Are you going on holiday abroad and want to rent a car there? Then you naturally don't want to pay too much or be faced with unpleasant surprises. Benefit from our five tips.
1. Choose a local car rental company
When using international car rental companies, you can reserve your car in advance in the Netherlands. This seems the easiest option – you can usually communicate in English then. However, as a local car rental company in South Limburg, we naturally recommend our local colleagues.
The beauty of the internet is that you can make a good comparison between different providers in advance. A quick search on the internet shows that you can often get excellent rates from a local car rental company. Just be sure to check the terms and conditions, more on that later.
2. Choose a car that is spacious enough
Just because a compact car is sufficient for a family of four in the Netherlands doesn't mean it will be on holiday. Have you considered the suitcases you'll be packing? Rent a car that's large enough and has plenty of luggage space.
3. Take notice of the fuel costs
Fuel costs are usually not included in the rental price. You will receive the car with a full tank and you should also return the car with a full tank.
Some car hire companies operate a full/empty policy, where you can return the car with an empty (meaning, as empty as possible) tank. The first (full) tank is added to your hire fee. The disadvantage of this is that you sometimes have to pay a much higher price for the fuel in advance, and you also pay for a full tank while you don't use it all up. Exciting for daredevils: can you manage to reach the car hire company on the last drop of petrol?
A third arrangement I've come across is the empty/empty scheme. You receive a car with an empty tank (if you're lucky there's a bit left from the previous renter), and you can also return it empty. The same challenge as with the full/empty scheme.
4. Read the small print
Pay attention to the small print in the rental agreement. For example, regarding the insurance policies taken out and the amount of the excess. Never sign anything you haven't read first. Otherwise, you might be in for some surprises: the internet is full of reviews of rental companies where things went wrong.
5. Check the car upon collection
Check the vehicle for damage at both pick-up and return. When collecting, ensure all existing damage is noted on the rental agreement. Take photos with your smartphone upon return.
Have you ever hired a car on holiday abroad? Did it cause any problems? Which of the tips above could you have benefited from? Preferably close to a car hire in the Hoensbroek regionThis is possible at Adrem!
