Car Hire Questions To Ask

A checklist of questions you should ask yourself and the car hire company before committing.

Ask Yourself…

To be able to find the best deal for yourself as quickly as possible, you should know exactly what you need and what your priorities are.

• Most importantly: Do you really need a car?

• What’s the minimum sized car you need? Can it comfortably fit everyone and your bags? If you’ll be doing stops while your luggage is with you, you’ll want to get a car that can fit it all in the boot

• What are your expected pickup and drop-off times? Will it be outside opening hours?

• Will you be the only driver? How old is/are the driver(s)? Some companies charge for additional drivers and drivers under 25 (usually must be at least 21) or above 75

• Savings vs. branding – Are you willing to go for a local independent company for potentially cheaper prices or do you have a definite preference for the big brands of Avis, Hertz, Budget, Thrifty and Europcar? (If the latter is true for you, read our article on comparing these major car hire companies)

• How much driving do you intend to do everyday? Is having unlimited km’s one of your car hire criteria? All the Big Boys offer it but you can quickly eliminate the independent companies that don’t

• Car hire insurance – What level of protection do you require? Many companies have a standard “excess liability” of approx. A$3,000 (i.e. that’s the maximum you’ll be liable for). If you want this excess reduced, they often charge high rates of A$15-25/day. For possible major savings, do read our article on getting more car hire insurance for less

• Savings vs. lower risk/comfort – Would you consider hiring a used car at a higher risk of mechanical problems and lesser comfort for extra savings?

Ask the Car Hire Company…

Be aware of exactly what you’re getting and check if it meets your needs. The best thing to do is to get a copy of the full rental contract in advance.

• How old is your car? (Big Boys’ cars are usually under 1 year-old so this question is more important for independent companies)

• Do they offer any discounts for longer term rentals?

• What are their opening hours? If applicable for yourself, do they offer after-hours drop-offs?

• How many km’s are included and if it isn’t unlimited, how much do they charge per extra km? (Big Boys include unlimited km’s unless otherwise stated. The independent companies vary)

• What is covered (or more importantly, what ISN’T) by their standard insurance policy? Are damages to windscreen, tyres and headlights (W/H/T) or the roof and underbody covered? How are your-fault vs. not-your-fault accidents handled? How do they treat Single Vehicle Accidents (SVA) e.g. if you hit a tree/animal? Are personal injuries and damages to other vehicles or properties covered? It’s common for some of these to be excluded in the standard coverage

• Where can you drive your vehicle? Is there a limit on distance you can take the car e.g. within 500km radius of your pickup location? Can you take the car on a ferry, off-road or in the snow (and still be covered by insurance)? Most companies require you stay on sealed roads unless you hire a 4WD

• Is there a surcharge for additional drivers or an age surcharge?

• When is payment due? Immediately upon booking or only when you pickup the car?

• What are their cancellation or modification policies?

• Will a security deposit or bond be charged to your credit card and if so, how much?

• Will you get a refund for an early return?

• Do they offer free transfers between the depot and the airport or your local accommodation? (for independent companies)

• Do they offer any special discounts for any memberships and/or can you collect frequent flyer points?