Holidays are on the horizon and we’ll all soon need to begin thinking about car hire and other similar details.
As many of us may well be aware from experience, there can be all sorts of unforeseen extras that come with a holiday car lease. Whether they are foreseen or not is one thing, whether they are a rip off is another. With this is mind we’ve come up with some tips for you to be aware of when renting an auto abroad.
Wastes of Money
There are a number of extras that these companies will try and get you for, but that you will need when you are abroad. Additions such as GPS Satellite Navigations are significantly costly for renting and often are more expensive to hire for a week than to buy permanently.
Booster seats for cars are also of this mould and may end up costing a significant amount. Child seats are often sold as extras in the same high pricing bracket. Avoid these issues and bring your own. Airlines may charge extra, though it’s seldom nearly as much as renting.
Excess Insurance
When you take out a car hire you will often have insurance included, however with a large excess. This excess can often be up to £1000, meaning you end up paying a lot for any minor issues. It’s possible to pay extra via the car hire company to cover this, however it costs a lot less to do so yourself. This can save a significant amount when abroad and also makes for peace of mind.
Fuel Policy
Many businesses of this kind have all sorts of weird fuel policies. Check this before you go as if you arrive back with no fuel in the tank there will be a surcharge for filling as well as this you will pay the highest price for fuel. Some also have mileage limits, so check this as you may end up paying for those miles.
Some companies have a full to empty policy. This means that you pay for a full tank whether you use it or not – fine if you arrive back with an empty tank, but not so much if it’s 75% full.
Photo
Photo the car on return ensures that they cannot say that it was damaged when you leave back the contract hire car. Take photos of all areas as you don’t want to be deemed to have damaged something you didn’t. Also, keep all old paper work.
Statement
Keep an eye on your credit card and ensure you pay only what you have to. Sometimes mysterious payments can arise. Also, fight any additional charges and don’t admit to anything that you’re not 100% certain of. Ask for evidence and bills with repairs if needs be and just stick your heels in.
Follow these tips and you should have fewer troubles with your car hire and enjoy a smoother, cheaper more relaxing trip.
Cormac Reynolds is a lover of travel and cars and has written for a variety of car hire companies as well as travel blogs.
