Why you should hire a car on holiday - and pitfalls to watch out for!

Drive like the locals

With the world now only a click away, the trend of booking a DIY holiday is now greater than ever. More and more people are turning to the World Wide Web to search out the best bargains on flights, accommodation and car hire. There are many benefits in booking your holiday in this way, as you are able to tailor every detail to suit your holiday requirements. The car hire part of a holiday is generally last on the booking list and often people beg the question: “why do we need a car hire?”.

The beauty of having your own transport is that you have complete freedom to visit the places that you choose. It is true that now most tourist resorts have a large number of day trips that you can book, taking you to the local attractions, but what if you want to explore a little more of the country and venture off the normal tourist track? This is where the car hire option shines!

I asked Melanie Taylor of Auto Europe Car Hire to run through the key thing sto remember when hiring a car and what advantages Auto Europe Car Hire offered in particular.

The beauty of having your own transport is that you have complete freedom to visit the places that you choose. It is true that now most tourist resorts have a large number of day trips that you can book, taking you to the local attractions, but what if you want to explore a little more of the country and venture off the normal tourist track? This is where the car hire option shines!

I asked Melanie Taylor of Auto Europe Car Hire to run through the key thing sto remember when hiring a car and what advantages Auto Europe Car Hire offered in particular.

When booking your car hire there are factors that you must bear in mind:
--> How many people will be travelling in the car and what kind of luggage you will have?
--> Should you book a manual car or perhaps take the auto option, as travelling on foreign roads can be a daunting experience?
--> Where is it best to pick up your car hire? Should you collect from an airport or a central city location? And where do you want to return your car hire?

Here, at Auto Europe, we have made the booking process as simple as possible, whilst still providing plenty of car hire options. We also want to make sure that you have all of the information you need to ensure you choose the right car with the right inclusions for you.

When you book a car hire, you will be given the information of what is included in your rate on your booking voucher. It is important that you check your voucher to ensure you understand what is included and what you may be asked to pay for, when collecting your car hire at the depot.

One of the main issues that face our clients is the insurance. The insurance offered for hire cars is not the same as your normal car insurance policy, so it is important to check what is covered and what is not. An excess payment is generally required by the car hire supplier and can be as high as £500 to £1000+ per claim. This excess amount will always be shown on your Auto Europe voucher.

When making your booking you can check for the option of taking the “Auto Europe Refundable Excess”. By selecting this option, should the car hire supplier charge you the excess for damages made to the vehicle, Auto Europe will refund this amount through their Customer Service Team.
 
Upon collecting your vehicle, the depot staff will ask you if you want to take their excess reduction insurance option. If you opt for this, it will be charged in the currency of the country you are collecting and will be charged directly from the car hire supplier to your credit card. It is important to point out that taking this addition is an option and if you do not want to take the depot’s excess reduction, in event of any damages, they will charge the excess amount to your credit card.

When you collect your car hire you must complete a check of the vehicle to ensure that any pre-existing damages it may have, such as: dints, scratches or marks - all noted down on your Rental Agreement. This will prevent you from being charged upon the return of your vehicle for damages that were not your fault. 

The fuel policy on car hire suppliers can vary. You may be provided with a full tank of fuel and asked to return the vehicle with the same amount, your contract may state that you are paying for a full tank upfront and do not need to return full, or you may even be given a vehicle with very little fuel and be required to bring it back empty.
 
The fuel policy will always be stated on the contract that you sign with the supplier when collecting your vehicle. You can also check your Auto Europe booking voucher for fuel information, as always. It is also wise to make sure that you know if your car is a petrol or diesel model!
 
When you are holidaying with your car hire you should treat the vehicle the same as you would your own. If you were to collect a car hire in Malaga Airport and head for the lively city centre, you should always be sure to park in safe places and not to leave valuables on display. 

The return of the car is just as important as the pick up! The depot staff will ask you to sign return paperwork - here is where you must make sure that you are not charged for any damages that may have been noted at the start of the rental. 

Once the paperwork has been signed, you must make sure you are provided with a copy, because if you do, and on your return to the UK find something that you had not agreed with, our Customer Service Team will be able to assist you more quickly and efficiently if you can provide them with a copy of the depot’s paperwork.
 
To get the most from your car hire holiday, you should plan your trip in advance. Pick out the places and attractions that you wish to visit and do a little research on the best way to get to them. The internet has many options for this, with Google Maps being the most popular. A good idea is to hire a GPS system before you travel. That way you can programme in all of the places you are going to! If you are travelling with a car hire in Alicante you can pre-programme in great places, like, for example, Santa Barbara Castle or the nearby city of Elche.
 
When booking a car hire, if you are unsure at any point, the best thing to do is ask. At Auto Europe we have over 50 years car hire experience and our staff are on hand 24/7 to answer your calls!