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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Markie on 22 September 2008, 15:51:34

Title: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Markie on 22 September 2008, 15:51:34
Anyone done it recently - decided to hire a car when in the Canaries...

Anyone got experience of cheap company to book on the `net?

Does anyone take the excess waiver?

Should I prebook or hire when i am there? ( few differing opinions in work)

I`ve driven abroad many times - normally one of our Cars in Belguim /Holland /Germany etc but not driven a left hooker in manual guise abroad for a fair few years... ::)
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 22 September 2008, 16:09:27
Quote
Anyone done it recently - decided to hire a car when in the Canaries...

Anyone got experience of cheap company to book on the `net?

Does anyone take the excess waiver?

Should I prebook or hire when i am there? ( few differing opinions in work)

I`ve driven abroad many times - normally one of our Cars in Belguim /Holland /Germany etc but not driven a left hooker in manual guise abroad for a fair few years... ::)

I have frequently hired cars across Europe and North America in the past, and have always taken out the fullest insurance cover possible, especially in the USA even when it doubles your hire costs.

Well worth it for peace of mind and for protection against uninsured drivers.

For the Canaries I would make no exception. :y

As for where to book I have done both; at home and once there.  In the States it resulted in an upgrade on my second hire from a Volve 5 seater to a all singing and dancing 6 seater Ford Crown Prince Victoria, a dream of a car at the time. 8-) 8-) 8-)


Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Richard A on 22 September 2008, 16:11:09
In my experience pay 'their insurance cover and excess', had the window broken in our hire car, no 'Autoglass' in Spain so cost £450, excess was £50 so well in pocket, plus a friend last month had all four tyres slashed, again in Spain, in would of been a very big bill but 'their' insurance paid.
regards
richard a
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: stuy112 on 22 September 2008, 16:14:10
If I'm flying to Europe then I book before I go. If I'm going somewhere touristy and in a resort I wait till I get there and shop around.
When I was in Cyprus I had a good look around and saw some real sheds, but I found a real good place where I managed to get a brand new Pajero for 10 days for less than I would have paid Avis/Hertz for 5 days with a Punto. As an added bonus the Pajero had to go in for a service and I got an MR2 for the day to play in.
I usually do the excess waiver as they always seem to find something to try and get some more money out of you for marks that were already there but you dont notice at the time of hiring.
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Markie on 22 September 2008, 16:24:42
thanks so far for the feedback  :y

So Damage excess yes....and probably also book when there...

Best price i have so far is Corsa / clit for £200 with Damage Waiver also in included in the price - thats for 14 days pick up and drop off at Airport.
 
Going to be hard to beat that i guess  :-/
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: tunnie on 22 September 2008, 16:28:00
get something with a decent engine, air-con is a must.

Road there are quite good.

I went with a local place, see loads of them, local ones tend to give a better rate than the big companies online.

Also don't book local outings till you get the car, when we hired ours they gave us a voucher for 50% off at a water park, but we went there the day before  :-[

I reccomend a trip out to see, i forget which company i used but for 35EUR had a 3 hour trip out to sea in a huge catamarang thing (yes i know i can't spell)

went dolphin spotting was great, open seats, huge boat with nets between the hulls, free bar and food!!!!!

Then it stopped off a remote beach and we had a swim for 30 mins!
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: tunnie on 22 September 2008, 16:32:00
found it....

http://www.freebirdsailing.com/our-catamarans.asp

Don't go though the tour rep (if you have one)

go direct, and go for the day trips not evening "party" ones.
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: iggy21uk on 22 September 2008, 16:49:05
 Ford Ka 14 days  October Tenerife  £168.00. With Excess damage
waiver.
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Markie on 22 September 2008, 16:51:02
Quote
Ford Ka 14 days  October Tenerife  £168.00. With Excess damage
waiver.

Need a boat to get it  ;D  :y

Im on Furteventura ( 4 yrs running) Saw Ka`s for this price but want something just a little bit bigger  ;) :y
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Richard A on 22 September 2008, 17:43:04
Sorry ! as already said AIR CON is a must.
regards
Richard A
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Markie on 22 September 2008, 17:46:28
Quote
Sorry ! as already said AIR CON is a must.
regards
Richard A


Absolutley - Wont considor anything without  :y
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 September 2008, 17:54:31
Hired a Seat Ibiza when in Spain once. Managed to almost rip the front bumper off on day 1 when parking outside the apartment.  ::)

Spent the whole holiday worrying how badly they were going to screw me for it. Mentioned the damage when I returned the car. I had to insist the bloke actually came out of his office to look at it. He saw the car from half way across the car park, realised it still had basically intact body panels on at least one side, shrugged his shoulders and went back into the office. :y

So if you were going to Alicante I would recommend Lara cars.. But you're not!

Kevin
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 22 September 2008, 18:05:32
Quote
Hired a Seat Ibiza when in Spain once. Managed to almost rip the front bumper off on day 1 when parking outside the apartment.  ::)

Spent the whole holiday worrying how badly they were going to screw me for it. Mentioned the damage when I returned the car. I had to insist the bloke actually came out of his office to look at it. He saw the car from half way across the car park, realised it still had basically intact body panels on at least one side, shrugged his shoulders and went back into the office. :y

So if you were going to Alicante I would recommend Lara cars.. But you're not!

Kevin

That reminds me of hiring cars in Malta; you are very lucky to find what would be considered in the UK a road legal / road ready car from the local garages. :o :o :o :o

Badly worn, under-inflated tyres; faulty lights; very poor brakes; lack of engine oil / water; damaged windscreens - I have had them all. :o :o :o  ::) ::) ::);)
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: jereboam on 22 September 2008, 18:07:19
Try these people: http://www.carhire3000.com/

They usually have the best prices, though not necessarily the best local companies.  Also, they now do a "zero-to-pay" deal which means you pay a bit more here when you book, but there's no extras to pay at the other end.  And the CDW has zero excess - useful for me this year, having bent the Fiat Punto on my hols this year. :)

And get airco and the biggest engine you can afford. :)
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 September 2008, 18:08:31
Quote
Quote
Hired a Seat Ibiza when in Spain once. Managed to almost rip the front bumper off on day 1 when parking outside the apartment.  ::)

Spent the whole holiday worrying how badly they were going to screw me for it. Mentioned the damage when I returned the car. I had to insist the bloke actually came out of his office to look at it. He saw the car from half way across the car park, realised it still had basically intact body panels on at least one side, shrugged his shoulders and went back into the office. :y

So if you were going to Alicante I would recommend Lara cars.. But you're not!

Kevin

That reminds me of hiring cars in Malta; you are very lucky to find what would be considered in the UK a road legal / road ready car from the local garages. :o :o :o :o

Badly worn, under-inflated tyres; faulty lights; very poor brakes; lack of engine oil / water; damaged windscreens - I have had them all. :o :o :o  ::) ::) ::);)


What worried me was that, much to my surprise, this one was brand spanking new when I picked it up.

Kevin
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 22 September 2008, 18:17:35
Quote
Quote
Quote
Hired a Seat Ibiza when in Spain once. Managed to almost rip the front bumper off on day 1 when parking outside the apartment.  ::)

Spent the whole holiday worrying how badly they were going to screw me for it. Mentioned the damage when I returned the car. I had to insist the bloke actually came out of his office to look at it. He saw the car from half way across the car park, realised it still had basically intact body panels on at least one side, shrugged his shoulders and went back into the office. :y

So if you were going to Alicante I would recommend Lara cars.. But you're not!

Kevin

That reminds me of hiring cars in Malta; you are very lucky to find what would be considered in the UK a road legal / road ready car from the local garages. :o :o :o :o

Badly worn, under-inflated tyres; faulty lights; very poor brakes; lack of engine oil / water; damaged windscreens - I have had them all. :o :o :o  ::) ::) ::);)


What worried me was that, much to my surprise, this one was brand spanking new when I picked it up.

Kevin

I think Kevin that they know brand new cars out there do not remain brand new for long, with dents, scratches, and worse appearing very quickly! ;D ;D ;D ;)
Title: Re: Hiring a car abroad.....Any Tips
Post by: TheBoy on 22 September 2008, 18:31:51
I use one of those companies like holidayextras.  I'll dig out the one I used last time, basically its a front for a load of the large ones like NAtional/Hertz etc