Cheap car hire article discussion

any ideas for Canada....OMG the prices gor nearly a month in America for same price just over a week in Canada, picking up frm toronto.

• £40 Insurance4Carhire.com annual policy, no more extras, covers everything that basic insurance does not, pays for itself in about 7-10 days and no hassle at airport

• Always read T&C, this will tell you if you pay (extortionately) for a tank of fuel up front and return empty (rip off)

• Remember that the cheapest is not always the cheapest once the cost of inflated price fuel is added.

• Check the trinity (Kayak, eBookers, Travelsupermarket)

Example, March 2012 Malaga, mini / small car, 4 days - headline prices from £17 to £50, but with fuel paid up front £67 - £71 (and more)



But eBookers "selection" £45 for a Renault Twingo, whilst appearing expensive in comparison, was return with the same amount of fuel that was there on collection. You won't know who the renter is until after booking (in my case Sixt)


In fact a lot of the cheaper renters have all sorts of little extras (card booking fees for example and automatic addition of insurances); plus for some when you leave (say) kayak and get to the site often the price magically increases by 25%

Bottom line is to spend the time doing the research to keep the cost and your blood pressure down!

To all those who are considering purchasing an Excess Car Hire Policy I would like to sound a note of caution. Having been a previous policy holder of Insurance4carhire I was about to renew and have been hunting high and low for anyone in reviews who has had experience of claiming from them. I eventually found one on another forum who sounded a note of caution. Having successfully submitted a claim to the company he was a little upset to receive a sum far less than the costs he had incurred. They deducted from his claim the following:-
1. Loss of car hire for the time the hire car was off the road being repaired
2. Cost of a damage report from the hire company.
3. Vat charges on all of the above.
I have had this confirmed by the company that the above are not covered by their policy.
The message is don`t go purchasing one of these policies believing you are covered for everything the Hire Company`s policy doesn`t cover you for.
I regularly travel to Spain and use Malagacarhire.com, not to be confused with others of a similar name. They are based in England and use a company called Niza cars in Spain. They pick you up and drop you at the airport and Niza cars is just outside Malaga Airport. They give you a full tank of petrol and as long as you return it full there is no charge for fuel. Insurance covers all drivers 21 years and over. They do not cover windscreens,tyres and undercarriage but for 3euros 50 a day you can get cover for this. The maximum they will charge in any hire period is 33 Euros. If you don`t take the excess insurance they take a swipe of your credit card for 300 euros but don`t take it from your account. I`ve been using them for years now and they knock spots off the other companies. I have always had a complimentary upgrade of car if they have one available.
I have tried others who claim to be cheaper but by the time you add on their overcharge for a tank of petrol, excess insurance of 10 euros a day and currency charges for taking a 300 euro deposit they work out far more expensive.