Archive for the ‘car hire’ Category

« Older Entries

Christmas Car Hire – Getting a Cheap Deal

Sunday, October 18th, 2009
Car Hire companies are often in high demand with the number of tourists visiting popular resorts many car hire companies end up having to turn people away who turn up on the first day of their holidays expecting to get a hire car straight away. The Christmas period is no different with many people jetting away to avoid the cold British weather.

Locations such as Florida and Spain are just as popular in December as summer months like July and the car hire firms still make a decent earning over the Christmas period and travellers have been urged to act fast if they are planning a trip away and want to hire a car whilst away.

The idea of flying to a warmer place over winter may have been a unique choice a few years ago but since cheap flights companies have cropped up it’s now become a massively popular time of year to take a trip, hence it’s best that you know a few tips and suggestions that will help you secure your wheels.

First of all pre-booking your hire car is the best way to secure a car, normally the Car Hire company will be able to let you choose the exact model or at least the class of vehicle so if you need a large vehicle or a small run around for two people then you can specify this when booking so that you don’t book the wrong kind of car which could end up costing more because they only have the largest vehicle left or a dinky car that you’ll struggle to squeeze all family members into.

The best way to book your car is online mainly because on there you can actually compare all sorts of different Car rental firms to find the best price. Comparison sites often compare hundreds of car hire firms and can specify the target country so that you can always find the particular place you want to visit.

Another way to shave some money off your holiday car hire is to be a little flexible on the details, by choosing to pick up your car from a different location rather than straight away at the airport can sometimes be cheaper or perhaps returning the vehicle to an alternate branch can also help as sometimes the car you drive will be needed elsewhere after you’re done.

So when considering a holiday this Christmas if you find you’ll likely want a bit of independence and would like to hire a car for a few days, make sure you do your homework as it could save you a few pounds off your rental costs leaving more money for you to spend on when on holiday!



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Top Tips for Booking your Holiday Car Hire

Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Hiring a car for your holiday this year is a great way of getting around and exploring the area. Having a car available to you on your holiday gives you the freedom and flexibility to schedule your own trips and excursions at times that suit you. It also allows you to see some of the sights that you might not see if you were to stick to the well trodden tourist routes.

If you’ve never hired a car before, the following holiday car hire tips should come in handy…

• To be sure you get the right hire car at the right price, check travelsupermarket.com to compare cheap holiday car hire deals from over 25 websites.

• When booking your car hire, if you are travelling to a country where the weather is expected to be warm, don’t take it for granted that your rental car will have air conditioning. Make sure that it is included before confirming your booking. If you require extras such as child seats, these can usually be ordered as an extra at the time of booking.

• Generally the minimum age required to hire a car is 21, but in certain countries, some companies will require the driver to be older. The driver must also have held a full driving licence for at least a year. Before you leave for the airport, make sure you have packed your driving licence (both the photocard AND the paper counterpart) as you may be required to produce it.

• When you collect the car, be sure to check for any dents, scratches or marks. If you find any damage, report it to the car hire representative to be sure that they are aware of it. If they are unaware of the damage, you could end up footing the bill when you return the car. Also, if you have paid for a full tank of petrol, be sure to check the level before driving away.

• Before driving, familiarise yourself with the driving laws in your destination country and with the car (for example where the indicators, lights etc are). Plan your route and bear in mind that the signs may be written in a foreign language.

• When the time comes to head home, be sure to return the car at the time specified. Most car hire agreements are made on a 24 hour basis so if the car is returned late, you may be charged for an extra days hire.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

How To Find The Best Holiday Car Hire

Sunday, September 6th, 2009
In order to make the most of your holiday in Spain, why not consider hiring a car for the duration of your stay? It can often work out more cost-effective to pick up a holiday hire car at the airport, rather than have a transfer to your accommodation and a car allows you the freedom to go where you please. If you like to experience the ‘real’ Spain, rather than the parts that the Tour Representatives want you to see, then arranging a holiday hire car for the duration of your holiday is a must.

Holiday car hire is very simple to arrange through our search engine. It will provide you with a list of the cars available, together with their cost and allows you to choose the model to suit your needs at a price to suit your budget. Wherever you may be travelling to in Spain, a holiday car hire can be arranged, either to be collected from the airport on arrival in Spain, or at the station, or you may prefer to have it delivered to you at your accommodation. You can even pick the vehicle up at one location and drop it off elsewhere, at the end of your stay. This is especially convenient if you intend not to stay in just one place, but to tour around.

There is a vast array of cars to choose from for your holiday car hire in Spain. Why not try a new experience by having a car different to the one you drive at home. A people carrier can be fun to drive and will provide a great deal of internal space, in order to accommodate all the family and their luggage. Alternatively, hiring an estate car will ensure that you have sufficient room, usually for 4 or 5 passengers, plus an extended boot space for cases, golf clubs or surf boards if required.

You could treat yourself, by upgrading your holiday car hire to a more upmarket model, such as a BMW, Audi or Mercedes, allowing you to travel around the Spanish countryside in comfort. Arrive at your hotel in style and enjoy the envious looks as park your executive holiday car outside. Alternatively, a vehicle with automatic transmission may be favourable, leaving you free to concentrate on the road ahead. You may just prefer to have the smallest and most economical car available, allowing you to visit the local towns and villages.

Whichever model of car you choose, in order to get the greatest choice available, we would recommend that you arrange your holiday car hire sooner rather than later. Some vehicles are in great demand and, whilst you should always be able to reserve a car at the last minute, some of the more popular models will be gone. This is particularly the case with people carriers and estate cars, which are often the first to go, so we would suggest that you arrange your holiday car as soon as your flights and accommodation have been booked.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Costly Car Hire

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
With holidays becoming more and more expensive many people are choosing to organise their own trips and put together a ‘D.I.Y’ holiday to avoid costly expenses. Included in these D.I.Y holidays many people are choosing to hire a car while abroad. However, when hiring a car many don’t realise that if you’re not careful then you can end up paying a lot of money.

The first thing you need to be careful with is the type of car you choose. Renting a car such as a 4×4 when a medium sized hatchback will do can cost almost double the amount for the week. So settling for what you need rather than what you want can save a lot of money.

Once you have chosen the right car, you need to find the right cover. Shop around and try using price comparison sites to find the cheapest deal. It’s a simple process and you only need your destination and travel details to do so. However, when applying for an insurance policy you must beware, the amount of cover that you will receive will be no where near the amount of cover that you are used to in this country. Check your policy and if you wish to add extras you will have to be prepared to pay a lot more.

If you’re under the age of 25 then you can also expect to pay a ‘young persons surcharge’. This will add hundreds of pounds to the amount that you have to pay for the car hire. If you are travelling with older companions I would advise asking them to hire the car to save you some money.

The last and most common cost is fuel. We all know how expensive petrol is these days so make sure you leave enough money in your budget to be able to keep the car running. Also something else to watch out for is that some car hire companies will charge you if you return the car with no petrol left in it. This can sometimes prove to be a lot more expensive than simply filling the tank before you return the car.

If you are thinking about a holiday car hire you should use a comparison site to help you. Many do now offer a car hire service and can help you find really cheap car hire deals.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Car Hire in New Zealand

Thursday, June 18th, 2009
I had just got back from my own holiday to Bali when I arrived at work and they announced I was off to New Zealand with three of my colleagues. What a way to come back from one holiday and find out your going on another!

The trip started with a slight hiccup. Our flight was delayed, which is the last thing you need when you’re at the airport after a busy morning at work, which also meant we would be late in picking up our rental car. We then had to call work and asked them to call New Zealand to make sure the depot knew we would be late. One of the benefits of working for a car rental wholesaler!

About an hour later, we finally left and we were up in the air. It was a smooth flight and we arrived in Christchurch about 11pm. After collecting our bags, we went straight to the Hertz desk to be met by a friendly employee who was more than helpful.

After the formalities of signing the rental agreement and getting the keys, we were then given a local map of the south island and a city map of Christchurch. The employee even highlighted how we were to get to our hotel in the centre of Christchurch.

The car was in the car park, so away we went to find the car. We thought she said it was behind the police station and we were looking for quite a while, until it dawned on me that she had actually said pay station; we had misunderstood her kiwi accent!

We eventually got to the hire car and it was a premium wagon with automatic transmission and it was nearly brand new, similar to a Ford Territory wagon. It came with heating, air-conditioning, radio, electric windows and heaps of room enough to relax while being one of the passengers in the car.

We decided to use our Seymor GPS which we nicknamed “Moaning Myrtle”. We waited for the satellites to load on the Seymor GPS and then we were off to our hotel in Christchurch. It was cold and dark but we trusted our Seymor GPS and arrived stress free to the Rydges Hotel.

For the next week the Seymor GPS and rental car were our life savers. It got us to all the destinations and sightseeing attractions and even got us from Christchurch to Queenstown in one piece.

I would recommend hiring a car and taking the trusty Seymor GPS with you next time you go on a driving holiday.

DriveAway Holidays offer GPS rental and car hire in New Zealand.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Holiday Car Hire – the Cost of a Breakdown

Monday, June 1st, 2009
Many of us like to arrange holiday car hire when we go abroad. Hiring a car gives you the ultimate freedom and flexibility when you are on holiday and enables you to do what you want, when you want and at your own pace without having to stick to rigid excursion departure and pick up times and can also save you money on paying for expensive taxis.

But when booking your car hire, have you ever considered what would happen if you were to breakdown while driving a hire car abroad? Many people will be surprised to learn that if you breakdown in a hire car abroad, you could face fines of more than £400 through little fault of your own.

In a recent survey of Mediterranean car hire companies, 75% of cars didn’t carry enough emergency equipment such as warning triangles, reflective jackets and first aid kits to meet legal requirements. In addition to this, over 30% of companies didn’t provide a telephone number to call in the event of a breakdown, and manuals explaining car basics such as jacking positions were unavailable in over 50% of cars.

The fines imposed for not having the legally required equipment in your hire car can be steep. Some examples of these fines include £408 for failing to use a reflective jacket or warning triangle in Portugal and £303 for the same offence in Italy.

Police have the power to issue these fines on the spot or take a much higher fee as a deposit to cover the maximum fine until the matter is taken to court.

While car hire firms should supply the right equipment in the first instance, it is your responsibility to ensure it is there before driving your hire car away. Make sure to check your hire car thoroughly to ensure it has a breakdown triangle, reflective jacket and first aid kit as well as making sure you are supplied with a number to call in the event your hire car breaks down.

As well as this, as always when hiring a car abroad, don’t forget to take both parts of your driving licence and be aware of the laws of the road before setting off.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Car Hire Price Increase Troubles Holidaymakers

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
With the current cash crisis and other increased costs many of us are worrying about next year’s holidays or may have even resolved that we may not be able to afford a week or two abroad this year. Earlier this year holiday company XL holidays collapsed and many people lost out on holidays or were left stranded all over the world.

Understandably many people are now extra cautious about the budget airlines so that they don’t get stung too, but it isn’t just uneasiness about the stability of travel companies that people are worried about, the great cheap flights boom of the early 2000’s has recently gone bust and with oil prices rising it has left many flight companies that were the cheapest option pushing their prices up to compensate.

Many flights companies have had to pull out or go into administration because of the rise in running costs and so the market for cheap flights has certainly taken a sharp decrease, even more popular and successful businesses like RyanAir and EasyJet has admitted that this year will be very slim with regards to profits.

When people go on holiday in the UK typically many people don’t want to be confined to the hotel or resort that they are staying in and many of us will hire a car to see the most of their chosen destination, many visitors to Britain will also brave our congested road network to see the most of our small island country too.

The problem for many car hire companies though is that as a knock on from the drop in the number of holidays that they simply aren’t getting the business, unfortunately this has meant that many larger Car rental companies like Avis have had to increase the costs to hire a car. It isn’t a massive increase as the industry is propped up by business car hire and courtesy cars provided in car insurance claims but the increase does not lure holidaymakers very well.

The problem is that if trusted car hire chains like Avis push up their prices then there is a chance that holidaymakers may go for cheap, less safe options locally when on holiday. Car hire in Spain is a popular service linked with the tourism trade and many towns and villages will have car hire firms lined along the streets of tourism hotspots.

It is important to make sure all the vehicles are safe and reliable as independent hire firms may be cheaper these days but they may also not measure up with regards to safety and roadworthiness compared to larger trusted chains.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Car Hire Scams: Don’t be a Fuel

Sunday, April 26th, 2009
Renting a car on holiday is a good way to explore your destination as a native would, avoiding the busy tourist traps and making the most of your break. But, like many other tourist industries, the car hire sector is plagued with hidden fees and little surcharges which can relieve the unsuspecting tourist of a lot more money than they expected.

Aside from the ‘discovered damage’ trick, another all-too familiar ploy is the ‘fuel gauge’ one. Most rental firms stipulate that a car must be returned with a full tank of fuel, or a refuelling charge will be added. This sounds simple enough, but some unscrupulous firms take it one step further; if they can squeeze even one more litre into the tank after you return it, they could charge you a hefty bill.

Like the discovered damage scam, this is easily avoided if you take precautions. When you pick your rental car up, take a photograph of the fuel gauge and the odometer and make sure the rental staff mark these down on your forms. Then, upon leaving the rental agency, drive to the nearest garage and top up the tank, keeping the receipt. When you go to take the car back, go to the same garage and top up once again, and keep the receipt. Give both of these receipts to the rental staff and this will prove that you filled up the car before returning it.

Bear in mind that some car’s fuel gauges read differently to others, and parking the car on an incline could also affect the reading. Topping up the tank on both pickup and collection will take away any doubt that these factors may cause. If you can’t do this, you could arrange for the rental company to refuel upon the car’s return and charge you the difference, but this will often be much more per litre than you would pay at a filling station. Better to do it yourself if at all possible.

Despite the tricks to watch out for, holiday car hire can be fun; the experience of driving in another country is something to remember. Cheap car hire can be booked online, and most car rental agencies offer airport pickup.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Buying Cheap Car Hire

Thursday, April 9th, 2009
Many holiday destinations can benefit from having a car to explore. Many places offer great attractions but maybe a little out of reach when all you have is the local public transport, which of course runs at their most convenient times. However buying car hire should be considered as equally as important as choosing your actual holiday, without the right consideration, you could find yourself paying over the odds.

Applying for car hire can be simple, especially if you know exactly what you want. Identifying your needs is the majority of the battle, making sure your getting what you’ve asked is another story. Before applying for car hire, ensure that you’ve checked and double checked all the terms and conditions, that way you won’t be hit with any surprises.

Find the information regarding the type of car you’ve ordered, the vast majority of car hire companies will state whether your car will be exactly what you’ve ordered or similar. If similar then you should expect the company to reserve the right to upgrade your chosen car selection at no extra fee.

Once you’ve obtained your car, you must carry out the relevant checks on the vehicle itself, this will help avoid any blame that the company might place on you. Take note of any existing damage and make the company aware. Also check the fuel, especially if you’ve paid for some. You need to make sure you have enough to get to the nearest fuel station.

Check what you’ve paid for. This goes for the insurance, taxes, charges and breakdown, ensure that your cover is exactly what you have requested and is clearly stated in writing. Check the cover details thoroughly, including excess, reduced voluntary excess doesn’t mean that small items are covered, such as your windscreen, so check the details.

The company’s details should be kept with you in case of any emergencies. You should also check their return policy. Make sure you know where and when you have to return the vehicle, returning it late will incur additional fees. Finally check your bank statement after for their service, ensure that you haven’t accumulated any additional charges. If you believe that you have been overcharged, then contact them immediately for an explanation.

Search online for cheap car hire. Read reviews to help you choose the best holiday car hire for you. Explore your favourite holiday destinations more, with holidaycar rental.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

Book Holiday Car Hire in Cyprus

Friday, March 20th, 2009
Nowhere beats Cyprus for a beach holiday, but it would be a great shame not to explore as well, so get yourself a holiday car hire in Cyprus and discover some of the island away from your holiday base. With a beautiful and extensive coastline providing a variety of beaches to choose from, ranging from secluded bays, to lively resorts, sandy beaches and rocky coves, you will find one that suits your mood for the day. Alternatively you can pick up a Cyprus street map and have a look around the towns and villages to get the most of your holiday car hire in Cyprus and maybe even look for Cyprus property for sale while you are out and about.

You will soon discover how easy is to get around the small island using the efficient and modern road network of two-lane highways. Holiday car hire in Cyprus is available in all towns and even some of the villages, making it a very competitive market so shop around to ensure you get the best price. Cyprus street maps are helpful, but a tip is to look up quite high on telegraph poles and walls for the street signs which are small and blue and can take some finding sometimes!

There are lots of activities you can partake in and being an island, water sports feature strongly. Discover the wonders of the underwater world by snorkelling or diving in the warm crystal clear seas. Windsurfing, parasailing and sailing can be enjoyed all the year round, thanks to steady winds and calm predictable sea, while coastal cruising and deep-water fishing are also popular. There really isn’t much of a public transport system in Cyprus so it can prove more convenient and even less expensive to have a holiday car hire in Cyprus rather than rely on taxis to get to them.

A great point to remember is that driving in Cyprus is on the left, the same as the UK and all the road signs are the same as the British with instructions and directions given in both Greek and English. This means that many visitors who can be nervous of driving in a foreign country are confident to use holiday car hire in Cyprus. The same reasons apply when people are thinking of looking for Cyprus property for sale, the feelings of familiarity, the driving, road signs and English widely spoken make the island feel like a home away from home, but with fabulous weather, friendly locals and the lowest crime rate in the European Union, its east to see why so many choose to have a holiday home or to relocate here.

So come to our island, sink your toes into the warm sand, feel the sun on your skin as you look out on the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea get a holiday car hire in Cyprus and a Cyprus street map and discover and enjoy all it has to offer. Cypriot hospitality is legendary, and you’ll be given the warmest of welcomes here, everything is geared to make you feel at home. We hope you come and visit, and maybe stay permanently.



Tags: , ,
Posted in car hire | No Comments »

« Older Entries