Canada Trip, car hire and dollar purchase

wallacebob

Off to Nova Scotia & NFL in Canada in June, I have looked at a few websites for car hire, lots of the usual big names, BUT anyone you would recommend? I always like to use local firms if I can, I fly into Halifax NS.
Need the car for three weeks to travel all over the East Coast.
Also, silly question - is now i.e. offseason, a good time to but CanDollars?
I will be doing most spending on C.Cards, and use Debit Cards for cash, as I usually do in Europe. Is North America same? or should I take some cash from here?
Any other tips specific to this part of Canada? Apart from take a jumper!
Thanks, Bob.

cheekymole

I booked a car with Avis as it was the cheapest I could find at the time.
As for the dollars you will pay a fortune using credit cards etc whilst you're there. Do you have a Nationwide Flexaccount? If not, get one before you go and you can withdraw cash without charge.
Obviously take some with you too. I've been tracking the CD for a few eeks no and it has hover around the 1.8/1.9 to the pound. As soon as it goes over 2, I'm off to change a few quid

zappahey

We lived in Canada for 3 years and often found Enterprise to be cheapest.

Have a look at http://www.insurance4carhire.com/ you could save a packet in insurance charges like CDW since it's not generally part of the package if you rent directly. Obviously that's different if you rent from the UK so compare the costs for booking through the UK and Canadian sites.

https://www.travelocity.ca will give you a nice grid comparing the various rental places. Keep watching the renters websites as they often have special offers.

You probably won't find a local firm as such but most of the chains are franchised so the office will be owned locally.

I don't think the tourist season has that much effect on the exchange rate so just buy when the rate suits you.

As for that part of Canada, we toured the Maritimes in summer of 2004 and it's lovely but be prepared for a whole lot of not very much between the interesting bits. try to get across to the Bay of Fundy, but it may be the wrong direction for your plans. You can take the ferry across from Digby if you get that far down.

hammy_the_hammer

if anyone can predict currency rates accurately they'd be too rich to be offering advice on this site !!

Finishrich

cheekymole wrote:

As for the dollars you will pay a fortune using credit cards etc whilst you're there.

I have to disagree with that. Credit cards are widely accepted and If you have time get a Nationwide credit card it offers the best rates for foreign transactions as it doesn't load the exchange rate with a 2.5% fee like most other cards do.

wallacebob

Thanks for replies - I had been considering Nationwide anyway, this might be the time to do it. I opened account at Abbey to get the cash back offer, but kept my old HBOS bank account open for safety - I hope having three banks accounts isn't illegal! I travel to Ireland a bit, and have been stung there at cash machines if I use the wrong card!
The travelocity site was very good, clear comparisons.Thanks again.

cheekymole

Finishrich wrote:

I have to disagree with that. Credit cards are widely accepted and If you have time get a Nationwide credit card it offers the best rates for foreign transactions as it doesn't load the exchange rate with a 2.5% fee like most other cards do.

I know credit cards are widely accepted I was just merely pointing out that there was a cheaper way of doing it in MSE tradition

pin

wallacebob wrote:

Thanks for replies - I had been considering Nationwide anyway, this might be the time to do it. I opened account at Abbey to get the cash back offer, but kept my old HBOS bank account open for safety - I hope having three banks accounts isn't illegal! I travel to Ireland a bit, and have been stung there at cash machines if I use the wrong card!
The travelocity site was very good, clear comparisons.Thanks again.

You can have as many bank accounts as you want to.

Nationwide is the way to go. Debit or cash card for ATMs and credit card for purchases.