Travelling around Australia or New Zealand can be a whole lot of fun
by renting a car. There are 1000’s of rental places and 100’s of cars
to choose from. How do you know which where to hire and which car to go
for, well…simple, follow these simple steps and you will enjoy the
whole experience.
1. Make a reservation at least one week in advance.
Make your booking as early as possible. Research has shown that the
earlier you make the a booking the cheaper it tends to be, a bit like
the airlines. As the booking pace increases, the rates can go up….While
booking earlier doesn’t always guarantee a price break (during peak
travel seasons, for instance), you’re more likely to come out ahead.
Additionally, some rental car companies will offer a discount if you
make your reservation online.
Find out about the company’s cancellation policy when you make your
reservation. Specifically, you want to know whether there is a
cancellation charge and how much advance notice is required to avoid
heavy penalties.
2. Choose a company based on rates, vehicle availability and service.
Most major companies including Budget Car Hire
offer deals If you’re a frequent traveller, you know that the major
rental car companies have special programs that qualify repeat
customers for discounts, greater choice of vehicles and faster service.
For those who travel only occasionally, however, it’s a good idea to
compare rates based on the type of car you want (mid-size, full-size,
SUV and the like) and the location and dates of your trip. Although the
major companies have largely homogeneous rental car fleets, if you want
a specific model (a Toyota or Ford, for example), check on its
availability before you make a reservation. And if you’re seeking an
exotic car or anything more luxurious than a Audi or BMW, you’ll need
to call around well in advance.
Keep in mind that vehicles rented at airports typically incur an
airport tax or surcharge (they’re in your contract). While you can
avoid this surcharge by renting your vehicle from a non-airport
location, you will usually have to arrange your own transportation to
the rental office.
Service is another consideration: If you previously had a pleasant
experience with a company because of their efficient service or
willingness to get you into a specific vehicle, use them again.
Smaller, independently owned companies might be appealing because of
their ultra-low rates or the availability of hard-to-find, exotic
vehicles. You should, however, research these companies thoroughly
before handing over your credit card. Find out what kind of roadside
assistance the company offers — if the rental vehicle breaks down, you
don’t want to be in the position of having to pay for towing out your
own pocket. In addition, make sure that you plan around the company’s
operating hours. “Some [smaller companies] are not open 24 hours, so if
you have a late flight, you might not be able to pick up the car when
you want it,” Rebello said.
3. Should you buy the rental company’s insurance policies?
Car hire companies
have a menu of insurance policies that they would like to sell you.
While in theory, each policy could be of some benefit under the right
circumstances, you should review each plan (and all of its provisions,
limitations and exclusions) before making a purchase. You’ll need to
request this information over the phone or at the rental office, as the
major companies only provide a summary on their Web sites.
Rental car companies generally offer liability coverage in two parts
— a supplemental liability policy protects against claims from others
and a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) covers the rental car. LDW isn’t
insurance per se; rather, it’s a company’s agreement not to hold a
consumer liable for loss from all or part of any damage to merchandise
(though it’s an agreement that you must buy). The advantage in both
cases, of course, is that your own insurer never has to know about any
incident that might involve you and your rental car (provided the
damage doesn’t exceed the limits of the rental company’s policy).
“If you’re renting for a couple of days as a business traveller or a
few days to a week as a vacationer, it’s a good idea,” Rebello said. If
you have a long-term rental, however, you’ll probably find that the
rental company’s coverage becomes too expensive.
In most cases, your own auto insurance policy applies to rental
cars, as well. That is, you should still have protection against bodily
injury and property damage claims from others while you are driving a
rental car — and should the rental car be damaged, vandalized or
stolen, that would be covered, as well. We say most, because it’s
important to consult your policy and/or your insurance agent to verify
coverage. This is especially important if you’re going to rent a
high-end car that exceeds the value of your insured vehicle.
Assuming that your insurance is in order (and leaves no assets
exposed), there should be no need to purchase additional liability
coverage since you’re already paying a hefty premium every six months.
However, if you’ve had a recent string of unfortunate vehicular mishaps
and/or you know that you can’t afford a premium hike (or worse), it
could make sense to purchase extra coverage from a rental car company
for peace of mind.
4. Put all additional drivers in the rental contract.
Whenever you let someone not included in the rental contract drive the
vehicle, you risk voiding the contract. And Rebello warned, “Claims
against the company’s insurance coverage — and even your own personal
insurance coverage — may be compromised.”
So swallow the added fees and put everyone in the contract. Most
companies won’t charge extra for your spouse, but you should ensure
that his or her driving privileges are provided for in the contract.
5. Pre-pay or refuel it yourself?
Rental companies generally offer you the option of either paying for a
tank of gas in advance (at a self-serve rate) and bringing the vehicle
back empty or refuelling it yourself. While the pre-pay option is
certainly cheaper than returning the vehicle empty and paying the
higher surcharge amount in the contract (per gallon), there is no
guarantee that it will always be cheaper than refuelling the car on
your own. So, plan accordingly — if you know that you won’t be using a
full tank (250-300 miles), don’t use the pre-pay option.
6. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly before you leave the lot.
Since you could be held responsible for any damage to a rental car
(beyond “normal wear-and-tear”), you should take a walk-around with the
sales agent before driving off. Inspect the vehicle for existing dents,
scratches and other damage, and make sure that anything you find is
noted in the contract.
7. Stick to the contract’s terms.
If there are mileage restrictions in your contract (and there often
are), stay within them in order to avoid post-rental penalties.
Further, you should steer clear of any restricted activities — putting
snow chains on the tires, towing a trailer, off-roading, transporting
people or property for hire could jeopardize insurance coverage for any
damage sustained by the rental vehicle. This applies specifically to
insurance purchased from the rental company, but failure to adhere to
the company’s rules could complicate dealings with your own insurer, as
well.
8. What if the vehicle breaks down?
Major companies usually provide roadside assistance. Look at your
contract — it should include instructions and a toll-free number.
9. What if the vehicle is damaged?
If your rental car is involved in an accident, most companies will
require you to come to the rental office to file an accident report.
Read your contract — you’re usually required to file a report within a
certain amount of time. Many companies will want a police report, as
well, particularly if it was a major accident. Check your contract to
see when this is required (if you’re confident that you weren’t at
fault, it’s definitely to your advantage to get a police report). All
of this applies as well if your rental vehicle is vandalized or stolen.
If your vehicle is damaged while in the care of a hotel’s (or
restaurant’s) valet parking attendants, you’ll need to work things out
with the hotel before filing a report with the rental company. A cool
head and a police report should get you through these situations with
minimal aggravation.
10. Return your rental car on time.
Since car rental rates run on a 24-hour clock, you will incur extra
charges even if you’re only an hour late in returning a vehicle. The
hourly rental rate is usually one-third of the daily rate, so if you’re
three to four hours late, you’ve tacked on another day’s charges to the
total bill.
Tags: car rental, deals, car hire, car lease, thrifty, budget, avis,
sydney, perth, australia, melbourne, perth, cairns, brisbane, adelaide
