Friday, December 9, 2011

Tips for Cheap Car Hire

A trip on a rented car can be a necessity in a new city. It can be turned into a money saving venture by following some good tips regarding cheap car hire .

Book in advance
Planning a trip is necessary in order to make the most out of it. It is a common advice given by cheap car hire agencies. Weekends and holidays are busy for car rental agencies. A booking done a few weeks in advance will prevent you from having to hire cars at an expensive rate.

Pick up location
Arriving at an airport and queuing up for a booked car can be an unpleasant experience. Most airlines give a shuttle service to the city center. It is wise to pick up a car from a city location. The rates charged inside the city are lower than at the airport.

Motoring card membership
Prominent motoring organisations have membership cards. It is good to have one of these. They provide many facilities to their members and one of them is a discount on car rentals.

Hidden charges
Cheap car hire agreements are long and tedious. Most people do not even care to read them. It is desirable to go through the entire agreement and ask questions about each and every charge you have doubts about. Some charges can be very unreasonable and if you point it out companies who want to build a long term relationship with a customer might cancel out these charges.

Check your personal insurance
Go through the insurance agreement for your private car and find out if it covers rental cars. If it does you do not need to buy insurance from a cheap car hire agency when you hire a car. This can make a difference of approximately fifteen percent in your regular rental charge. It is also prudent to note whether your personal car insurance covers the value of a bigger rental car. In case it does not then it is better to get some additional insurance.

Inspect the car before taking delivery
Disputes can arise when one returns the car with bumps and scratches that may have already been there. Go over the entire car and have a good look. Point out all scratches and bumps to the dealer and as a safety precaution take pictures for your own record and satisfaction. This will save you a lot of trouble at the time of returning the car.

Fill up the tank
Rental car agencies give the cars to their customers with a full tank. It is wise to fill up the tank before returning the car. This is because car rental agencies charge higher rates for fuel.