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General Car Hire
Tips for all types of travellers
1. Make a
reservation at least one week in advance. "It tends to be the
earlier the better. "As the booking pace increases, the rates
can go up...." While booking earlier doesn't always guarantee a
price break (during peak travel seasons, for instance), you're
more likely to come out ahead. Find out about the company's
cancellation policy when you make your reservation.
Specifically, you want to know whether there is a cancellation
charge and how much advance notice is required to avoid heavy
penalties.
2. Choose a company based on rates, vehicle availability and
service. If you're seeking an exotic car or anything more
luxurious than a Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DeVille, you'll
need to call around well in advance. Keep in mind that vehicles
rented at airports typically incur an airport tax or surcharge
(this is included in our price).
While you can avoid this surcharge by renting your vehicle from
a non-airport location, you will usually have to arrange your
own transportation to the rental office. Service is another
consideration: If you previously had a pleasant experience with
a company because of their efficient service or willingness to
get you into a specific vehicle, use them again.
Smaller, independently owned companies might be appealing
because of their ultra-low rates or the availability of
hard-to-find, exotic vehicles. You should, however, research
these companies thoroughly before handing over your credit card.
In addition, make sure that you plan around the company's
operating hours. "Some [smaller companies] are not open 24
hours, so if you have a late flight, you might not be able to
pick up the car when you want it.
When you book through our site your dates are scanned
immediately to check for bank holiday dates and odd hours, if
any of these are flagged then you are notified, in some
instances we may advise you to slightly change your pick up or
drop off times to avoid any possible problems. Our booking
engine also attempts to save you money by suggesting re
shuffling your pick up and drop off times.
3. Put all additional drivers in the rental contract. Whenever
you let someone not included in the rental contract drive the
vehicle, you risk voiding the contract. Claims against the
company's insurance coverage — and even your own personal
insurance coverage — may be compromised." So swallow the added
fees and put everyone in the contract. Most companies won't
charge extra for your spouse, but you should ensure that his or
her driving privileges are provided for in the contract.
5. Pre-pay or refuel it yourself? Rental companies generally
offer you the option of either paying for a tank of gas in
advance (at a self-serve rate) and bringing the vehicle back
empty or refueling it yourself. While the pre-pay option is
certainly cheaper than returning the vehicle empty and paying
the higher surcharge amount in the contract (per gallon), there
is no guarantee that it will always be cheaper than refueling
the car on your own. So, plan accordingly — if you know that you
won't be using a full tank (250-300 miles), don't use the
pre-pay option.
6. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly before you leave the lot.
Since you could be held responsible for any damage to a rental
car (beyond "normal wear-and-tear"), you should take a
walk-around with the sales agent before driving off. Inspect the
vehicle for existing dents, scratches and other damage, and make
sure that anything you find is noted in the contract.
7. Stick to the contract's terms. If there are mileage
restrictions in your contract (and there often are), stay within
them in order to avoid post-rental penalties. Further, you
should steer clear of any restricted activities — putting snow
chains on the tires, towing a trailer, off-roading, transporting
people or property for hire, driving in Mexico (if the vehicle
was rented in the U.S. or Canada) and the like — as they could
jeopardize insurance coverage for any damage sustained by the
rental vehicle. This applies specifically to insurance purchased
from the rental company, but failure to adhere to the company's
rules could complicate dealings with your own insurer, as well.
8. What if the vehicle is damaged? If your rental car is
involved in an accident, most companies will require you to come
to the rental office to file an accident report. Read your
contract — you're usually required to file a report within a
certain amount of time. Many companies will want a police
report, as well, particularly if it was a major accident. Check
your contract to see when this is required (if you're confident
that you weren't at fault, it's definitely to your advantage to
get a police report). All of this applies as well if your rental
vehicle is vandalized or stolen. If your vehicle is damaged
while in the care of a hotel's (or restaurant's) valet parking
attendants, you'll need to work things out with the hotel before
filing a report with the rental company. A cool head and a
police report should get you through these situations with
minimal aggravation.
10. Return your rental car on time. Since car rental rates run
on a 24-hour clock, you will incur extra charges even if you're
only an hour late in returning a vehicle. The hourly rental rate
is usually one-third of the daily rate, so if you're three to
four hours late, you've tacked on another day's charges to the
total bill.
Try
Time4Leasing for short term car hire |
