Before hiring a car you need to check you are eligible to drive the vehicle.
Usually you will have to have a full licence and no convictions. All companies have a minimum age which may differ in other countries if you are planning on hiring a car outside the UK. Some companies also have a maximum age limit. If you are a young driver you may be able to hire a car if you can afford to pay a young drivers premium.
Check you have the correct driving licence not just for the country you are visiting but for the type of car you are driving. People who have passed the manual driving test can usually drive both a manual and an automatic. But if you have passed your test in an automatic you may not be covered to drive a manual car. When it comes to hiring a car these simple tips could knock pounds off your bill!
Book as far in advance as possible especially if you are hiring a car in peak season. For example people often hire cars in the summer and prices can rise as demand begins to outstrip supply.
- Cars tend to be hired out in 24 hour timeframes so if you need a car from 9am one day to 12 noon the next you could end up paying for two days. You either need to arrange to have the car dropped back by 9am or collect it later on the first day.
- Usually the longer you are hiring a car for, the more economical the pricing. So you may find that hiring a car for seven days or longer is much cheaper than renting the same car for three days. The rental companies like long lets as it reduces the risk of their stock of cars sitting in parking lots losing money.
- Choose the right size of car. You need one that comfortably accommodates your party and one that you are comfortable driving.
- Shop around for quotes and when comparing them be sure you are comparing like with like. Ideally you want to be covered in the event of the car being damaged or stolen as the cost of dealing with these issues is likely to ruin your holiday.
- You may be able to prepay the cost of fuel which can work out to save you money. Be careful doing this too far in advance though if you believe that fuel prices are going to fall.
- Look at deals offered when you book flights or hotels. Often the airlines or hotel companies will have arranged group discounts with the hire car provider. This can make the rental a lot cheaper than if you went direct to that particular hire company.
- If you need a larger car for a specific reason or you are flexible when you take your holidays consider avoiding the weekends. Hiring a car on a Friday or Monday is usually when rates increase so if you can avoid these days you should save money.
- If you are using the hire companies insurance, consider paying the excess premium rather than the flat rate. In the event of an accident you will not have to pay anything towards any insurance claim.
Follow these tips when hiring a car to save money and never let anyone sit in the driving seat of a rental car unless they are named on and covered under the agreement. You will be liable for any damage that is caused to the hire car.