While on holiday you need a reliable car hire and rental service
We represent quality companies like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt. In Britain alone we represent 6 different companies and as part of our car hire and rental service, we will match you up with the company that best suits your needs.
Click
here for Car
Rental FAQ Section
Car
Hire Article
- watchpoints
when
renting
Car
Hire Article
- the "lingo" explained
Car
Hire Article
- should you
rent
or lease
a car
Car
Hire Article - read
more - general information
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For complicated itineraries, personalised service or any questions - click here |
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Here
you find questions
and answers about
car hire in the
UK and Europe.
Q: I
have an Australian Drivers Licence. Do I need an International
Drivers Licence ?
A: It is recommended
but not compulsory. However if travelling to Eastern Europe,
we would strongly recommend you get one. Also read the fineprint
on your invoice as conditions do change from time to time.
Q: If
I have booked
to return the
car in Paris
and I find I
want to return
it in Calais
- can I do this?
A: Call ahead to
the depot where you are due to return the car and ask them to
arrange this for you. If it is within the same country, there
generally wont be a charge - unless you have a minibus where
some companies charge for an intra-country one way. If you want
to return it to another country, there will definitely be a charge.
Q: If
I am running
late or held
up in traffic,
will the rental
company penalize
me ?
A: Generally, most
companies will give you an hours grace.
Q: I
am 79 years of
age. Will they
rent to me and
will they charge
any extra ?
A: If any driver
is under 25 or over 70, we strongly suggest you let us know so
that we can clarify the conditions at time of booking as it does
vary from company to company.
Q:I
did not list
a second driver
but I have had
too much of that
great French
wine - can my
mate drive me
home ?
A: Don't risk it!
If you did not register the driver they will not be covered by
insurance if they have an accident.
Q: I
have heard that
I will spend
a fortune in
toll fees. Is
this true ?
A: Toll roads are
not compulsory. You are free to use the roads which generally
run alongside the highway/autobahn/autostrade. Tollroads are,
however, the quickest way to get from point A to point B. You
can log on to www.viamichelin.com and calculate the cost of the
tolls.
Car Hire: The 'Lingo' explained
With car rental, there are so many different companies around. Unfortunately though, the inclusions and exclusions are not all standardised so it is difficult to compare. So if you have looked at a couple of rates and some stand out as almost 'too good to be true' then it often can be. It really pays to look at the fine print to ensure that you are comparing 'apples with apples'.
An airport surcharge: If you pick up at an airport. Does not apply if you return at an airport.
A premium location fee: Some companies charge this if you pick up in certain areas in London
Additional driver fee: If you want to cover a second driver. Often charged 'per additional driver'
Young driver fee: Often charged if the driver is under 25 years of age
Road Tax or Road Registration fee: A fee charged per day to cover government charges
CDW: Stands for Collision Damage Waiver as is a misnomer as it does not actually 'waive' the fee but reduces it to roughly AUD$750 / GBP500 / Euro 750
CDW Reduction or Excess Reduction Waiver: Where you pay a fee per day to reduce your excess to a lower amount or nil.
Theft Protection: Often called "TPW" or Theft Protection Waiver. Again a misnomer as it does not 'waive' the charge if your hire car is stolen. There still is an excess to pay if the car is stolen.
Theft Protection Reduction or Waiver: Where you pay a fee per day, to reduce or waive excess
London Congestion Charge: When you drive through central London between 0700 and 1830hrs Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays), This also applies to hire cars , so if planning to drive through central London, ensure you ask about the procedures in place when collecting your car.
Car Hire: Watchpoints when Renting
- Be
careful
to note
if extras
eg. additional
driver
fees
are per
day or
per rental. The
difference
can be
substantial.
- Be
aware
of the
rental
company's
petrol
policy. Some
companies
charge
you for
the
first
tank of
petrol
and
expect
you to
return
it
empty. Others
give
you a
full
tank
and expect
it back
full
and if
you don't
return
it full
and it
needs
refilling,
expect
to pay
a hefty
premium
on the
normal
petrol
price.
- When
you hire
a car,
you are
always
requested
to leave
a
credit
card imprint
which
they
will use
to charge
your card
if you
have
any, extras
to pay.
If you
do
not have
a credit
card
advise
them
when
booking
as your
booking
may not
be
accepted.
- Bearing
in mind
that they
have a
signed
authority
to charge
your card,
check
the car
very carefully
for
damage
or scratches
and have
it noted
on the
contract
before
you drive
away. If
you return
the car
with any
damage,
the car
rental
company
is entitled
to
charge
your card
for damages.
Do also
check
the car
when you
are returning
it and
get
it noted
on the
contract that
there is no
damage before
you leave.
- Familiarise
yourself with
the inclusions
and exclusions
of your rental
and also whether
or not your
travel insurance
policy covers
.Rental vehicle
insurance excess.
Some rental
agents may
intimate that
you really
need to take
their extra
insurance because
you will have
an excess if
you have an
accident or
damage the
vehicle when
in fact you
may already
be covered
by your travel
insurance policy.
- They
may also
offer you
an upgrade
to
a larger
car. Ascertain
if this
is a
free
upgrade
or one
which
you actually
have
to pay
for !
- Free
insurance
on your
credit
card
? Check
to
see if
they
expect
you to
take out
the highest
level
of Waiver
BEFORE
they
will
cover your
excess
/ deductible
- Lastly,
should
you decide
that
you wish
to extend
your
car rental
period
- be
very
careful.
If you
extend
directly
with
that
rental
company,
nine
times
out of
ten, you
will
be charged
nearly
double
what you
paid
in the
first place!
You
have
two options: One
you can try
and negotiate
a rate with
the rental
company, asking
them if they
will extend
at the rate
you paid on
that rental. Should
they agree,
I suggest in
the strongest
terms, that
you get the
agreement in
writing and
get the employee
to sign and
date it, making
sure their
name is legible. Believe
me,
this advice
comes
from years
of having
to
tell people,
that
our contract
ended
the day
they
were due
to
return
the
car
as per
our voucher
and
that they
are
responsible
for
the extension
and
that there
is
nothing
we
can do
to
help.
The second option is to contact the agent or company you booked with back in Australia, by email, fax or phone quoting your current rental details and ask them if they can organise the extension for you. Some car rental companies allow the extension or you can even ask for a new rental for the additional days and pay by credit card. Try and allow at least 4 or 5 days notice if you can. Last - minute extensions or last-minute new bookings take up a lot of extra time and attention and someone who is really busy may just say 'no' to avoid the time-consuming work.
The above points pertain to car rental or car hire. They do not apply to car leasing.
With car leasing it is different. Everything is covered. No insurance or excess if you damage the car etc and if you wish to extend your lease, you can do so by contacting the Paris head office of the leasing company. They will arrange the extension for you. It cannot be done in Australia. However, they too will charge you more than you paid in Australia.
Car Hire: Read More - General Information
Everything you need to know about Car Hire or Rental in the UK and Europe.
The
most popular
mode of independent
travelling but
I can just hear
the comment: "But
we are too scared
of driving on
the wrong side
of the road and
the steering
wheel is also
on the wrong
side !"
If you are
used to
driving
a car
every day,
it is second
nature.
Remember when
you
first started
driving
and were so
nervous
about changing
gears? Now
you are
not even
aware
of changing
gears.
So after
a couple
of hours of
being
'conscious'
of using
the other
hand to change
gears, you
will
soon get into
the rhythm
of it.
Just go slowly until you are confident. Funnily enough, the fact that you are driving on the 'wrong' side of the road is made easier by having the steering wheel on the left. Think about it, thousands of British cross the channel each year and drive in Europe and vice versa. Think positively!! If they can do it, so can you!
Of course, if you're still really nervous, you could rent an automatic car. In Europe, the majority of cars are manual and if you do decide on an automatic, the cost will be higher than the equivalent size manual vehicle. In the USA, the opposite happens. Most cars are automatic and you will be hard pressed to find a manual or 'stick shift' as they call it.
When you're thinking of renting a car, you are often presented with a choice of 3 or more companies. Sometimes what appears to be the lowest priced often turns out to be the most expensive.
Some of the things you should consider and compare before choosing a car rental company would be:
* Should you
be renting or leasing?
* What extras do you have to pay?
* Can you take the car into Eastern Europe?
* Which companies allow drivers under 25 or over 75 without a surcharge?
* Is the airport fee included or do you have to pay extra?
* Can you have 2 extra drivers?
* Are there road taxes or vehicle licensing fees to be paid?
A "DID YOU KNOW" about Car Hire or Rental......because we sure do!
* In Germany,
the fee for collecting
your car at the
airport is 19%
of your total hire
charge - but that
there are companies
that include this
so choose one of
them.
* If you hire a car from France with Europcar - 8 out of 10 car groups can
not be driven in Italy.
If you want to start your rental from Austria and want to travel to Eastern Europe - Avis will charge you EUR 56 plus it is compulsory to take out Super CDW And Theft Protection which wacks on another EUR13 PER DAY !! However, if you rent with Europcar, you just pay a flat fee of EUR40. On a 14 day rental that is a whopping Euro 148 difference !
* The country that has the lowest priced car rental is France.
Car Hire: Should you Rent or Lease a Car
Firstly we will explain the difference between the two. With car rental your car will be provided by companies like like Avis, Hertz, Alamo etc. You often get quoted a basic rate and have to pay for additional items like airport fees, second driver charge, young driver surcharges if under 25, vehicle licensing fees and the insurance which is included, has an excess or deductible if you have an accident or damage the vehicle. You can pay extra to get this waived or reduced. With car rental you are often restricted eg: you may not drive the vehicle into Eastern Europe or if you are hiring a Mercedes you may not be able to drive into Italy or if you are hiring from France, they may allow their vehicles to go to the Italian islands, you may not be allowed to travel to Britain or Scandinavia etc. With rental you are quoted a model of car - 'or similar' – you are never guaranteed a specific make or model of car. If you are looking for info/rates on car rental, click on http://www.ukandeuropetravel.com/carhire.shtml.
Perhaps browse the FAQ's for more info. For those travelling after April 2005 – the Earlybirds have now been released.
With car leasing,
which is a tax
free buy back system
encouraged by the
French government
to encourage tourism,
you are purchasing
the vehicle and
selling it back
at the end. All
paperwork is completed
well beforehand
and all you pay
is the set difference
between the buying
and the selling.
Sounds complicated,
but it's not. We
have a free video
or DVD we would
be happy to send
you which explains
how leasing works.
Just drop us an
email.
Leasing is great for travellers who want a car for longer than a month or perhaps picking up a car in one of the more expensive countries like Italy, Switzerland, Eastern Europe etc. Everything is included – even the insurance has no excess. However, for the sake of being completely upfront, we will mention that as you 'own' the car, you are responsible for giving it the first service. With Renault, the car only requires its first service at 30, 000 kms, a distance very few travellers reach considering the size of Europe, and this will be at your cost. With Peugeot, the first service is required at 10,000kms but it is free. These French lease cars are based in France, but they can be delivered to 9 other countries at a nominal charge to cover transporting the vehicles to the pick up point. Currently, both Renault and Peugeot are offering free or subsidised delivery / collection charges as well as 7 free days, or 10 free days if you have leased with them previously.The other good thing about leasing, is that it can work out to a low $24 per day. This is based on the maximum lease of 170 days of the smallest vehicle.
Great for youngsters travelling around Europe, especially if they are under 25. With leasing, all you require is a full drivers licence. There is no 'young driver surcharge'. Incidentally, if you are a teacher / professor going to uni to study or lecture or a student going for training or a journalist – you can lease for up to a year.Other positives are that you can drive the vehicle into Eastern European countries. You are also guaranteed the vehicle you choose. So you can choose a diesel powered vehicle which is much more fuel efficient, not to mention that diesel can cost up to a third less than petrol.As a quick example let's say you require a 7 seater minibus for 30 days that you wish to collect in Geneva, Switzerland and return it to Nice in France. Leasing would cost you $3200 in total with nothing more to pay. Rental would cost you $6072 + extras. A difference of more than $2800 – nearly double. Not knowing the difference and the in's and out's can literally cost you thousands of dollars if you make the wrong choice.
Click here for
info on car leasing
http://www.ukandeuropetravel.com/carlease.shtml
If you would like
us to compare rental
vs leasing, let
us know your driving
requirements and
we'll do the math
for you.