking. Pay and display was common and not expensive, one to two Euros an hour and two hours is usually enough to take a good walk around a town or historic site.

We took two days to make our way through Tuscany, the Italian and French Riviera and up into Provence where we had booked a villa. As we headed north inland the terrain changed and we were soon whizzing through the rolling hills and expansiveness of Mediterranean France. The villa was in a tiny hamlet near the hilltop villages of Gourdes, Roussillon and Menerbes (the subject of Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence"), sizzling in the Provencal heat. But with a swimming pool outside our door it was no hardship and why would it be when it was June and our emails from home told us that it had been raining and cold in Christchurch since we left.

The Peugeot gave us the means to spend our mornings exploring nearby villages, returning mid afternoon to the pool, chatty late afternoon happy hours drinking excellent local reds (three to four Euros a bottle) and simple evening meals of fresh vegetables and fruit, especially cherries which are plentiful in Provence in June.

It was then time to head north to the house we rented for eight days in the village of Ancy le Franc, Burgundy. This area is known for producing Chablis (the village of Chablis is nearby) and rolling hills of wheat and mustard stretching to the horizon. The village has a magnificent chateau, beautifully restored and visited by many canal boaties, just a short walk from the town.
Here we took on village life, partying with our neighbours, cycling down the tow path of the canal, morning and evening strolls to the patisserie for our baguettes and daily excursions in our Peugeot. Within two or three hours in every direction there was a never ending supply of interesting places to see. Not to mention our neighbour who walked her McCaw Parrot twice daily past our front door, like Long John Silver!
Eight leisurely days sail by... long enough for us to fall in love with the village and the lifestyle.

But, alas, it was again time to head for the auto route, this time for the 206km drive to Paris and our drop off at the Peugeot depot at Orly Airport. We felt some nervousness about driving into Paris but this proved to be groundless. The GPS and Peugeot location instructions took us straight to the depot.

"Are you expecting us?" I ask.
"Oui Monsieur" was the reply!

PS. We spent 24 days travelling 5000kms on four and a half tanks of diesel - not bad!


A Silcock, May-June 2010

G Hansen, Jun-Jul 2010

What a great time we had in France, and in our Peugeot 3008 auto diesel.

With reference to the photo,this is one of the coolest places we found near Carcassonne - a great place if you like retro.

It is run by a UK/French family of buskers and circus clowns.

http://www.airstreameurope.com/


A Hucks, Jun-Jul 2010

We had a great time and can't speak highly enough of the 308 hatch we had over the 50 days in Italy and Eastern Europe during September and October.

My wife enjoyed driving it as much as I did, to the extent that towards the end of our trip she did more mileage than me. And having GPS was certainly a bonus, as was the glass roof which we used to good effect through the Swiss Alps.
I was also impressed with the electronic extras that the car had, especially when we collected a screw in a tyre and having a "low pressure” message appear.This enabled us to have a very inexpensive repair carried out at your Peugeot service centre in Lucerne before more serious problems occurred.

Nothing else went wrong with the vehicle - the collection and return went very smoothly at Nice Airport.

This photo was taken on a coffee stop in the Czech Republic, enroute from Prague to Vienna.



G Sharman, Sep-Oct 2009

We had a great time in Europe and our Peugeot was definitely a highlight.

The biggest drama was getting fuel on a Sunday in France. I had to ask another motorist to use his card and pay him cash.

[He would have had a special card that allowed him to pay at the pump.Tourists should fill up before the weekend.]

Overall, I was more than happy and have already recommended this type of travel to a number of friends and will continue to do so in the future.

J Morgan, Aug-Sep 2009

In Spain, we ran foul of the police resulting in a $320 fine!

I was travelling with bikes on the back and the Spanish police maintained that they couldn't see enough of the rear plate and that as the bikes were 250mm beyond the tailgate I required a V 20 sign. I had been travelling around France for 2 weeks prior to this, had been stopped for a routine licence check by the police there, and they were okay with the bikes.
It took me 5 minutes to take the bikes off, raise the carrier 75 mm to resolve the problem of the number plate, but still had the fine imposed.
The V 20 took about two hours of hunting round a town to resolve plus 20euro.
Thankfully we had the safety vest, emergency triangle and first aid kit - had I not have had these I hate to think how big the fine would have been in Spain.

FYI - the bike rack was a Rhode Gear collapsible job that is held in place with straps and plastic covered hooks. Works well on all types of cars and breaks down so that it fits into a large suitcase.

R Pearson, June-August 2009

We had the 207SW and really enjoyed it.

Peugeot's service was awesome with collection and return at Rome FCO Airport.

We did about 2,700kms from south to west coast and north up to Venice,then back to Rome... all on just 3 tanks of diesel!


Photo taken in Positano.


F Cartwright, June-July 2009

I honestly cannot stop raving about Peugeot EuroLease.

We really enjoyed the time we had in our Peugeot 207. It was the best way to see parts of Europe you can otherwise not reach with organised tours and group travel. So, thank you so much for making it easy and stress free.

We had an incident on the German autobahn involving a loose tyre literally flying across the autobahn which hit about 5 other cars including ourselves, but we were lucky in that our bumper managed to stay on after being hit at about 160km/hr. When we returned the car it was not a problem at all, and the insurance covered all damage that had occurred. It's this sort of service that makes Peugeot EuroLease worth your while by far, over any other method of transport. We were so thankful to not have rented a car in Europe, as these things are bound to happen at some point.


S Scott, Sep-Oct 2009

We had a wonderful time.

Our Peugeot 207 was great, no issues at all.
We were glad we chose a small car as we spent quite some time among the hilltowns of northern Italy, and even a Peugeot 308 would have proved just that much more tricky, given the width of the roads. We even went along one road that a 30-year local had never had the nerve to go along!

We took a GPS with us for our 88 days and 6750km. It would have been a nightmare without it.
At a few hundred dollars, it is very cheap marriage insurance!

This photo proves that while a 207 is small, a Smart car is a whole lot smaller!



J Warren, Aug-Nov 2009

We had a Peugeot 308SW HDi with GPS during September and October 2009.

Having committed ourselves to a lease Peugeot for our holiday in France during September and October this year we were a little apprehensive when we received all the paper work from EuroLease.

All the arrangements sounded very complex and specific including ringing the depot four days before collecting or returning the car, to ensure an appointment was made.

In reality it was far far simpler. We rang before collecting and arrived at the office at La Defense in Paris [Paris, Courbevoie] at 10 o'clock on a Friday morning. Thirty years since I had driven on the wrong side of the road.

The plush offices were welcoming and after a cup of coffee it was down to business.

Paperwork was out of the way quickly, then we got a quick once over of the car and clear explanation from the representative. My wife and the representative were testing their language skills but we had to settle for English so I could understand!

The GPS was explained, had already been programmed to get us back to our hotel and to the final drop off zone at Nice airport.

The car was a treat - a 1.6L engine that drove like a 2.0L. No problems when it was full with luggage and three people.
We enjoyed every bit of our trip with the car.
Paris, Tours, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rodiz, Avignon and Nice was the rough route of our three week trip.

The car is pictured with my wife and daughter outside a friends gite near St Flovier in the Lot, south west of Tours.

We were both so pleased with the car that we will definitely be considering one when we next buy a new car - but after this holiday it may be a while!



M Carr, Sep-Oct 2009

We drove the new Peugeot 3008 diesel manual this year and what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!
The space, comfort and power was ideal.
To climb up Austria's highest mountain or travel long distances was a sheer joy.

As on previous occasions the service provided by Peugeot EuroLease was commendable.


O & S Lichtnecker, July-August 2009

We collected our Peugeot 308SW manual diesel from Paris CDG Airport.

It proved a wonderful way to travel for the months of April, May and June principally in Spain but also through Portugal, France, Holland and England.

This was our first experience with a GPS and although it was a new model, and the handover could have been better, we learnt by trial and error over the first week or so.

A GPS does not replace a map book, nor can you rely on it absolutely (the software was unaware of relatively new roundabouts and roads), but we would never again travel without one. Its value far exceeded the small extra cost.

It was a pleasure to go exploring each day in otherwise inaccessible places and we particularly enjoyed being able to open the back hatch and use the back floor as our coffee table no matter what the weather.

We averaged 5.5 litres of diesel per 100 km's over 10,500kms ... hence we were very impressed with both the economy and performance of the 308SW.

We would certainly use Peugeot EuroLease again and recommend it wholeheartedly as a great way to travel.


A & C Van Wonderen, Auckland (April-June 2009)

Photo: Coffee stop, Gibraltar

After doing the little bit of paperwork he actually drove in front of us showing the way to our hotel which was about 10 minutes from the airport in a lovely little village called Ferny-Voltaire.

The drop off point at Nice Airport was also easy to find and use.
One tip I would give to your future customers is to do what we did. Pick up the car at a small airport, like Geneva, and drive on small secondary roads for the first few days.

We travelled on all small 'A' roads right through Switzerland which gave us time to get used to driving in Europe. It also gave us the opportunity to see the real Switzerland, Italy and Southern France, and to stay in small towns were the local people were really nice.

N Hurley. May-June, 2005

We drove 12,500 kms in 10 weeks, after picking up our Peugeot 207 Premium Pack HDi diesel 1.6L (with GPS) in Calais. We drove through France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and Germany...

It performed faultlessly.

While the GPS coverage was a little sparse inCroatia and Slovenia,having a car with GPS was a key part in the success of our overall holiday.

Congratulations on an excellent service in Calais and Paris CDG Airport, and of course for the arrangements in New Zealand.

P & J Martell, Auckland
(March-May 2009)

We have just returned from spending the month of April camping in Europe.

The car we selected was a Peugeot 308SW, automatic with the 2.0L turbo diesel engine, with GPS and the glass roof. A brilliant car.

It handled all of our camping gear, the 4 of us (5 at times), cruised at 140km/hour and still averaged 7.4 litres per 100km! It was even fun to drive on the windy B roads.

The pick up in Paris was quick and easy, as was the drop off at Paris CDG Airport. The staff were very helpful, if a little surprised at how much gear was to go into the back of the car!

We covered 9400km in total through France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Mainly on the toll roads, which allowed us to cover distance quickly and easily. We did almost 700kms in one big day across Switzerland and France. The scenery helped pass the time, and the trays in the back seats were a bonus. We experienced all sorts of weather conditions, from sunshine and warm temperatures, to driving snow and sub-zero. The 308SW never missed a beat.

The GPS was a great idea as we soon came to rely on "Jo-Jo". We saw parts of Europe that we never would have without the GPS. Rural towns, deserted roads and stunning scenery were an added bonus to getting to where we wanted to go. Although she did get a little confused near Venice when we were on a new motorway that she didn't know about! We soon learnt to make the GPS give us the answers we wanted, and it gave us the freedom to travel off the main routes at any time.

The MP3 jack in the glove box was big help. It meant we could listen to our tunes and not have to carry CD's.

We had a great trip and showed our girls some of the best parts of Europe. Enough fun for them to want to start planning the next trip!


J Logan, Auckland
(April 2009)

Three years ago we did a similar trip through France & Italy in a rental car and we had several unfortunate experiences from the rental car company including poor service and significant additional costs which we had no prior warning of - despite organising everything from here and being assured all was pre-paid.

In contrast, our Peugeot EuroLease went virtually without hitch. The pick-up point (Bordeaux Airport) was easy to find, the person expected us and had everything ready. They walked us to the car, explained everything and even programmed our first stop into the GPS system. All we had to do was follow the spoken directions from the guidance system - it was just too easy.

Returning the car was OK, a little confusing - but only because we had not properly read the instructions to phone in advance. So we had to wait an hour for the representative to get to the airport and find us - however not really a problem and not their fault.

Here is a photo of us with the 807 at the exclusive Vega Sicilia vineyard in Spain.

We will certainly consider EuroLease for our next trip.

T Anderson, Auckland
(September 2008)

It's all very well when trips go smoothly, but the real test of service is when they don't.
It was 9pm on a Sunday evening in Stuttgart, the Euro 2008 football competition in the quarter final stages, and I burst the right front and rear tires of our Peugeot 308 on a kerb that I swear moved out a metre to catch me. One call to the freecall 24hour 'Peugeot Assistance' service number and "the towtruck will be there within the hour, sir, and I will call in 2 hours to check you have arrived safely to your hotel".

Yeah, right.

Well, actually; Yeah. Absolutely right. Within 40 minutes the truck was there, the car hoisted on the back, and we were driven the 25 km back to the hotel. At 11pm a ring from France, checking we were safe and happy and asking me to contact them directly if there were any further problems.

When the under-staffed and over-worked local dealer had not finshed replacing tires and rims within 2 days, a call to the same helpline had our car on the road in 6 hours.

We found the Peugeot 308 a dream for the two of us with a couple of suitcases and hand luggage, able to cruise comfortably at 130 km/hr on the wonderful toll roads. The english speaking GPS is a must. Armed with that and a Lonely Planet, the strongest recommendation I would make is for a laptop or notebook with wireless Vodaphone access to internet sites such as Wotif. We found internet cafes few and far between, and relatively expensive (5 euro for 30 mins).

We are already planning our next European trip with a Peugeot.

The attached photo is of our 308 outside the Domaine de Brandois, a wonderful hotel near Sables d'olonne on the Atlantic coast.

J Petrie, Rotorua
(Jun-Jul 2008)

Certain countries in Europe (eg. Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic and possibly others) do NOT have toll booths on motorways. Instead they charge a fee for a motorway "toll sticker". It's called a "Vignette" and can be purchased at the borders and service stations, and is available for varying periods of time.

There is an option in the GPS to avoid toll roads. However, the GPS does not consider the motorways of these countries as toll roads and will therefore include them in the route.

The penalties can be quite nasty if you are caught, and "yes" we did use them inadvertently in the Czech Republic for 200km and "no" we did not get caught.


J & T Pullen, Auckland
(Jun-Jul 2008)

We were warned of bandits who, at lights or roundabouts, puncture a tyre and then offer to help you fix it, while at the same time making off with your valuables.

Our tyre was punctured on the outskirts of Valencia. Bandits came to offer their help, but we drove on the bad tyre until we were able to stop and replace it.

Next day we found a Peugeot garage, had the tyre replaced and then went to the police to record the story & obtain a police report so we could be reimbursed for the tyre.

We were grateful for the warning, ensuring we were one step ahead and our holiday was not ruined with replacing passports, credit cards etc.


M Gifford, Oamaru (2006)