Best Weekly & Long-Term Car Rental in Melbourne (2026)

Melbourne’s independent rental scene doesn’t live at the airport — it clusters in the south-east and the growth corridors: Thomastown, Tarneit, Dandenong, Oakleigh, Clyde North, Huntingdale. We ranked every rated car rental operator in Greater Melbourne and kept only the true independents: Australian-owned, Melbourne-local, no international chains or national networks. This page is written for someone hiring by the week or the month — a rideshare driver, a new arrival, a long-stay renter — not for a three-day holiday.

Prices, bonds and terms read from each operator’s own website on 17 September 2026. Google ratings pulled from Maps the same day. Where a business does not publish something, this page says Not published rather than guessing — that gap is the operator’s, not ours. How we ranked these operators.

Quick comparison

Seven columns. Three are filled for every operator — the name, its Google rating and the adjusted score behind the order. The other four are the ones that decide whether you can actually rent, and they’re usually blank: what a week costs, what you put down as a bond, how old you must be, and whether an overseas licence works. Eleven operators fill ten places, because the tenth spot is a tie.

Read down the “Not published” columns and you have the real state of this market: nine of Melbourne’s eleven best-rated independents will not tell you what a week costs until you call them, and only three say anything at all about the bond. That is not a small detail — it is why comparing weekly hire in this city is so hard, and why this table exists.

The top 10

1. Prime Car Rentals — 5.0★ (219) · 4.894 adjusted · Thomastown

Best rated in the city. A family-run operator in Thomastown with more than twenty years in the trade, and Melbourne’s highest adjusted score. Pricing is by the day, not the week: from $29/day for a Toyota Yaris, $35 for a Corolla or Mazda 3, $39 for a Camry, Mazda 6, RAV4 or CX-5, and $55 for a Hilux.

Insurance excess comes in three tiers — the base rate carries a $3,000 excess, $10/day brings that down to $2,000, and $15/day (its “Prime Cover”) to $1,000. A non-Australian licence adds $5/day, capped at 14 days, and needs proof of an Australian address on the contract; probationary licence holders must be over 25. Taking the car into regional Victoria is $10/day, also capped at 14 days. Payment is by debit card, Visa or Mastercard.

Who it’s for: a short-to-medium hire where you’re happy to pay by the day and want to choose your own excess. Who it’s not for: anyone who wants a weekly number before they call — none is published — or a probationary driver under 25.

2. Baraka Car Rentals — 5.0★ (191) · 4.882 adjusted · Tarneit

Built for rideshare, from the ground up. A 100% Toyota hybrid fleet out of Tarneit, approved for Uber, DiDi and Uber Eats, with every car CPV-compliant. From $240/week for a Corolla Hybrid, $250 for a Camry Hybrid, $300 for a RAV4 Hybrid and $380 for a Kluger Hybrid seven-seater. Insurance, scheduled servicing, roadside assistance and unlimited kilometres across Victoria are all inside the one weekly payment — fuel is the only extra.

Bond is $500. There is no lock-in contract; you return the car with a week’s notice. What it does not do is take an overseas licence on its own — its terms and its booking form both require an Australian full licence. Payment is by Visa, bank transfer or cash.

Who it’s for: Uber, DiDi and Uber Eats drivers who want one all-inclusive hybrid payment and no lock-in. Who it’s not for: a renter whose only licence is an overseas one — Baraka is explicit that it wants an Australian full licence.

3. A & Jay Car & Truck Rentals — 4.9★ (809) · 4.873 adjusted · Dandenong

The most-reviewed independent in Melbourne. This is the Dandenong branch — 3 Plunkett Road — with 809 ratings on its own, the largest record on this list by a wide margin. The fleet runs to cars, 7, 8 and 12-seaters, and 1 and 2-tonne delivery vans, and it will deliver for special occasions.

Nothing is priced on the site, and its terms and conditions exist only as a PDF we could not open. No bond, age or licence rule is published anywhere on the page — the phone number is the only way to get any of those answers.

This is one of three A & Jay locations on this page, and all three make the top ten — Oakleigh is fifth, and Pakenham ties for tenth. Same company, same website, three separate addresses with their own Google ratings, so each is scored on its own record rather than as one network; see why below.

Who it’s for: anyone comfortable calling first, who values a long, huge and public record over a published number. Who it’s not for: anyone comparing a price, a bond or a licence rule online before they call — none of it exists on the page.

4. Super Easy Car Rentals — 5.0★ (159) · 4.864 adjusted · Clyde North

Broadest fleet aimed at rideshare and new arrivals. Out of Clyde North, its site advertises “economy cars, luxury sedans, spacious SUVs, and rideshare-ready vehicles” and markets directly to two groups by name: Uber drivers (“Ready for Rideshare? Start Earning Today!”) and international students (“Affordable Rentals for International Students”). It also sells and finances cars alongside the rental business.

No weekly number is published — a customer testimonial on its own site praises “competitive weekly rates”, but a review is not the operator publishing a price, so this page doesn’t repeat a figure. Contactable 24/7 by phone.

Who it’s for: rideshare drivers and international students in Melbourne’s south-east who want a wide choice of vehicle types from one desk. Who it’s not for: anyone who wants a rate before they call — nothing is published.

5. A & Jay Car & Truck Rentals — Oakleigh — 4.9★ (186) · 4.801 adjusted · Oakleigh East

The second A & Jay branch. 1715 Dandenong Rd, Oakleigh East — its own address and its own 186 ratings, on the same site and the same unpriced fleet as the Dandenong branch above. The same caveat applies: no price, bond, age or licence rule is published anywhere on the page.

Who it’s for / not for: the same as the Dandenong branch — a caller happy to phone first, not a comparison shopper.

6. EZ Car Rentals — 4.9★ (184) · 4.800 adjusted · Huntingdale

The most transparent price list in Melbourne. Fourteen weekly rates, published in full: from $195/week for a budget car, $210 for a compact, $220 for a medium car or a 1-tonne economy van, $240 for a budget SUV, $275 for a 1-tonne ute or van, $295 for a seven-seater, $300 for a Hilux tradie-spec, $350 for a European car or dual-cab ute, and $385 for a large SUV or a seven-seat hybrid. No surge pricing, no lock-in contract.

Bond is $500, refunded the same day about 99% of the time (allow up to 48 hours). It accepts an International Driver’s Licence outright, and takes drivers from 21 — probationary licence holders may pay extra. Payment is by bank card, bank transfer, PayID or cash. One hard limit: it does not allow interstate travel at all.

Who it’s for: a south-east Melbourne renter who wants a published price list and an international licence accepted without a surcharge. Who it’s not for: anyone planning to drive the car interstate.

7. One Stop Car Rental — 5.0★ (85) · 4.790 adjusted

Lowest published day rate on this list. A Melbourne Airport-area operator running a fleet with several hybrids (Prius, Camry, Civic) from $19.99/day. Its About page names personal use, long-term hire, rideshare and food delivery as customers it serves.

We are not printing a weekly figure for One Stop. Numbers scraped from its site today — $230, $210, $170, $240 — read like weekly prices mislabelled as daily ones, which is exactly what our own notes flagged when this same page was last read in August; until someone re-reads the site cleanly, none of those numbers are cited here.

Who it’s for: the cheapest published day rate in the city, for a short hire. Who it’s not for: anyone who wants a reliable weekly number today — what the site shows doesn’t check out.

8. AUZ Rental Cars — 4.9★ (106) · 4.750 adjusted

Delivered to you, not picked up from a yard. No fixed public address — cars are delivered to the customer or their hotel, with a free transfer to and from Melbourne Airport. Pricing runs by cover tier: “Fun Time” at $35/day ($500 excess, $500 bond) and “No Stress” at $52/day (zero excess, $500 bond), against a pricier “Basic Cover” tier with a $2,500 excess.

Drivers 21 to 24 pay a $23/day surcharge, and a full licence held for at least 12 months is required. On debit cards, AUZ’s own site is not consistent: its pricing pages mention a “credit cards/debit card bond”, but its FAQ says a Visa or Mastercard debit card “may” be accepted and asks renters to phone and confirm — so this page doesn’t call it either way.

Who it’s for: a renter happy to have the car delivered rather than pick up from a yard, especially near the airport. Who it’s not for: anyone under 21, or anyone who needs debit-card payment confirmed before they book.

9. EW Rentals — 5.0★ (62) · 4.747 adjusted · Reservoir

Long hours, short minimums. A small five-seat hatchback from $50/24hrs, with discounts on 3, 5 or 7-plus day hire and unlimited kilometres; it also runs a 10-seat van. Pickup and drop-off run from 6:00am to 11:00pm, seven days a week.

No bond, age or licence rule is published anywhere on its site.

Who it’s for: flexible short hire outside normal business hours, in Melbourne’s north. Who it’s not for: anyone who wants a bond, age or licence answer before they call — none of it is online.

10. A & Jay Car & Truck Rentals — Pakenham — 4.9★ (97) · 4.741 adjusted (tied) · Pakenham

The third A & Jay branch. 10 Southeast Blvd, Pakenham — the smallest of the three by review count, on the same site and the same unpriced fleet as Dandenong and Oakleigh above. No bond, age or licence rule is published here either.

Who it’s for / not for: the same as the other two branches — a caller happy to phone first, not a comparison shopper.

10. Diamond Car and Commercial Rentals — 4.9★ (97) · 4.741 adjusted (tied) · Preston

Long minimum, low day rate. Out of Preston, from $39/day for a Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, Mazda 2 or Holden Barina, and $49/day for a Cruze, Tarago or Carnival. Its own terms carry a detail easy to miss: day-rate hire runs on a 28-day minimum — this is not a rental for a weekend.

Drivers must be 21, “depending on licence”, and hold that licence for at least 12 months. Charges are billed to a credit card or charge account under its terms; no debit card is mentioned either way. A reading from 25 August noted a fee for cancelling within seven days of pickup, not re-confirmed in today’s excerpts of the same terms page.

Who it’s for: a straightforward day rate for a genuinely long stay — the 28-day minimum makes that explicit rather than hidden in fine print. Who it’s not for: a short hire, or anyone under 21 or holding a licence less than a year.

Just outside the ten

Cartrex — Removals, Rentals and Logistics (4.9★ over 82 ratings · 4.723 adjusted) is next by nota, but its name pairs removals and logistics with rentals the same way Rent A Van’s did, and we haven’t read its site — so nothing about what it actually rents is claimed here. Best Rentals (4.9★ over 72 · 4.708) and KKL Rentals (5.0★ over 47 · 4.707) round out the next three; neither publishes a website, so there is nothing more to check against.

How we ranked these operators

Every operator was pulled from Google Maps on 17 September 2026 and ranked on a Bayesian average — the same method IMDb uses for its Top 250, and the standard answer to the problem every rating list has: a perfect five from sixty people is not the same claim as a 4.7 from eight hundred.

It works like this. Every business starts with 50 notional ratings at the market average, and its real ratings are added to those. The market average is 4.432★, measured across the 677 independent car rental operators in our national census. So a business rated by 809 people is judged almost entirely on its own record, while one rated by sixty is pulled a real distance back toward the market. The adjusted figure — the “nota” — is printed beside every entry, on the same star scale, so the order can be checked without trusting us.

The floor stays: at least 15 ratings and 4.3★. Of Melbourne’s 312 car rental businesses we compared, 123 have no rating at all — they were classified, never scored — and only 65 pass the floor to compete for a place in this ranking. “Compared” is not “ranked”: we never say a business was placed among 312, only that 312 were looked at.

We excluded seven of the 24 highest-nota candidates by reading their own sites, not their names. Melbourne Classic Car Rentals and Prestige Rentals run classic, vintage and exotic fleets built around weddings and photo shoots (Ferraris, Lamborghinis, a 1974 Mercedes SL); Prestige also runs a chauffeur service and its own accident-replacement pages for Canberra and Perth. Redline Car Hire, Asset Rentals and Viewhill Car Hire are all accident-replacement businesses — their own sites describe a not-at-fault claim billed to the other driver’s insurer (Viewhill even names a sister brand, fastcr.com.au, that does the same thing), which is a different business from renting a car by the week. Rent A Van rents exactly what its name says — vans and one and two-tonne trays, with not one passenger car on its site — so it sits in the same category our census keeps separate from car rental, the same reason heavy trucks and machinery don’t appear on this list either. Infinity Car Rentals & Sales would have placed fourth on nota alone, but its only channel is a Facebook page that blocks automated reading; with no site text to check against the rules, and a name that pairs “Rentals” with “Sales”, we left it out rather than guess.

Phoenix Car Rentals, published on this page before this rewrite, does not appear among today’s top candidates at all — its nota is lower than every operator listed here, the same way Guru Car Rentals and FCS Rental fell out of Brisbane’s list when that page moved to this method.

You will see A & Jay Car & Truck Rentals’ name three times on this page — third, fifth and tied for tenth — and that is deliberate, not an error. It runs three branches inside Melbourne, in Dandenong, Oakleigh and Pakenham, each with its own address, its own phone number and its own Google rating, confirmed on its own homepage. The methodology excludes multi-state networks of three or more branches — chains like Trend Car Rentals, spread across four states — not a single local business with several depots in one city. So each A & Jay address is scored on its own record rather than folded into one entry, the same way Long Term Car Rental is scored separately in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.

What changed since this page last ran a scoring method. The old version used a points system — a tenth of a star worth 10 points, a tenfold jump in ratings worth 15 — which the Bayesian average replaces everywhere on this site. Under the new method, Super Easy Car Rentals and AUZ Rental Cars enter for the first time, A & Jay’s Oakleigh and Pakenham branches each earn their own place rather than being folded into one Dandenong entry, and Diamond Car and Commercial Rentals— published here before, then briefly dropped while this page was being rebuilt — is back in, tied for tenth on the same nota as Pakenham. 2Ezy Car Rentals & Repairs, Retail Rentals, Phoenix Car Rentals and Advance Car Rental — all published here before — drop out for good this round; none of them did anything wrong, the fuller census this time simply surfaced more operators with a stronger adjusted score.

Prices, bonds, minimum ages and licence rules were read from each operator’s own website on 17 September 2026 — never from a directory, an aggregator or a booking site. Where an operator publishes nothing, the table says Not published; it never says “no”.

Google’s own categories miss some real operators, which is why this list is built by reading names and sites, not by filtering on a category alone. Retail Rentals — one of the operators that drops out of the top ten this round, at 4.691 — is filed by Google as a real estate agency, not a car rental business; a category-only filter would have dropped it from our census entirely, and it stayed in only because someone checked its own site against the name and the reviews.

Compiled by the team at Carz, which also builds the software some of these operators run on. We say it here rather than bury it: you should know who wrote a ranking before you decide what to do with it. Nothing on this page is paid for, and no operator can buy a position on it.

What operators require

Only three of the eleven publish a minimum age. EZ Car Rentals and AUZ Rental Cars both set the floor at 21, and AUZ adds a $23/day surcharge for drivers aged 21 to 24. Diamond Car and Commercial Rentals also says 21, but qualifies it as “depending on licence” and requires that licence to have been held for 12 months. Prime Car Rentals doesn’t publish a blanket minimum but does require probationary licence holders to be over 25. The other seven publish no age rule at all.

An overseas licence works at two of the eleven, and is explicitly refused at a third. EZ Car Rentals accepts an International Driver’s Licence outright. Prime Car Rentals accepts one for a $5/day surcharge (capped at 14 days) plus proof of an Australian address. Baraka Car Rentals is the opposite: its terms and its booking form both require an Australian full licence, and don’t accept an overseas one on its own. The other eight publish nothing either way.

The bond, where it exists, sits at $500. Baraka and EZ Car Rentals both publish a flat $500 bond. AUZ Rental Cars ties its bond to the insurance tier a renter picks rather than to a single figure. Eight of the eleven don’t publish a bond amount at all, including all three A & Jay locations (whose only terms document is a PDF that doesn’t load) and Diamond Car and Commercial Rentals, whose terms address who gets charged rather than how much.

Debit-card acceptance is the one payment detail almost nobody confirms outright. Prime Car Rentals lists debit cards among its accepted payments, and EZ Car Rentals’ price list names “bank card” alongside bank transfer, PayID and cash. AUZ Rental Cars contradicts itself: its pricing pages mention a debit-card bond, but its FAQ says a debit card “may” work and asks renters to call and confirm. The other eight — including Diamond Car and Commercial Rentals, whose terms mention only a credit card or charge account — don’t confirm a debit card either way.

Weekly vs daily in Melbourne

No operator in Melbourne’s top eleven publishes both a weekly and a daily rate for the same car, so the side-by-side comparison this page ran for Brisbane — one operator, one car, both numbers — can’t be repeated honestly here. What the published numbers do allow: EZ Car Rentals’ cheapest weekly plan is $195, which works out to about $28 a day; Prime Car Rentals’ cheapest published day rate is $29, for a Toyota Yaris. That is the closest apples-to-almost-apples comparison the published data allows, and it points the way rental economics usually do — a published weekly rate comes out slightly cheaper per day than a published daily one, even without the same car sitting on both sides of the sum.

The bigger pattern is that nine of Melbourne’s top eleven don’t publish a weekly number at all. A renter who wants to compare a week’s cost across this list has to call nine of the eleven operators to get one.

What the list says about Melbourne’s rental market

Two things stand out. First, this list is split almost evenly between operators quoting by the week and operators quoting by the day, with very little overlap — the split itself, not the prices either side of it, is the hardest thing to compare in this city. Second, rideshare and delivery driving is a named market, not an afterthought, for at least three of the eleven: Baraka Car Rentals builds its entire fleet around Uber, DiDi and Uber Eats work; Super Easy Car Rentals markets directly to Uber drivers and international students; and One Stop Car Rental names rideshare and delivery drivers as customers on its own About page. That fits this page’s own audience — a driver renting by the week or the month, not a tourist picking up a car for a weekend — better than the airport chains ever will.

There is also a single-brand story worth naming: A & Jay Car & Truck Rentals holds three of this page’s ten places, with its three Melbourne addresses carrying 1,092 ratings between them — 809 in Dandenong, 186 in Oakleigh East and 97 in Pakenham — the largest combined footprint of any name in this census, and none of it priced online. That is Melbourne in one fact: the biggest independent record in the city spread across three separate branches, and a caller still has to phone every one of them to find out what a week costs.

See the same picture nationally on the rankings hub, or compare with Brisbane’s top ten, ranked on the same Bayesian method.