Hire car advice

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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Okay folks, I have a problem!

I don't drive and I know nothing about cars but I have the job of booking a hire car for a 1 week trip to Scotland. I would be grateful if someone could suggest a few models to be looking at. I want to choose a hire company in the Keighley area so I need an idea of what kind of cars to be looking at.

What we want is a car with good fuel economy. Performance isn't an issue as long as it can cruise at 70 mph as economically as possible. The driver is pretty tiny so it shouldn't be too physically demanding to drive round twisty turny Scottish roads. (I've no idea whether all cars come with power-steering these days?)

There will be be two adults in the front of the car and we need enough room in the back for two mountain bikes, a couple of large rucksacks or suitcases and maybe a large cardboard box full of supplies. I don't mind taking the front wheels out of the bikes but I'd rather leave the rear wheels in. I'm assuming that we'd fold the back seats down to give us a large luggage area.

We don't want anything fancy. We just want something easy to drive with enough space for our stuff and something that won't cost a fortune to hire or fuel.

Could you give me a few suggestions to point me in the right direction? (Ta!)
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
A Ford Mondeo estate (or any estate car ) would certainly do the job. I would look at a 1.6l or 1.8l engine and probably go for a diesel.
 

asterix

Comrade Member
Location
Limoges or York
How about a small van? Like a Vauxhall Combo?

Or a car like a Berlingo

Or a Kangoo

You wouldn't have to worry about loading the van as no doubt it would have had a few knocks anyway. Or take the seats out.
 

rusky

CC Addict
Location
Hove
If you can use Hertz, they have the Kia Ceed estate which has a huge boot
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dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
Colin - if you're picking the car up in Scotland, or leaving it there at the end of the trip, then you might want to check where you can do so. Susie rented a car to follow the Race Against Time to John O'Groats, and there wasn't a drop off point north of Inverness.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
A Ford Mondeo estate (or any estate car ) would certainly do the job. I would look at a 1.6l or 1.8l engine and probably go for a diesel.

How about a small van? Like a Vauxhall Combo?

Or a car like a Berlingo

Or a Kangoo

You wouldn't have to worry about loading the van as no doubt it would have had a few knocks anyway. Or take the seats out.
Thanks!

I think that tubbycyclist's vehicle is an older Berlingo. He's given me a few lifts from Hebden Bridge and we have got our two bikes in the back, upright without taking the wheels off (fitting them in diagonally).


Colin - if you're picking the car up in Scotland, or leaving it there at the end of the trip, then you might want to check where you can do so. Susie rented a car to follow the Race Against Time to John O'Groats, and there wasn't a drop off point north of Inverness.

Thanks, but no - it will be picked up and dropped off in West Yorkshire, preferably in Keighley. We'll be driving up there and back.

I've got a few ideas to work with now. I just need to check what is available in the Keighley area.
 

funnymummy

A Dizzy M.A.B.I.L
Beware of hidden rental costs!
I had to rent one while awaiting arrival of my new car, looked on Enterprises website, booked a car for a week & £18.78 a day - When i went to collect it, there was a bit of a wait as several cars just being returned, my son got himslef a bit worked up (he's also Autistic & some places just 'set him off')
When we finaly got to the desk I was having to physically restrain my son, the chap was waffling on at me about insurance etc I just siad Yes that's fine, I paid the weeks money £131.46 plus £100 deposit.. My car still hadn't arrived by the the end of the week so extended the lease for a further 4 days, £75.12
On returning the car paid the chap told me that they had my card details on file & they would sort out the remaining money - I assumed they would take the extra four days out of my depoist & refund me thee rest - Wrong!
I chceked my balance afew days later & found they'd taken another £163 out!!
Turns out my £18 a day car was only if I took out fully inclusive insurance with a £500 deposit, but as i'd opted for the lesser deposit i'd been charged a daily insurance premium on top..
It's all there in the small print - So small that a dyslexic mother with a child in meltdown didn't see it!
 

Fiona N

Veteran
Consider also a small commercial van - like estate cars but with no windows in the back part. Good for security and I fitted the Windcheetah in one I hired (an Astra, IIRC) and much cheaper than nice cars.

For car hire, I'd recommend Enterprise - they are really good in Kendal for their rates and service - I've been hiring cars at least two weekends a month for Audaxes away from home (which is all of them).

Re deposits and, more importantly, insurance excess. Enterprise (and as far as I know, other hirers) have a choice of large insurance excess (£700), small (£250) and none - obviously the rental costs reflect this and no excess usually costs double the large excess version as you're basically insuring yourself for that £700 loss. And as small damages are frequent to hire cars, that is a significant cost if you don't want to look after the car carefully. I've never understood the deposit system, it's more than the cost of a tank of petrol but less than the insurance excess. But I've never had problems with Enterprise reimbursing it straight away.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Colin, a small van is a good idea. If you are carrying bikes in the back they will be less conspicuous and you'll have loads of spare room while the front bit will be the same as a standard car. I would contact local van hire companies like Intack and Bury Van Hire. Look at an Astra van for example.

Look: http://www.buryvanhi...ire.asp?group=A

Or: http://www.intack.co.uk/vehicles/for-hire/vans/small-van/small-van-product.html
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I think the small van idea is a good one. I'm amazed at how cheap that Ford Transit Connect is at Bury van hire - £125/week! I was looking at spending more than that on my rail fares before my driver pal decided to come along.

We might combine walking and mountain biking some days so it would be good to have the bikes out of sight when we are on foot.

I think we will probably have to hire from after work on the Friday to before work on the Monday so we really need somewhere local.

I'll certainly watch out for hidden costs!
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
I think that tubbycyclist's vehicle is an older Berlingo. He's given me a few lifts from Hebden Bridge and we have got our two bikes in the back, upright without taking the wheels off (fitting them in diagonally).

We travelled to and from Ely-ish at the weekend in a Berlingo, four adults (three of them blokes), 6 bikes (two of them non-folders) and luggage. Oh, and on the return trip, a velomobile on the roof. It was a bit snug in the back, but as it was me and my other half, we didn't mind squashing up. (although when I took my turn driving the OH had to remember not to put his hand on the other driver's leg.... ;))

But a van is a good idea, makes it nice and simple, and the contents can be hidden from prying eyes.

Personally, I prefer not to use Enterprise, ever since they said we couldn't take a van we'd booked (which clearly hadn't been prepared when we arrived to pick it up given the time we had to wait), on a ferry to the Isle of Wight, and claimed that no hire company would allow travel on a ferry. Funnily, Budget had no problem whatsoever.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
Check Europcar [sometimes known as Alamo] on the web.... cheapest would be the Leeds/Bradford Airport Europcardesk where you can collect and drop off outside office hours at no extra charge if necessary. Town centre offices are more expensive as they have to arrange drop off and delivery to town centres where they don't have parking.

Big point check pick up and drop off times on the days you collect and return.... make sure the pick up time is later in the day than the return time or you'll be charged an extra day's rental!

If you can book as far in advance as you can the discount increases- but even if you can book on-line always speak to the reception at the office you want to hire from as they can do discounts and late deal packages direct with you so always pays to ask and barter against other hirers' prices!! They already know everyone's prices and deals so don't try to lie to them!

Hire cars are usually cheaper than vans as there are more of them and aren't as specialised. All cars will have power assistance now and most will already have air conditioning too. Most would have the Berlingo/ Fiat Multipla/Citroen Picasso range but would [probably] be more expensive than a Focus Estate- worth asking as they may not have rented out one model and have none of one of the others which would cost them to hire in from someone else... ie be flexible and ask if they need to shift anything that day/ week to make up their quotas.

You could always agree to drop off at a different office in Keighley if they have one but don't compromise their cheapest deal unless it really benefits you.


Do take out their insurance excess premium which should be only £5 a day or so, excesses for damage can be £500 to £1000 and you will be charged for any damage taken which you can't disprove, from your swiped payment card so you have no protection, paying the insurance excess waiver then avoids any and all issues of damage during your trip as they'll not be bothered if you've paid the insurance excess waiver premium... believe me it's worth it and avoids arguments as you have to pre-identify every blemish and knock before you drive away otherwise [check the spare tyre too] and dropping the car back causes all sorts of hassle.

Also, do not fall for the bring back with an empty fuel tank ploy and never tick the box where they top up for you as their fuel price is way more than you can fill up for. ... always specify collect and return full of fuel [check it is full before driving away] and bring back full on return [don't overfill up the spout either!] as you'll worry all the way home about returning with too much fuel in the car which you won't be given a credit for.

Europacar usually have a range of sizes.... you'll need the Ford Focus/ Vauxhall Astra estate size- anything non standard will be more expensive.... Mondeo/ Vectras are the next price band up and would be too expensive. You'd normally get a basic diesel but some do supply basic 1.6 turbo-diesels as standard so don't pay for any non-standard upgrades, the standard car will be fine for what you need to do and will cruise easily on the motorway...

Good luck!
 
If hiring cars often you can cover the excess on the CDW yourself by using a 3rd party firm such as insurance4carhire.co.uk for about 40quid. or a bit more if you're going worldwide.
A large estate car will have a fairly large excess - probably about 600 quid but dependent on where you hire can be >1000 euros.
A van should be cheaper.
Remember to give the vehicle a good going over and if a mark isn't noted on the paperwork, to go back to the desk straight away.
Also car hire firms getting finickity about things like dirt/dust/sand in the car..,.just with the mtbs in there, they may think 60-80 quid for a full valet.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
If hiring cars often you can cover the excess on the CDW yourself by using a 3rd party firm such as insurance4carhire.co.uk for about 40quid. or a bit more if you're going worldwide.
A large estate car will have a fairly large excess - probably about 600 quid but dependent on where you hire can be >1000 euros.
A van should be cheaper.
Remember to give the vehicle a good going over and if a mark isn't noted on the paperwork, to go back to the desk straight away.
Also car hire firms getting finickity about things like dirt/dust/sand in the car..,.just with the mtbs in there, they may think 60-80 quid for a full valet.

Not heard of using another firm's cover, sounds good in theory but with all the hassle of claims and counter-claims and multiple pages of each others' fine printed exclusions and small print, can't beat getting one over on the original parent firm with a bit of customer/ hirer dialogue and charm offensive...
 
Not heard of using another firm's cover, sounds good in theory but with all the hassle of claims and counter-claims and multiple pages of each others' fine printed exclusions and small print, can't beat getting one over on the original parent firm with a bit of customer/ hirer dialogue and charm offensive...

I would often hire a car about 3 or 4 times a year for a week/2weeks at a time. generally the excess is about 600 quid and the insurance on that is about 6 quid a day.. so its alot cheaper for an annual policy for 40 quid. Think about it.. most people don't buy the house insurance with the mortgage (unless its stipulated as part of the mortgage deal) so I don't see a problem with getting a cheaper and often more comprehensive (covers tyres and windscreen) policy.
 
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