{"id":308,"date":"2017-09-18T20:21:53","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T18:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/highlightsoftheworld.com\/?p=308\/"},"modified":"2017-10-18T21:36:48","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T19:36:48","slug":"renting-a-car-on-vacation-14-tips-and-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/highlightsoftheworld.com\/en\/renting-a-car-on-vacation-14-tips-and-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"Renting a car on Vacation \u2013 14 tips & tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sometimes a car is worth gold while travelling, and sometimes it\u2019s just not worth it. In this post, we\u2019ve compiled 14 tips and tricks for renting a car on vacation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Beforehand<\/h2>\n
1. Is a Car Really Necessary?<\/h3>\n
Or are there better ways to travel by train \/ bus or by plane? In some places it\u2019s not practical to hire a car. Whether it\u2019s because of bad road conditions (as in the south of Cuba), a very well-developed bus network or a very high price \u2013 research in advance whether it makes sense to rent a car or whether you can travel cheaper, faster or safer by other means. \n <\/p>\n
2. What Kind of Car Do I Need?<\/h3>\n
Do I need an all-wheel drive (like in Iceland, if you want to use the F-roads), do I want to sleep in the car or do I need a comfortable, better equipped car because I drive long distances?<\/p>\n
You should know the answers to these questions before renting. If you are traveling with a small car at home, you might have trouble u-turning and parking in the city with a large off-road vehicle.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3. Price<\/h3>\n
Think well, which extras and which car you want to have and how much money you\u2019re willing to pay. Set your limits, book everything in advance and don\u2019t make snap decisions on site. The more expensive coup\u00e9 looks rad, but if it doesn\u2019t fit into your budget, don\u2019t change your mind at the very last minute.<\/p>\n
The same applies to insurances. Consider what you need and whether you are well covered. Then you won\u2019t care that the gentleman at the counter strongly recommends extra roadside assistance.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
4. Drivers<\/h3>\n
Are you going alone? In twos? How many drivers do you need?<\/p>\n
In some countries a higher rental price is charged if the driver is under 25 years of age. In other countries the car can only be rented when the designated driver is over 21 years old. Learn if there is an age restriction and if there are additional costs associated with a certain age.<\/p>\n
Even if Grandma or Grandpa come along, it\u2019s worth taking a look at the small print: the older generation sometimes also have to dig deeper into the pocket if they want to rent a car.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5. One Way Routes<\/h3>\n
When renting a car, it is usually possible to pick up the car at station A and return it to station B. The advantage being, that you can see more from the country if you don\u2019t have to retrack your steps halfway to give back the car in time. The downside: Normally this one-way route is more expensive.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll have to balance our own priorities and the budget. \n <\/p>\n
6. Gas Mileage<\/h3>\n
Depending on the vehicle size and model, the fuel consumption changes. Factor this into your budget and opt for the smaller model if necessary.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7. Crossing Borders<\/h3>\n
Would you like to explore several countries with your rental car? Then you should inquire with your rental service, whether they allow the crossing of borders and whether this changes the price.<\/p>\n
Depending on the country into which you\u2019re importing the car, additional papers must be presented at the border. Your rental company should be able to provide you with that info.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
8. Check your insurances<\/h3>\n
Insurance is the key to renting cars. Anything can happen, no matter how careful you yourself are driving. Therefore, don\u2019t save on insurance! \nI\u2019d always recommend to take the insurance rate without deductible and with an insured sum of over \u20ac1,000,000. This of course is a \u201cwithout guarantee\u201d recommendation. You\u2019ll always have to do some research and make an informed decision on the info you gathered.<\/p>\n
In addition, it may be useful to include special insurance. In Iceland, for example, we bought an additional Sand & Ash Damage Waiver” for our car.<\/p>\n
Check your insurance policy shortly before departure. It\u2019ll be easier to reject the offered extras on site.<\/p>\n
Additionally you\u2019ll find out what your insurance does not<\/b> include. In Iceland, for example, river crossings are not insured. Proper caution is therefore needed when driving through the river \ud83d\ude09 \n <\/p>\n
9. Besonderheiten im Stra\u00dfenverkehr<\/h3>\n
In some countries there are special traffic regulations. You\u2019ll have to drive on the left hand side of the road in some countries (such as the UK, Ireland, India, Malta, Jamaica, Australia, etc.). Inform yourself in advance which side of the road is the right side.<\/p>\n
In other countries in Europe, your car must have a vignette, which shows that you have paid tolls: Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania, for example. You also have to drive with your lights on during the daytime in some countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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