Van Hire - Cost? Comparisons?

CashStrapped

Just wondering if anyone has more recent Van hire experience and what to expect.

There seems to be relatively few posts on the subject.

I am looking to hire a Van to transport household items on a 400mile trip starting in London.

It will be a one-way trip so I assume this means the cheapest and logical method would be to use a hire company that allows a pick-up and drop of in different locations.

I guess this restricts me to using the big nationwide firms. I can't imagine the small local firms can do this.

So far I have looked at a few online quotes for pick-up and next day drop-off.

I think that means they class it as a 2 day hire.

Hertz £143.76 (no extras)

Sixth £258 (no extras)

Thrifty £115 (no extras)

Enterprise £171 (no extras)

Are these indicative prices what I should expect for such a hire ?

Any way to reduce the cost?

I seems that all these come with a standard excess of £1000.

Should I take out my own policy to cover any issues? What is the best way to go about this?


Their policies to reduce the excess seem to come in at around £15+ per day.



Thanks in advance for any help!

foxy-stoat

The prices look ok. I do not know a way to reduce the costs though, you have got quotes so just go with the cheapest, if they allow drop off a different locations.

Pay the £15 for the additional excess cover.

rhysadams

Prices look spot on to me! I'd probably be tempted to opt for the zero excess option in case you damage the van moving bit in and out.

tacpot12

I could find a local company at the destination and check their charges. I hired a SWB Transit last month from Practical in South Yorkshire for £44 per day. I think the mileage allowance was 300 miles per day, so a two day hire might cost less than £90. You would need to be able to travel to the destination for less than £20 to make it worth the hassle.