Brisbane City – Best Independent Car Hire Companies
Similar to renting from Brisbane Airport, there are savings to be made with going with the independent companies within Brisbane City. These reliable companies are our top picks that consistently deliver great value with lower prices than the Big Boys.
East Coast Car Rentals Go To Site
Value to be found with Unlimited km’s
With unlimited km’s included, East Coast Car Rentals can offer some of the most competitive prices from the Economy hatchbacks to the 12-seater Vans, particularly for rentals 3 days and longer. Their cars are mainly between brand new and 2-years old. While your credit card information is required to place the booking, you will not be charged until you arrive at the office for the pickup. ECCR charges A$13.20/day, or less depending on your rental duration, to lower your default collision damage liability from A$3000 to A$200 (this is for cars, more for AWDs and Vans).
Note that their rental cars’ area of use only extends as far north as Bundaberg (QLD), south as Coffs Harbour (NSW) and west as Dalby (QLD).
Brisbane Rent a Car Go To Site
Best for Compact hatchbacks (manual and auto) and Standard sedans. 200km/day or unlimited for rentals over 5 days
This small independent company has a sole depot that is located in Hendra, slightly closer to Brisbane airport, about a 10-15 minute drive from downtown. If that’s not an issue for you, they have probably the lowest prices you’ll find for Compact Toyota Echo’s and Standard Toyota Camry’s. Wagons are available too if required. In addition, let them know in advance and it is possible to arrange free transfers to hotels and other locations. There is a standard liability of A$2500 that can be brought down to A$250 for A$15/day. No extra charge for additional drivers. No age surcharge for those aged between 21-24 which is a rare find. Overall, great prices and value that are hard to beat.
Note that their rental cars’ area of use only extends as far north as Bundaberg (QLD), south as Coffs Harbour (NSW) and west as Dalby (QLD).
Bargain Wheels Go To Site
Independent companies comparison site. New and used cars. Cheap prices
Bargain Wheels displays prices from about seven different independent car hire companies in Brisbane, allowing you to find deals on newer cars, and even more so if you are happy to hire an older/used car. We found the two companies with the best rates are Alpha Car Hire (with 500km/day) and East Coast Car Rentals (with unlimited km’s). From Economy manual hatchbacks to SUVs and Vans, they often work out cheaper than the Big Boys of Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty.
Pay attention to the Rental Information and details about the Supplier as provided on the site so you know the number of kilometres and insurance excess included. Take note that although you might search specifically for Brisbane City rentals, some of the listed companies’ depots are situated closer to the airport than the city. We recommend you call the company you are interested in to find the exact location of the pickup.
Finally, do not take the daily rates initially displayed in the search results at face value as they are often not inclusive of various administrative fees and taxes. Click through a few different companies to obtain the final price so you know you got the best car hire deal.
I’m wondering if anyone has had any experience with Letz Car Rental, are they a reputable company? They don’t have a counter at Brisbane International Airport, but will have your car available for you upon arrival at the airport. I’m uncomfortable paying for a car rental in advance, usually with large companies like Budget, Avis, etc you don’t pay until you get there. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Debra, we have not had personal experience with Letz Car Rental, however they have been in operation since 1982 and have a tie up with a reputable search comparison company called Oodles which should give some reassurance. They require payment before your arrival because as you mentioned, they have to deliver the rental car to the airport for you, which is understandable (you may also be eligible for 10% discount for doing so).
If you still feel uncomfortable with paying beforehand, try checking East Coast Car Rentals who offer pretty good rates for Brisbane Airport and provides a free shuttle to take you to their depot located about 5 minutes off-site. They require your credit card details but will not charge you until pickup (you have up to a week before your rental date to cancel your booking at no charge).
If at the end of the day you feel more comfortable with the bigger brands, VroomVroomVroom is a great comparison site. Hope that helps and have a great trip! Let us know how it went
Leona
I have had experience with Letz, having rented with them for a week in 2009 and 2010. They also have a small base/office at Nudgee Rd, Hendra, although their principal base is at Gold Coast Airport. I found their cars good and very late models, although the first year the car had well worn tyres and the wheel balance was not so good at 100km/hr, which was a nuisance/irritant when I found this out driving Brisbane to Sydney. Pretty helpful people and don’t try to take you down for for anything fair wear and tear – they are not scammers and rip-off merchants like some of the larger independents.
So on my 2 experiences I would recommend them and I will certainly use them again.
There is another rental company on Nudgee Rd, Hendra, who are very good. That is Brisbane Car Rentals and they are a family owned company who have pretty fair cars at very reasonable rates. I have rented from them two times for +1 month each time in 2009 and 2010, and they are good value, as well as being a pleasure to deal with. The only problem is that the area for use of their cars is restricted to no further north than Bundaberg and no further south than Coffs Harbour, hence the reason why I had to rent the Letz cars to do trips to Sydney.
Try either of these companies and you won’t go wrong.