Hire car advice

[asterix]

Make sure you check the windscreen washers work before you drive off in your van! They'll be much needed to help wipe off all the dead insects on those windy Scottish roads....

I use hire vans for work and the amount with washers that don't work is unbelievable, even had the problem on a couple of fairly new vans.

Have you tried adding water?

 

[ColinJ]

Okay then, since my pal is a happy-go-lucky driver who wouldn't think to check anything and I don't know much about cars/vans, let's have a shortlist of things to check?

Before accepting vehicle, I can think of:

• washers/wipers
• tyres
• spare tyre
• tyre pressures
• fuel level
• dashboard warning lights
• windscreen (no cracks)
• check exterior of vehicle for dents and scratches
• lights
• insurance including cover for excess
• cover for breakdowns
• battery charge
• engine starts first time
• engine sounds fine when revving
• exhaust not blowing or hanging off

And bringing it back...

• check when vehicle can be returned (Ideally, on a Saturday evening)
• top up fuel
• clean interior to original condition
• make sure we don't leave anything in vehicle

Is there anything else important to look out for or remember to do?

 

[Arch]

There's a small garage round the corner from me that does van hire so I'll stroll round and have a word with them when I go to the market tomorrow. Let's see if they can compete with the big boys!

Might be a good idea, they may well be less formal and uptight.

If it's any good, when we need a van for work we use Budget:

http://www.budget.co.uk/car-hire/van-hire.htm

York branch are very relaxed. Never said a word about the dent I left in the roof of one Transit...

 

[Maz]

It's been a while since I last hired a car, but ask them if the rental is for unlimited mileage.

 

[potsy]

Don't forget to put the correct fuel in on returning it Colin, ie petrol or diesel.

I've not hired a car for years but it does sound like a mine field if you're not careful.
My one was a Vauxhall Nova in about 96' needed to get to London and back and didn't trust my old banger at the time, halfway home the engine warning light came on luckily it went off the next day when I was due to return it

 

[Maz]

Never said a word about the dent I left in the roof of one Transit...

I've got to ask this, but what were you doing on the roof?

 

[Night Train]

Okay then, since my pal is a happy-go-lucky driver who wouldn't think to check anything and I don't know much about cars/vans, let's have a shortlist of things to check?

Before accepting vehicle, I can think of:

• washers/wipers not to problematic as you can refil if needed, wiper blades should clear the screen reasonably well though.
• tyres Should have full tread across width and at least 3mm of tread. Just run your fingers along the groves a little and you should feel the wear indicator bars. Check for cuts and bulges in the side walls.
• spare tyre As above.
• tyre pressures Check the user manual for the correct pressures for the load, can be very variable on a van. This can be done after hire and checked at the first chance. The 7.5 ton I last hired needed 120psi, only 60psi on one tyre, but the petrol station pump couldn't get it past 100psi.
• fuel level
• dashboard warning lights
• windscreen (no cracks) Small chips would be ok if less then teh size of a 5p IIRC and not in the driver's line of sight.
• check exterior of vehicle for dents and scratches
• lights Check they all work and lenses are not broken.
• insurance including cover for excess
• cover for breakdowns
• battery charge If it starts it shouldn't be a problem.
• engine starts first time Diesels can be smoky on start but should clear in seconds. They may also smoke briefly if reved hard.
• engine sounds fine when revving Again diesels can sound a little rattly but not a major issue.
• exhaust not blowing or hanging off

And bringing it back...

• check when vehicle can be returned (Ideally, on a Saturday evening)
• top up fuel
• clean interior to original condition
• make sure we don't leave anything in vehicle

Is there anything else important to look out for or remember to do?
Make sure all the controls are found and recognised. Many cars/vans are different and there is no point needing the lights or wipers and not know which switch it is. Dip/main is an important one as it the location of reverse on the gearstick and demisting controls.
Make your own note of the mileage at the start and end and check if there is cost for additional mileage if there is a limit.

 

[Arch]

I've got to ask this, but what were you doing on the roof?

It wasn't on the top so much, as in the bit at the front above the windscreen. I neglected to properly assess the height of an archway I was trying to drive through. I was working on the stupid assumption that it was the same height as the last hire van we'd used, which went through fine.

I was very cross with myself.

 

[ColinJ]

It wasn't on the top so much, as in the bit at the front above the windscreen. I neglected to properly assess the height of an archway I was trying to drive through. I was working on the stupid assumption that it was the same height as the last hire van we'd used, which went through fine.

I was very cross with myself.

Many years ago, the company I used to work for had a big contract to fit out a large van. They hired extra premises where they could work on the van and then discovered that it wouldn't fit through the gateway. I think the solution involved stone masons ...

 

[Maz]

Many years ago, the company I used to work for had a big contract to fit out a large van. They hired extra premises where they could work on the van and then discovered that it wouldn't fit through the gateway. I think the solution involved stone masons ...

You mean they didn't try this glaringly obvious solution?...

 

[asterix]

It wasn't on the top so much, as in the bit at the front above the windscreen. I neglected to properly assess the height of an archway I was trying to drive through. I was working on the stupid assumption that it was the same height as the last hire van we'd used, which went through fine.

I was very cross with myself.

In other words it was a 'higher' van?

 

[Maz]

In other words it was a 'higher' van?

That joke really Hertz.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks for the latest suggestions

You mean they didn't try this glaringly obvious solution?...

I think you'll find that doing that effectively makes the vehicle both taller and wider so it would have taken out the building as well as the gateway!

Interesting point about mileage. I had naively assumed that we just had to replace any fuel used! We will probably need to do about 800 miles, certainly no more than 1,000. Is that likely to be a problem?

Double-checking the fuel type is something I'm definitely going to do! My friend is bright, but easily distracted ...

 

[SavageHoutkop]

One of your posts mentioned returning the car on a Saturday evening. Most hire places are closed on Sat evenings, and it's sometimes cheaper to take the car all the way till Monday first thing.
I've found that changing the start or finish time by an hour or so can significantly change the cost of the hire, so that's worth a look too (our hires usually for a weekend).

I've never used the same company twice as always go for the cheapest. Any of the large brands and you're likely to get a new(ish) car which should work fine.

Beware though - they do NOT guarantee you the car you see in the picture, just a 'similar' one. I've tried to hire an estate (for a flat pack furniture trip) and ended up with a people carrier. It worked fine, but not what I was expecting...

 

[Arch]

You mean they didn't try this glaringly obvious solution?...

What, make it bigger in every dimension except length?

Edit: Ah, Colin beat me to it....