Things to Remember When Hiring a Car

Posted by Ash K on Monday, January 30, 2012 4

When you're taking a trip and are looking into renting a vehicle, there are certain things you need to look out for and remember:

If you're in a group of friends, renting a car (and splitting the price) can be a budget friendly option! Make sure you tally up what the price of the rental is and then decide how you're going to split the ices of petrol along the way. Remember, you'll need to fill the tank up when returning the car too - so include that in your estimations.

First of all remember is that hiring a car is a big responsibility to take on. Are you happy with all your friends driving the vehicle you've put a deposit on? If someone is a weak driver it might be worth keeping them off the insurance and letting them off driving duties for the week - it wouldn't be worth the hefty price tag if anything happened to the car. Make sure you choose safe places to park the car too (whilst you're out and about) - taking a smashed window or a stolen CD player back to the rental company will equal huge bills for you and your friends.

Secondly, remember to specify whether you want an automatic or stick car. If you're all used to driving automatic then hiring a car with clutch and gears will completely throw you off and could take away from the fun and enjoyment of driving. Another point to remember - if you passed your test in an automatic then definitely don't ask for a clutch car, because you'd be breaking the law by driving it. As a general rule, if you want to car for city driving then an automatic is your best bet. If you're heading out to the country, then choose clutch control.

Thirdly, try and choose a brand and a company that are well known and well established. If they have bases and offices around the country then you're safe to return the vehicle at any point if you're not happy with it. It also means you can pop in if you have any queries or questions about the vehicle - or if you simply want to drop it off somewhere different to where you picked it up.

A fourth thing to consider is the age of the driver. Usually, drivers over the age of 25 pay less for car rental than people under 25 (because they think the risk is higher for younger drivers). If your part of a couple and one of you falls over the age of 25 - then it might be worth that person being the sole driving, especially if you're trying to save money and keep to a budget.

About the Author: Eleanor is a big fan of travel and currently writes for Wish.co.uk – unique gifts. If you’d like to find some great gift ideas for a loved one, why not have a browse and see what’s on offer!