Sep 22

Paperless car hire

Cars
No paper, no voucher, no more long queues  – is this the future, actually not. At Cape Town International Airport this isn’t the future, this is the present.

First Car Rental has introduced a new feature called “Show and Go checkout”. It’s really simple and saves a lot of time for customers. The whole procedure is completely paperless.

So how does it work?

The customer books the rental car online when the renter plane has landed walks out of airport arrivals. There is a short pre-defined route to the First Car Rental Show & Go collection and termination zone where their car is parked. The customer basically bypass the branch completely.

A staff member will wait for the customer within this dedicated area with a mobile checkout device to check the renter out. It’s  a simple verification process such as ‘does this photo look like the renter?’ First Car Rental staff then pre-prepares a check-sheet and walks around the vehicle with the customer to ensure they agree on the vehicle condition.

The customer’s Show & Go card is ‘snapped’ by the device and he/she is voice-recorded agreeing with the check-sheet. There is no signature required. The customer is ready to go in less than 1 minute.

At Cape Town International Airport the total time taken from airport arrivals to checkout takes appr. 3.5mins. Sometimes this could take longer should a customer query specifics of the vehicle but on average this is the approximate time taken.

When the customer returns the rental car, they park the car exactly where they picked it up from, which is the closest parking available to the airport and branch. They drop their keys into the Show & Go key drop safe and off they go back to the airport.

It’s so simple and efficient!

>> Car hire excess insurance 

Source: http://www.gadget.co.za/pebble.asp?relid=3610

 

 

 

 

Sep 19

6 car rental fees to watch when you’re on holiday

car hire
It’s really important to check these car rental fees when you’re on holiday.

  1. Premium location fee: when you pick up your rental car at an airport or a train station you have to pay a premium location fee which is 15% in Italy, 20% in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and a flat fee in the UK (around 21 euro) and 40-41 euro in Spain and France.
  2. Border Crossing: one way rentals are usually free in the EU but sometimes you can be hit with a penalty of 30-2900 euro depending on how far from home the car is returned. The solution is to check prices and policies with different companies.
  3. Road Tax and vehicle licensing fee: most car rental companies are not straight forward with customers regarding road taxes. It usually cost 3.60 euro per day which you can’t avoid but always check it with the car hire company.
  4. Late return fee: return your rental car always in time because if you don’t do it you can end up paying an extra full day rental. Even if you are late 29 minutes you’ll be charged.
  5. Winter tires: because of the icy and wintry road in many European countries like Austria and Germany there is a mandatory winter tyre fee which can be 2.50 euro/day up to 15 euro/day.
  6. Unfilled tank: the car rental company can charge you if you don’t fill up your tank but you supposed to do it. In France i.e you could pay 6 euro penalty or very hefty cost of gas. So remember to fill it up before you return your rental car and keep the receipt just to be on the safe side.

Click on the link below to get:

Excess insurance for car hire >>

 

Sep 15

Hourly car-sharing program in the US

Hagley Road West, Bearwood - Reduce Congestion - Car Share Sandwell - sign

Thanks to Hertz On Demand a new car-sharing program will be introduced at the UConn’s Storrs campus in Connecticut. For a small hourly fee – $8-$9 – students would be able to rent 3 Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEV) and one all-electric car. The sharers will also get 180 free rental miles per day which will also include 24-hour roadside assistance, insurance, Bluetooth and iPod connection capabilities and even gas.

Many students don’t have car and this car-sharing service will be a big help for them to go grocery shopping or to go to the bank. It’s safer and more convenient than drive a friend’s car.

Free membership will be available for everyone who is at least 18 years-old and has a valid US or international driving license.

Connecticut Light and Power are also donating a new electric charging station to the campus.

 

Sep 12

5 tips for successful car hire

Hire Car in Jax: Pontiac G6
It is always advisable to check your rental car for any damage to avoid any excess charges. Let’s see the 5 tips for successful car hire:

    1. Try to shop around for comprehensive excess car hire insurance in advance – and make always sure it covers everything like tyre and windscreen damage.
    2. Always check your rental car very carefully – take your time and don’t let anybody rush you. You must always highlight any concerns with your supplier.
    3. If you still have any concerns with your rental car when you start driving it – go back to the car hire supplier and let them know straight away.
    4. If something is wrong with your car, don’t wait until you drop it off to highlight the problem. Contact the supplier and let them know as soon as possible.
    5. It is advisable to keep a record of your contact with your supplier, including phone calls and written communication to ensure you have all of the details in case you need to challenge any charges. If there is damage to the car in any way, or you are involved in an incident take pictures of any marks or damage so you have a record to fall back on and back up your claims.
These tips will definitely save you money  when it comes to car rental and car hire excess insurance.
Source: http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/2011/09/holidaymakers-taken-for-a-ride-as-car-rental-companies-cash-in/

 

Sep 06

Electric car rental in San Francisco

Picture:Hertz

Hotel guests who rent an electric car from the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront can go for a ride a see the most popular sights in town without polluting the city. The hotel offers 2 fast charging stations and free valet parking too.

Hertz also confirmed that they offer electric vehicles for hire from their Mason Street location. Renting electric vehicles is not a new thing, the Scandic hotel chain  in Europe also offers these type of cars for guests. Not only Hertz but Avis and Europcar also want to rent them in the very near future.

I think this is going to be the future. You will be able to go for an emission-free spin in the city.

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Car hire no excess >>

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Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/san-francisco-hotel-guests-treated-to-allelectric-runabout-2345231.html

Aug 30

Drinking no driving while on holiday

Eating and drinking in Malcesine

According to a recent study Britons choose drinking in stead of driving while they are on holiday. The research was made among 1000 people and it actually revealed that 1 in 3 didn’t even consider to rent a car while they were on holiday. 1 in 10 wanted just “flop” and 6% wanted just enjoy the sun rather than focusing on the culture and sightseeing.

 Only 1 in 5 people hired a car on their last holiday and they used local public transport instead. 19% of the people went for organised tours. More than two thirds of the people who participated in this research drank alcohol every day on their last holiday.

Although car rental prices went down this year – first in the past 4 years – customers would be able to save some money on it. Organised tours and taxis can be rather expensive and they would be able to save significant money if the go for car hire when next time going on holiday. Excess insurance for car hire comparison >>

Source of the article: The Press Association

 

 

Aug 25

9 out of 10 rental car suffers damage in the UK

Damage to the Rental Car
Europcar has made an analysis of damages to rental cars and they revealed that 9 out of 10 rental car suffered some kind of damage.

The most usual ones are:

  • windscreen chips
  • windscreen cracks
  • major bodywork damage.

Many customers who rented a car in the UK didn’t go for car hire excess insurance. Although it is really interesting that when they rented a car abroad they considered this option.

According to Europcar’s Managing Director a driver can ignore windscreen chips or a small dent when it happens to their own car but a car hire company can’t do that. They have to repair everything because their fleet has to be pristine. That is why so important to purchase excess insurance for car hire in advance.

Source: http://en.brinkwire.com/2859

Aug 22

More and more complaints about car hire firms

IMG_0178.JPG
I’ve just read an article about unsatisfied customers who rented cars and had really bad experience with big brand car hire companies. These customer testimonials are from the Guardian:

I recently hired a car from Avis inLondonand used its home delivery service. When the car arrived I did the usual pre-hire check. This proved very time-consuming as it was covered in scratches. I pointed out as many as I could, although I was told only those over 3cm were counted.

There must have been more than 20 large scratches plus another 20 or so under 3cm.

To confuse matters further, on the paperwork some scratches were marked individually, but where several scratches were together they were marked with a single wavy line.

Eventually, I signed the paperwork and, much-delayed, headed off.

On returning the car, a fine scratch (4-5cm) was found on the right rear wing. Not only am I sure that the car wasn’t scratched while in my possession, I am also positive that I pointed that particular scratch out at the pre-hire check. However, when I looked at the paperwork it had not been marked.

I realise that it was my responsibility to check the paperwork was in order but, given the state of the car, it was hard to keep track of everything. To make matters worse, Avis is claiming that the cost of repairing the scratch is £420.

This is frankly ridiculous. I talked to someone at a local garage who said they would charge £80-£100, at most, for such a repair.

Fortunately, I paid for the extra insurance cover to reduce the excess to £100, but still feel hard done by.

I have written to Avis to complain but without success. SD, Leytonstone,London

• My wife and I recently visited friends inSwedenand hired a car through Hertz, paying £450 for 10 days. We were offered top-up insurance when we picked up the car, for about £120, which we declined.

As it wasmidnightwhen we collected the car we weren’t surprised when no one checked the vehicle before setting off.

After an accident-free holiday we returned the vehicle. Again, no one checked the car. The day after we got home we received an email telling us it had been damaged. The cost to our credit card would be £550.

When we complained we were told the car had a scratch to the bumper and a dent to the number plate. Hertz said it never repairs bumpers and simply replaces them – standard charge, £450.

The number plate also had to be replaced – standard charge £100. I can see from the photos that the scratch is extremely fine and is not on the bumper. The dent to the number plate is barely discernible.

At the very least, this seems like sharp practice. Is there anything we can do? GF,Surrey

Well, these are unfortunately common problems with car hire companies. Customers feel ripped-off by them and they feel helpless too.

Things to remember at the time of pickup:

  • Always mark every single scratch on the paperwork because later it will save you money. If the staff doesn’t want to accompany you to the parking lot go back and tell them to mark them on the paper and  make them sign it too.
  • They may want to rush you but take your time. Take multiple pictures of the car before and after the rental period. In this way you can show that there is no new damage to the car. Take a photo of the mileage recorded as well. All the pictures must be date and time marked.
The most important rule is to buy excess insurance for car hire online before your trip. A daily cover will only cost you £1.99 so it’s definitely worth it.

Aug 18

Are you over insured?

12:41 AM (Sat) Valdosta Airport - Rental Cars Available

Many people buy travel insurance to cover the rental car however they may not be aware of that their car insurance or credit card already provides them with coverage. It is always advisable to check it in advance to avoid extra costs.

When somebody rent a car in the US (US citizens) they can use their car insurance to cover their rental car. They may need additional coverage for “loss of use” charges when the rental car needs repair.

It is always smart to check with your credit card provider whether they cover the car rental or not. Visa, American Express and MasteCard often offer coverage. It is very important to double check with them because it only provides coverage when travelers pay for the rented car on the card.

>> Car hire excess insurance

Aug 17

Who are the worst drivers in Europe?

British holidaymakers who travel abroad and hire a car find foreign drivers very agressive. The Italian drivers are the worst, probably they are the most agressive ones. 31% of Britons who rent a car abroad agree with this. The French drivers are in the second place, just after the Italians. Who are the best drivers? Well, we have to travel to Scandinavia to find them – namely to Sweden.

A survey was conducted among 635 British drivers and the result was the following:

  • 17% of the drivers found that foreign drivers are very agressive on the road.
  • 16% struggled with driving on the other side of the road.
  • 14% thought that hiring and driving a car abroad is an intimidating experience.
  • 10% didn’t really understand the foreign road signs.
  • 17% of the Briton drivers said that they had broken traffic rules while driving abroad i.e speeding, going the wrong way down a one-way street while driving abroad.

There are a couple of essentials to remember when driving abroad:

    1. Don’t forget your driving licence at home. There are certain countries that you may need International Driving Licence as well.
    2. If there is an emergency dial 112 – you can ask for help in 27 EU countries.
    3. Using mobile phone is a no-no – it is prohibited in many EU countries.
    4. In many countries you have to carry reflective/florescent jackets i.e in Italy and in France. Remember: not all rental cars have these jackets.

>>  Excess insurance for car hire