When you are looking to hire a car, there are many decisions that have to be made. The biggest and most fundamental of all of these is which car type should you book.
Although many decisions are driven by price, there are times when it can be beneficial to spend a little bit more for the right vehicle? Here are Economy Car Hire’s inside tips on what to look out for when choosing your car.
It is important to note that when booking a car we cannot guarantee the exact make and model of the vehicle. A vehicle of similar specifications may be provided. For this reason all the advice below is based on questions that need consideration before you place your booking.
Where?
A major factor in deciding which car you are going to select is where you are actually going.
You will need to consider the terrain you will be driving on and how your car will perform there. For example, many customers find that hiring a small car in Madeira and some parts of Italy means that they struggle with the steeper roads. Although we can’t guarantee the size of engine in your rental car we do suggest that a larger vehicle would be more suited to these types of areas.
Who?
It is also important to consider who you are travelling with?
Sometimes a small 5 seat vehicle is too small to fit in everyone and their luggage. Be aware that some vehicle classes have the same amount of seats but offer drastically different amounts of space for each passenger. We also provide information on how much luggage you can fit into the car helping you make the choice.
If you are travelling with elderly passengers then it can sometimes be beneficial to hire a larger vehicle. A bigger car is often easier to get in and out of if it isn’t so low to the ground. Also, if you are travelling with children, be aware of the number of booster seats that can fit in a car. This may not correlate to the total amount of seats.
What?
What type of driving are you going to be doing when you’re away?
If you are planning to be doing a lot of driving on motorways or similar it could be advisable to book at diesel car. The economic benefit of better fuel efficiency can add up over longer journeys meaning this is an easy way to save money.
Alternatively, if you are doing a lot of city driving it may be beneficial to hire a smaller car for easier parking. For a specific example, some of our customers say that they prefer a smaller car in Italian cities where the roads can be quite narrow. If you consider exactly what it is you are going to be doing in the car you can make the best choice and avoid unnecessary stress.
When?
When are you going?
It is important to think about the time of year you are going and what the weather is going to be like. If it is going to be hot you can select that all important air conditioning. Alternatively, if it’s cold you may need extra luggage space for all warm clothing you are taking. Being aware of the conditions you are going to be in can be a big help when choosing your vehicle class.
Why?
Why would you buy additional extras?
Sometimes it can seem like an unnecessary expense but a GPS, booster seat or ski-rack can be essential in some situations. Make sure you are aware of the specific extras that are available and use this to inform your choice of vehicle.
If you are trying to save money then a good way to do this is by reducing the amount of luggage you take on holiday. You can avoid paying to check-in a bag with the airline and potentially hire a smaller car with less boot space. Make sure you read our guide on how to pack just hand luggage for a one week trip for some useful tips.
If you have any specific queries relating to a vehicle you can call us on 0845 450 0877 or contact us via email here.
Written by Nicholas Ferns from Economy Car Hire.
My wife and I are going to be getting repairs on our car, and we wanted to make sure that we had a rental car before then. It’s interesting that you should consider if you need different services like a GPS. Since we both get lost so often, it would be nice to have that little feature included.
Thanks a lot for providing these kinds of tips on choosing a good car rental company. Everyone knows that in the current market there are plenty of unregistered or fake car rental companies exist. So, it will be very important to choose the right one.
Absolutely, Nicholas I think we should first consider some important things while choosing the cars on rent. Planning a family tour has never been easier with the affordable rates, saving you money and giving you everything you’ll need for a stress free holidays. It’s really helpful post for those who want to get the car on rent.
I am a regular ECH happy customer. However just returned an new Opel Corsa 5/07 (2500km on the clock) to Alicante Airport after a 4 week hire (1500km) to Alcossebre. Noted to your return desk the poor performance on the AP7 gradients which I have not encountered on previous journeys/cars of a similar size. Only 2 medium sized passengers with small overhead locker suitcases. Desk attendant not really interested.
Your views would be appreciated.
Only 2 days before a recent holiday I phoned Economy Car Hire to upgrade from three medium 5-seaters to 3 large 5-seaters, to accommodate all of our luggage for family holiday (8 adults + 3 children) in Spain (Alicante airport). What a great decision that was! We got a great deal on 2 x Kia Sportage and 1 x Opel Mokka, and definitely benefited from the extra space and comfort. The value was terrific. Thank you Economy Car Hire and car hire company Solamar. The bonus was getting the keys to 3 brand new vehicles! Lucky us! A fantastic all-white convoy up the AP7!
Glad to hear you made the right choice Richard, and we hope you had a great holiday as well!
I always advise that you should look at reviews of car hire companies. Generally if people are complaining about that company, you don’t want to be with them! Also, as you’ve said, always check for those ‘hidden extras’ as they can really increase the fee.
Thank you for your reply. I will contact you prior to my next visit.
Richard
Some companies will now give a refund on unused fuel. Would you explain your policy please
As we are a broker and deal with a number of different suppliers, the policy for each rental is different. Each supplier at any given location may have a different fuel policy so we provide all the information, including fuel policy, in the ‘Show Rental Conditions’ tab on our quote results screen.
I hope this has been of help.