Guys, I'll be renting car next weekend for 3/4 days and I need some general advise. Company would be paying for it so they've told me, I can rent anything reasonable I want from wherever I want and then they'll reimburse the charges.
In 4 days I'll drive about 700 miles or so. I'm thinking of getting either a VW Passat or Focus, would like it to be diesel.
While approaching one of the car rental companies, could I be specific about a model and fuel type? If so what would be the best possible car rental company in or around Slough?
{ typo in header corrected }
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 04/11/2008 at 10:26
|
You probably cannot be specific of car model or fuel type. When I get hire cars as temp replacements it varies. I assume you have a max allowance - the difference in cost for a Focus size car and the class you'll find a Passat in can be quite big. A Mondeo/Vectra class of car will be cheaper than a VW Passat.
You also need to be sure what the situation on excess is. Will the company pick that up if there was a problem?
|
|
It used to be a Mondeo would be classed as a "standard" category and probably still is. But the new Mondeo is bigger than an E class Merc so is bigger than "full size" and "premium" ;-)
|
Thanks for your replies so far guys.
I was thinking I'll pay few extra quids to protect my excess (I remember the last time I hired a van for personal use I did it).
They haven't specifically told me how much I could spend, I don't think they'll mind as long as I don't go and get a luxury car!
So you guys are saying if I'll ask for say Vectra sized car, I could end up with Vectra, Mondeo, Passat........anything the rental company would have at that time, right?
What national/chain rental company would you guys recommend?
|
you can sometimes do a deal on a particular car by talking direct to the local hire shop, if you book it through their national chain you are only guaranteed the group of car
except if you book it there and then when you can ask what you will be given
its easier to narrow your odds of getting the car you want by looking at what the local hire places have in their car parks
|
Not everybody is aware that the "standard" excess on a rental contract can often be £ 400 - 600.
The rental company will charge you around £ 10 -13 / day for insuring this.
If you check there are several online companies that will insure the excess, and things like wheel damage for about £ 3 / day.
|
When my brother lived in Reading he used a company called Rabbits who seemed to be pretty good.
I'd stick to a local non "household name" place, I recently had a car from the "e" people who pick you up ;) and when the car was given to me they gave it a brief walk about. When I handed it back they went over it with a fine toothed comb - I would always suggest you do the same when collecting a car and if its dirty mark the sheet as such so if there is damage under the dirt you shouldnt get the blame.
My local place in Bristol are great. As long as a panel isnt dented they dont mind a minor scratch or a stone chip. Fair treatment at a fair price = always lots of business for them.
Edited by J500ANT on 01/11/2008 at 11:21
|
|
|
I would second the above comment about buying the excess cover online. Of the companies that do do that do check that they will cover you hiring close to home. One company does do hiring - i think Questor Insurance allow you to use their policy for hiring close to home. Saves alot.
In terms of renting worth looking at places like Holiday autos to see what deals they have (their excess cover is cheap too). As others have suggested if you really want a specific make you need to go to the local office and charm the desk people - ask them what they ahve and if they are being nice they may be able to pencil you in for a specific car. A mate of mine rents from a very small branch of Enterprise rentacar and they have a small set of vehicles. this can mean that u rent a small fiesta and get offered a nice bigger car (i paid for a fiesta and got a new top of the range Civic)...but it can work the other way if they are run off their feet - eg book a fiesta and get offered a Ford Ka as there's nothing left to have. The alternative...some single brand garages offer car rental eg VW used to do that - therefore you obviously get a VW.
|
|
|
My experience is that the advertised price for the big companies (Avis, Hertz etc) is usually much much higher than for smaller local hire companies. The big hire companies appear to discount their prices heavily to heavy users (such as large businesses), and sometimes do tie-in deals with airlines etc ... but when trying to hire as a one-off, I have never found their prices remotely competitive with the independents.
A quick look at your local yellow pages will give you a list of local hire companies, and with a few minutes phoning around you'll find someone who can hire you what you're after at a much lower price. Sometimes it'll be a small independent hire company, sometimes it'll be a garage that keeps a few hire cars ... but you'll usually get a vehicle that has been run in and doesn't have that sickly car-new-smell.
As long as you don't sacrifice reliability by hiring a banger, I'm sure you'll find that in the current economic climate, saving money for your employer will earn you a few brownie points
|
|
Also, the local franchise for Ford or VW (or whatever brand you would like) might do hire?
|
700 miles in 3/4 days?
Watch out some hire operators charge excess mileage on over say 150 mls / day!
So the cheapest day rate might be more expensive when you return the car.
|
|
I hired a car from a well known national company - had a "disabled" tax on it. Found it when I was 300 miles from home !
|
|
|
|
|
|
I was amazed the last time I rented a car in the UK (in Sept.) they wanted to sell me insurance for accidental damage, glass cover, wheel cover.
What happened to the pay a fee and you are covered ? Whatever next ?
Wheel trim cover, dust cap cover, wiper blade cover ?
Check your mileage allowance, make sure it is unlimited.
Go over the car with a fine tooth comb BEFORE you even unlock the car with a member of staff. Check windscreen, ALL body panels (even for minor parking knocks as they will charge you at return time), bumpers and wheels. THEN unlock the car and check the interior for cigarette burns. Make sure you even check the headlining as some people use hire cars for runs to the tip before returning.
The above might sound a little over the top but the last car I had was supplied by "a battle fought in February and March 1836 in San Antonio" and it was a shed at eight months old.
Scratches on the bonnet (looked like two cats had a ruck on it), rear n/s wheel arch was scraped, dents down the offside from car park parking knocks.
Edited by gmac on 01/11/2008 at 17:51
|
In addition, I have found that pulling out a digital camera, leaning close, and taking a picture of one of the panels when you inspect the car works wonders.
Especially if there is damage.
BUT....
Doesn't matter if it is smooth as a baby's bum, take a picture... that way they won't even think of trying it on upon your return!
|
Mazman: you might like to explore www.insurance4carhire.com/
No connection, and no experience of how they deal with any claim, but we used them as a cheap alternative to risky hirer insurance. It is said hirers have a vested interest in recycling old damage, so inspect and photograph before and after taking the vehicle. Report any discrepancies on the documents re existing damage before driving off!
|
|
|
|
I rent about 15/20 times per year. In my experience, I always get the best deals from the big names (Hertz / Avis / Europcar) etc - you just make sure you don't accept their 'rack rate'. You get the deals with the big companies by looking for discount codes - eg Hertz with Nectar or Europcar via the easyjet link.
Contrary to what others have said, you can specify a particular model. It's only available with Avis. It's called 'select series', and it is only available on a limited selection of vehicles. It covers things like the 207CC or the Mini.
If you really want a diesel, then use Hertz and select the 'green collection'. Although a particular model is not guaranteed, you will get a diesel because these always have the lowest emissions per category. By coincidence, most of the Hertz Green compacts are Focus and most of the large 'green' are Passat bluemotions.
As others have said - check the car over thoroughly before you drive away - and insist that ever single scratch or mark is marked on the damage sheet.
|
get a car in black - you can fill in any scratches with a marker pen. If you take it back to a major company with a tiny mark on it they will charge a ludicrously high amount for it.
Although with Enterprise you can ring the MD and plead forgiveness.....
|
I do not know who the OP works for but assume a small(ish) company. We currently use National Car Rental (well it was when I last got a hire car when mine was serviced). We self insure so the car (I got a Vectra 1.8 SRi or something) was about £20/day. No way could I get it for that. So can the company not hire for you.
I would be especially wary of any excess you might need to pay. Taking out a separate policy is fine but will it be paid? If I damaged a hire car I'd have some explaining to do but not have to pay. Then again last time I hired one I ended up doing 2 miles - to and back to Enterprise which was near the Mazda dealer so I walked that bit.
|
|
