Thrifty NT Agents

Terms & Conditions of Hire

All renters are encouraged to read through our Rental Agreement Terms and Conditions of Hire

Please also read below some important points and information in regards to hiring a Thrifty vehicle from the NT & Kimberley.

Unsealed Road Access

  • 2WD, AWD and small SUV vehicles are not permitted to be driven on unsealed roads; you must keep the vehicle on bitumen/paved roads only.

NO BEACH DRIVING ALLOWED

Area of Use

  • It is important to advise Thrifty, when renting your vehicle, where you are planning to travel.  There are areas where Thrifty vehicles are prohibited from going as well as areas where your Thrifty representative will be able to advise you on must know information for travelling into these specific areas.

Underbody and Overhead Damage

  • Any damage sustained to rented vehicles as a result of damage to the roof or to the underbody (including mechanical) are at the hirer’s expense.
  • Examples of damage that can occur are vehicles being driven into underground car parks or under low hanging branches, sitting on the roof or bonnet of the vehicle and driving over an object either on or off the road.

Water Damage

  • All of our locations are in flood prone areas; Thrifty’s Damage Liability does not cover damage sustained to the rented vehicle as a result of water intrusion.  Typically, water intrusion occurs when customers try to drive through rivers or on flooded roads.

Dusk to Dawn

  • If you are planning to tour some of the wonders of the NT or Kimberley Region, you need to be aware that wildlife are more active on and around roads between dusk and dawn.  This makes it dangerous to drive during this period.
  • Depending on where you are in this region, there may be kangaroos, wallabies, cattle, horses, donkeys, camels, emus, birds and lizards on the road.
  • As per the Thrifty Terms and Conditions, you must not take the vehicle outside any town or city limits between sunset and sunrise. The exception to this is Yulara Township and Uluru, Kata Tjuta National Park area.

Bat and Bird Droppings

  • Bird and, in particular bat droppings are very acidic, if left on a vehicle for even a short period of time the paintwork can be severely damaged.  We ask you to wash any of these droppings off the vehicle.  If you are near a Thrifty off-airport location, we would be happy for you to call in and we will wash it off for you.

Keep your car keys secure

  • If your rental vehicle is stolen using the keys and it is deemed by thrifty and/or its own insurer that the customer has not taken reasonable measures to ensure that they keys were secure, the customer is liable for any loss or damage.
  • Examples of this are leaving the keys in the ignition, losing the keys or having the keys inside a house, accommodation or any other premises when a door or window is left open.

Fuel

Please make sure your vehicle is full of fuel when you return it, Thrifty’s refuelling charge is much more expensive than if you fuel it yourself.

  • Please make sure that you fill your vehicle with the correct fuel, for example, customers that do not usually drive a diesel vehicle, there is a chance that you could fuel the vehicle with unleaded.
  • The cost of the damage to the engine and removal or replacement of the wrong fuel is at the customer’s expense and is not covered by any DRF option.

Four Wheel Drive Vehicles (4WD)

  • 4wd vehicles allow you to see parts of this region that are not accessible to 2wd or AWD vehicles. When driving 4wd’s on unsealed roads you need to take extra care as speed and the condition of the road can cause major accidents including rolling the vehicle. (A 4wd vehicle is defined as having a transfer case with independent Low Range gearing capability)
  • 4wd vehicles are only permitted to be driven on gazetted roads; they cannot be driven Off Road, please read the Thrifty Terms & Conditions for the definition of Off Road.  NO BEACH DRIVING ALLOWED

Vehicle Recovery

  • Where a vehicle is rendered undriveable due to accident damage and requires towing to the nearest Thrifty branch, the hirer shall be responsible for all associated costs in recovering that vehicle. Should Thrifty offer a replacement vehicle to the Hirer, the Hirer is also responsible for the cost of relocating this vehicle.

Roadside Assist

  • Should your hire vehicle experience mechanical failure please call one of the phone numbers below:

o Passenger 2wd & 4wd Vehicle Breakdown – PH 1800 811 506 o Large Bus and Truck Breakdown – PH 1300 619 547

  • The length of time it takes the contractor to arrive at a breakdown will vary; breakdowns in remote areas may take many hours.

Accidents/Incidents

  • If you have an accident/incident please call 136139.

Conditional/Denied Access

There are many areas and sites that Thrifty NT will not allow access to and where different damage liability conditions apply. Listed below are the areas where these vehicle types MUST NOT be driven at any time.

Should you decide to enter these areas Thrifty NT WILL NOT provide any damage liability coverage. Any damage to the vehicle, either mechanical or panel, sustained in these areas or as a result of being in these areas, will be at the HIRER’S EXPENSE as will any costs relating to vehicle recovery.

Thrifty reserves the right to deny access to some areas due to road conditions without notice.

Access is DENIED as per above to areas listed within the following regions:

Kakadu Region: Jim Jim and Twin Falls
Arnhem Land : Access to Arnhem Land including Gurig/Cobourg National Park
Katherine Region: Central Arnhem Road to Gove beyond Bulman.
Kimberley Region: Mitchell Plateau and Kalumburu, Kalumburu Road North of Drysdale River Station, Canning Stock Route, Tanami Track (including Wolfe Creek Crater.
Broome: Cable Beach, any roads south of Eighty Mile Beach.
Central Australia: Tanami Track west of Rabbit Flat, Gunbarrell Highway, Plenty/Donahue Highway, Canning Stock Route and the Strzelecki Track. With Thrifty’s written consent and knowledge, you can travel on the Oodnadatta Track and Birdsville Track only when travelling with another vehicle.
Other Areas: Outside of the Northern Territory or Western Australian borders without Thrifty’s prior consent.

Travelling outside any town or city limits between sunset and sunrise is denied.

Any Aboriginal lands which require a permit unless Thrifty have given prior written approval upon submission of a valid entry permit, entry to Aboriginal Land without a permit is illegal.

Areas with special conditions:

Only FFARs are permitted to travel in the following areas and routes and they are subject to seasonal road conditions, permission must be given expressly by Thrifty prior to travel:

(a) in the Northern Territory:

(i) on Larapinta Drive or Namatjira Drive, also known as the Mereenie Loop Road; and

(ii) on the Tanami Road, east of Rabbit Flat;

(b) in Western Australia:

(i) on the Spring Creek Track, (the access road to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles);

(ii) on the Gibb River Road, and all unsealed roads adjacent to this road;

(iii)  on the Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road, and all unsealed roads adjacent to this road; and

(iv)  on the Duncan Highway, and all unsealed roads adjacent to this road

Even if Thrifty has granted permission to travel in these areas and routes, and you have purchased additional Loss or Damage cover that reduces the DRF, the standard, non-reducible DRF and SVA amounts apply in these areas.

The standard damage recovery fees on FFAR’s is $5500 for a multi vehicle accidents and $7700 for a single vehicle accident always apply, Premium Protection or Ultimate Protection options purchased will NOT apply while travelling on these roads.

Gibb River Road travel between June and September is subject to seasonal road conditions. It is the responsibility of the renter to check road conditions before travel.

Driving through Australia’s vast Northern Territory is a fascinating and rewarding experience. The Northern Territory boasts some of the best road conditions in Australia, with most roads sealed.

The following is a guide only to the road conditions and the vehicle type suitable to the major tourist attractions in the Top End. Thrifty Car Rental reserves the right to deny access to some areas due to road conditions without notice.