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Let’s be honest, over the years car hire hasn’t gained the best reputation. We could list the ways that bad companies try to swindle unsuspecting customers out of a few extra pounds but that’s not what we want to focus on. Let’s focus on why car hire is a fantastic choice, why it’s worth the rare little issues and everything we’re doing to make car hire better. Let’s start with the old bad side of car hire.

The Negatives of car hire

Why is car hire sometimes seen as stressful?

Car hire can be seen as a deceiving and dishonest industry. Sneaky companies trying to swindle unsuspecting holiday makers out of money for the faintest scratch. Pushy sales reps selling extra insurance that they’re adamant is required. Terrible cars which break down and leave you with the bill to get it towed. We do understand that worries like these put many people off ever hiring a car but it’s not as bad as it seems.

Car hire insurance can seem daunting – don’t worry though we explain it all

Hire car insurance isn’t as complicated as it sounds or seems. It’s just quite a few words to say simple things. If you’re worried about the ins and outs of car insurance and what it means for you, check out our complete guide to car hire insurance.

Bad reviews – does it seem like all car hire companies have negative reviews?

Bad experiences happen. While we try our best to provide the absolutely best experience for all our customers, things can still go wrong. The same goes for our car hire providers, we only work with providers who offer excellent customer service. Despite that though, things can still go wrong. On these occasions we think it’s important to help as much as possible. Our customer service team is available 24/7 and will always do their best to resolve the issue.

The anxiety of crashing a hire car is scary

All of our bookings come with protection should you have an accident. We explain how this all works in more detail in the blogs linked below. The gist of it is, to hire a car a level of insurance is needed and this insurance is there to protect you. When you book with us, this protection is baked into the price and all optional extras are offered to you completely optionally.


The positives of hiring a car

The big positives of hiring a car.

Car hire isn’t stressful because of what it offers you, the freedom and peace of mind you get when hiring a car with Zest makes it all worth it. Here’s just some of the fantastic things about hiring a car on holiday.

Freedom

The first and we think biggest reason to even consider hiring a car in the first place is the freedom it gives you. You’re on holiday to feel the rush of a new place, the excitement that comes with exploration and intrigue. Hiring a car lets you fully indulge this feeling of freedom. You can explore to your heart’s content without having to worry about the hassle of bus timetables and public transport. Get in your hire car and go.

Ease

Being in a foreign country can be difficult when it comes to language barriers, unknown streets and new public transport systems. Which train do you get? Is this the right bus? How do I pronounce where I want to go? All of these questions are answered with a hire car. With modern navigation apps too you can be sure you’re on the right track. No need to understand a new public transport system, just jump in your hire car, set the map and go.

Flexibility

Ever had to change your holiday plans at the last minute? It happens to everyone and whether it’s for the better or not, it’s always a great thing to be able to accommodate these changes. Hiring a car means you can run on your own schedule. Unlike if you were tied to a train timeline or a bus schedule, you’re able to be a bit more flexible with your travel options. Have to make the journey a bit later or earlier? A hire car has you covered.

Luxury

Owning, maintaining and running a luxury car in your day to day life can be super expensive. This is not the case when hiring a luxury car. Hiring a car means you only pay for the rental and the petrol. No expensive maintenance bills and all that. Enjoy a luxurious car to add that bit extra to your holiday for a tiny fraction of the price of actually owning one.

Cost

Hiring a car cuts all the extra expenses that would come with bringing your own car. It saves you all the trouble of customs, inspections and all that fun. You simply arrive however you like, pick up your car and drive off into the sunset. The simplicity of it makes the whole thing easier and cheaper. No import costs, no extra insurance, it’s all just easy.


So what are we doing to make car hire even better?

In short, we’re making car hire simple. We’re removing the complications and hidden costs and we’re making everything you need to know accessible. You can see our dedication to simple and clear design when making a booking on our site.

  • Refundable security deposit shown clearly when picking a car and provider
  • The price you see is the price you pay – both on the site and when you arrive
  • Easy live chat, available all the way while booking

We do everything we can to make your car hiring process simple, easy and ultimately less stressful.

Refundable security deposit shown clearly

When you search for a car, the security deposit required by that car hire provider is displayed clearly under the collection info box. This means all the stress about what the deposit is and what is required is gone. You know straight away the deposit you’ll be required to leave.

The price you see is the price you pay, both online and locally

No one likes to have extra charges and costs lumped on them at the last minute so we don’t do it. When you book a car with us, the charges you see are the only costs. If a car hire provider demands extra insurance you can rest assured you don’t need it unless you want it. If In any doubt, give us a call.

Easy live chat option all the way through your booking

When making a booking, our super helpful customer service team are always on hand to help. You can hit the “Live Help” button in the bottom right of the page while booking to speak directly to one of our customer service team. On your mobile this little button will say “Chat” but it does the same thing, connects you to us for any questions you might have.

24/7 support from our customer service team

No matter where you are or what time it is, our customer support team are only a phone call away. Whether you’ve got a quick question or a massive problem, our team is just a call away.

Insurance made simple

When you book with us, we make sure you’re covered. Whether you take out our optional top up insurance or not, you’ll have everything you need to drive away happy. All our bookings come with excess protection so you’ll have complete peace of mind.

Backed by reviews you can trust

If you’re still not sure about hiring a car, if you still feel like it’s a big risk, check out our reviews. You can see exactly what our customers think of car hire when it’s done with Zest.

And so much more…

We’re dedicated to making car hire simple, easy and a consistently positive influence on your holiday. Whether this is through the little things like clear language while booking or the bigger things, like excess protection on every booking.


Luke

About the author: Luke

Luke’s passion for giving customers what they want is evident in his specialised consumer advice blogs. He’s always looking for the next piece of advice to give travellers.

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