Eight questions to ask before you hire a car from anyone
Eight questions worth asking anyone you are thinking of hiring from, including us. The headline price is the easiest thing to compare and the least likely to be what decides the actual cost — these are the terms that do.
The questions
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What is the excess, and can it be reduced?
The single biggest number nobody asks about. It is what you pay towards damage before the insurance does anything, and it varies enormously between companies. A cheaper hire with a much larger excess is not cheaper, it is a different bet.
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Is anyone else allowed to drive it?
If a second person might need to, ask before you book rather than on the day. Adding a driver is sometimes free, sometimes charged, and sometimes not possible at all depending on their age and licence.
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What is the fuel policy?
Take it as you find it and bring it back the same, or collect it full and return it full, or pay for a tank up front. They are not equivalent, and the last one is usually the worst value if you are not going to use it all.
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Is there a mileage limit, and what happens if I go over?
Over a few weeks this matters far more than it does on a weekend. Ask for the limit and the rate per mile beyond it, and do the sum against the driving you actually expect to do.
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What is the deposit, what can it be used for, and when do I get it back?
All three parts, not just the amount. A deposit held for weeks after the car goes back is a real cost to you, and "when it has been checked" should come with a rough idea of how long that takes.
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What happens if it breaks down?
Who you ring, whether you get another car, and how quickly. On a long hire this is the question most likely to actually come up.
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What happens if I bring it back late?
Ask for the charge in writing. Running over is common when you are waiting on something outside your control, and it is much easier to plan around a number you were told at the start.
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How is damage assessed when I bring it back?
Whether you are there when it is inspected, whether they photograph it at both ends, and what counts as fair wear. Taking your own photographs at collection costs you two minutes and settles most arguments.
Ask for the answers in writing
Not because anyone is trying to catch you out, but because eight answers given over the phone on a Tuesday are impossible to compare against eight more from somewhere else on a Wednesday. An email you can put side by side is worth the two minutes it takes to ask for.
It is also the fastest way to find out how a company deals with you before you have given them any money, which tells you something on its own.
Where our answers are
We have not repeated them here, because this guide is meant to be useful whoever you hire from. Ours are on what's included, pricing and what you need, and the rest come with your quote before you commit to anything.