They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Well, I’d add that there’s no such thing as cheap car hire. The reality is that you’ll pay at one end or the other!

Here’s what happens:

  • You’ll see a super cheap car hire offer – often sent to you by the airline you’ve booked with
  • You’ll go ahead and book the car hire, reassured that in the terms, it will say something like “Collision damage waiver included”
  • You arrive to collect your car, and they tell you you either need to pay for “full cover” or take a huge hit on your credit card for a deposit which can be as high as €1500
  • Then the extras are introduced – extra drivers, child seats, sat navs and so on
  • You end up paying about twice what you originally budgeted

You can refuse the extra insurance and allow them to take the deposit, but you’ll have a problem if you do damage the car in any way – the internet is littered with stories about people paying €450 for a scratch or tiny dent.

So, our advice is to avoid anything that seems to cheap to be true – it is! Don’t book your car hire with any automated online booking system, which is usually managed by a broker. Deal with someone you can speak to on the telephone or via email, where you can ask the relevant questions and where the details won’t be hidden in lengthy terms and conditions somewhere on their websites.

At the end of the day, the car hire companies have to make a reasonable return on their considerable investments, so it isn’t feasible that you can really hire a car for “Less than £10 per day.”

We can arrange car hire anywhere in the world for you, and you can pick up the phone and talk to us. With any price we quote you, we’ll tell you about any deposit you will need to pay, what really is covered and what exclusions there are. We strive to recommend “all inclusive” packages where everything is covered for you, including a second driver. You might pay more than the headline price you see elsewhere, but you can relax, knowing exactly what you are getting for your money.

Just give us a call on 0800 810 8404 free, and we’ll give you prices. If you prefer you can email us.