When making a tourist trip, you have to plan the route to get to know different places, so renting a car is the ideal solution.
Total autonomy, without public transport and the only way to reach the most remote places.
There are many questions and doubts received, so at Perfect Car Hire we have decided to give you some advice to take into account before renting your car. Here we go!
What car is better to rent for your trip?
The rental car models that they offer you are the usual ones in the country you are going to visit, so you may come across a brand or model that you may not know. But in the end, what you really have to hire is a type of model with a certain size and characteristics.
When looking for the car, the important thing is to have a well defined type of vehicle that you need and the size that offers you enough space for the number of travelers that you are going to travel. And, above all, do not forget the necessary space for luggage. Therefore, it is better to hire a larger vehicle than you might settle for.
Advantages of booking a rental car online
It is essential to hire the rental car online in advance of your trip, even more so in times of high tourist season. In this way you can analyze the great existing offer, choose the type of vehicle you need, find specific offers, and ensure that when you arrive at your destination you have a car already reserved.
If you leave it for last, and try to rent it directly at one of the destination’s rental offices, it will surely cost you more and you will have to settle for the model they have at that time… if there are vehicles available.
Can you drive a rental car in different countries?
When you rent a car for a trip, it is generally not possible to use it to travel to other neighboring countries, except in some cases where it is allowed by insurance agreements with the car rental company. Therefore, if you plan to visit another country with the rental car, you have to make sure in advance that it will be possible.
Of course, you must return the car in the same country where you have hired it, and if they allow you to do it in another country, they will charge you a significant surcharge on the price.
Pay car rental with card
The prices of rental cars vary considerably depending on the country you are going to visit, the type of vehicle you hire and the company where you rent it. Although you have to provide the credit card number online, the payment is not made until you pick up the car.
Of course, keep in mind that you may have some additional charge later on the card if you have to pay the damage excess for an incident or a fine.
In addition, there are rental companies that if you pay online when hiring the car through their website, they offer you a better price with a discount of more or less 10 percent.
Recommended rental car equipment
The equipment of rental cars is usually basic, but there are elements, such as air conditioning, that are important to determine. There are other options, such as GPS, which can be very useful when traveling to other countries. But in this regard, I remind you that if you are going to travel through a country of the European Union, you will have data on your mobile at no additional cost, which will allow you to access Google Maps, an option that I prefer to the GPS that it can incorporate due to its effectiveness in the rental car.
What insurance to contract for the rental car?
Very important is the issue of rental car insurance. Only basic insurance is included in the usual price in the event of collisions and theft. But this insurance does not cover your own damages or other incidents, since they have damage excess that would force you to pay, in your case, really important amounts that can range from 500 to 1,000 euros.
Therefore, and to avoid possible unpleasantness, it is better to extend the insurance benefit by covering said excess.
Essential requirements to rent a car
To rent a car you need to have a Visa-type credit card (NOT a debit card), as that is the means of payment with which all costs will be charged. Both those initially contracted, as well as possible future expenses, such as traffic fines or repair costs for possible damages suffered by the vehicle.
The minimum age to be able to rent a car is usually 21 years old, and if you are between 21 and 24 years old, you may be charged a surcharge.
How to hire a second driver for the rental car?
If during the trip you plan to have a second or third driver, this is an additional service that you must contract in advance. You have to indicate the name and the driving license number, and keep in mind that you will have to pay a small surcharge
When can the rental car reservation be cancelled?
If you are finally not going to travel and you have to cancel the reservation, it is usual that you can do so free of charge up to 48 hours before the scheduled time for collecting the vehicle.
Where to pick up the rental car?
The most common place to pick up the rental car is usually the airport or the train station of the city where you travel, although you can also do it in the offices that are in other places in the center of it.
When you arrive to pick up the car, it is possible that they do not have units of the specific model that you have requested available, so they will give you a model of the same category (or size). It may even happen that they give you a car of a higher category, or with better equipment than the contracted one, but they have to respect the Price.
Gasoline in the rental car
In general, the rental car will be delivered to you with a full tank, and you must return it in the same conditions. Before delivering it, it is totally worth stopping at a gas station to complete the deposit, otherwise, they will charge you an estimated amount of said cost, which is always much higher.
Another option that they will offer you is to pay the amount corresponding to, for example, 85 percent of the cost of refilling the deposit, which will save you the time and worry of refilling the deposit before returning the car and get your paymend-deposit back.
Where and how to deliver the rental car?
If you have to drop off the rented car at the airport, make sure you arrive early enough so as not to miss your flight. Even up to one hour before the recommended time for your arrival, as the delivery procedures may be delayed with the inspection of the vehicle.
Also, the rental car drop-off offices may be located in an adjacent area of the airport, from which you will have to go to the terminal by internal service bus or train, which will require additional time to reach the boarding counter.
If you plan to deliver the car in a different place than where you have picked it up, in many cases you will be charged a surcharge. You must inform yourself about this point in advance, as it can make car rental significantly more expensive.
And so far our post answering the most frequent questions of all car rental companies in general! If you have any other questions, you can find answers at Perfect Car Hire Customer Service HERE.
Leave us a comment so we can help you and… Happy trip!
