[Khandallah]

Avoid taking out excess insurance from the car hire company – buy an indepedent annual excess policy – normally cheaper than taking the hire company’s for 3 days

[Alistarj80]

Book in advance and before you decide which car hiring company to go for, you must do your own market survey so that you dont get cheated!

[FaroFlyer]

I am surprised that VK advocates AvisBA as I rarely find them competitive and, yes, I do input the BA Gold AWD. The 1-way rental deal finished a couple of years ago.
Europcar are generally the better option, in Europe, and can be booked either direct, or through the easyJet website. You can register for the Europcar Ready service, similar to Avis and Hertz, and after 24 rentals you get a guaranteed upgrade and free additional driver.
Another very good way to check rates is throught the Skyscanner car hire site http://www.skyscanner.net/car-hire/ Be careful though as some rates do not have unlimited mileage, so check the rental conditions drop-down.
Also, I suggest signing up to http://www.quidco.com for cash-back on most rentals.
Hope this helps.

[VintageKrug]

I still get the one way deal in the USA, so it’s not completely ended.

AvisBA used to be dreadful, and in the past I would never have advocated usnig them.

But they’ve really upped their competitiveness in the past year or so, especially for the prepay option if booked around 4-6 weeks pre-travel.

All BA SIlver and Gold cardholders get a free additional driver from the first rental, and most of the time I also get an upgrade (though that may be more due to Avis Preferred status).

http://www.quidco.co.uk is an excellent tip; every little helps!

[LuganoPirate]

I find the charge for an extra driver a rip off. It used to be free but no more. I always object very strongly pointing out how much safer it is to have two drivers and then sometimes they add Mrs. LP for free.

[VintageKrug]

I suppose the extra driver charge covers their insurance liability?

I don’t rent in Europe so it would make sense if Europcar was better there.

[MartynSinclair]

Just back from Kiawah Island (golf was superb and it was very hot). I was added as an additional driver for the 1200 mile round trip (Myrtle Beach first stop) and will be removed from the insurance tomorrow.

Mrs S needed me to drive for final 300 miles back, otherwise the additional cost would have been wasted.

[VintageKrug]

How much are you paying per day for additional driver? Wouldn’t it be easier just to take advantage of the avisba free additional driver offer?

[lostantipod]

I am an ex-Sydneysider resident in Europe for 10 years now , and travel back to SYD at some point every year, and always rent a car for a period of between 5 and 10 days.Sometimes twice on the same trip if I visit another city.

To answer the OP’s question – I have a routine of comparing the deals available through a few key airline websites, and Quidco, and a discount code my employer has, and a discount code from my professional association in Australia . I keep my eye out for bonus airmiles too as that can tip the balance sometimes.

The cheapest option is usually bayswater cars , but I only did that once – the inconvenience (and cost) of getting a taxi to their office , and visit within their opening hours, then flag a taxi to get the airport at the end of the rental, often doesn’t appeal to me. I cant recall if they rent bigger vehicles to suit a family + luggage – I only took a corolla. And it stank of wet carpet….I exchanged it the next day. Which of course required a trip back to Kings Cross.

In reality, I invariably end up with Hertz, its just a question of how I can get the best deal. For 10 years, Avis (including BA, where I am a gold member) has consistently been the most expensive – and I travel at different times of year and have rented small, regular, and prestige cars over that time. Today I am researching a hire for next January, and Avis are again most expensive so far… including BA avis. Maybe if someone needs two drivers its a better deal – I’ve never dont that, as my other half is happy that I drive as I know where I am going.

The one time I did use Avis in Aus (purely for bonus miles I admit) both cars I got were banged-up, scratched-up, inside and out – in fact, it was the only time I have had to contact a customer service centre about a rental. (And the elusive BA upgrade offered in those days didnt happen either ….”natch” ).

[MarcusUK]

I tend to stay with Hertz as their standards and service is pretty secure worldwide. US, Africa, Australia, Europe all consistent , and the Gold No1 Club Helps. They link in well with AF / KLM.

Where i do vary is looking between my FF programs as the Different codes vary and they can trigger bonus miles, upgrades, usually 10-15% discount as say Virgin or KLM also. These also trigger fast effective ready service both pick up and drop off.. I recently made a 3 day hire in The Netherlands and earned a handsome 2,400 KLM miles, with a 2 car upgrade, and %15 discount, for less than £100!

Go with the offers, but do not forget to put in the numerous codes for that period. NEVER sign into your Hertz Gold a/c before you book, as many reported on here, the price jumps up!. Have it added in after.

Their worldwide sales can be well in advance and earn great accumulator miles, as KLM have with Hertz until the end of this year.

http://www.flyingbluenews.com/earn-miles/cars.html

I too used to Live in Sydney and now travel back few times a year. there is a relatively Standard $2,000 policy for excess now with Hertz, and “No Birds / Bayswater car rental” also have a very high excess rate. Watch for pre-paid rates rather than those payable In Oz. Pre=book / pay prior to travel to avoid this.

In Europe, Pre- booking From the EU eg on the KLM or VS Site, means all your taxes and waivers can be Included! If you pay there, especially airport pick ups, expects to add on the usual VAT, and airport surcharges, as well as a mound of other taxes.
The transaction is ex UK / Europe not the country you visit, where your travel insurances and cards may well cover you additionally also.

[Cwyfan]

The best tip for savings particularly if you are a regular renter is to take out annual excess insurance in the UK. I paid £90 from http://www.icarhireinsurance.com. for an annual policy, whereas I was being quoted £10 per day in the US for lesser cover

[lostantipod]

Further to my earlier post: for Avis aficionados travelling to Australia, try the avis australia website (ends in .com.au). I have and am now seeing competitive rates instead of rates £100+ higher – which is what I consistently get from the Avis UK and Avis BA website.

Almost looks like someone at Avis UK has fallen asleep and not realised the AUD exchange rate has moved substantially in the last 6 years…

POST EDIT: I correct myself. The .com.au site is one of those dodgy ones that initially shows you the rate, and then when you go to book, adds a ton of taxes and fees afterwards. Not so competitive after all.

[westalan80]

Keep a check on rental car insurance policy, just get the basic, book in advance to get abetter bargain deal:)

[nissefalk]

Book via http://www.rentalcars.com, I just used them for 2 rentals in the US, booked a mini SUV for 5 days in Phoenix and paid 206 USD in advance, the actual rental car company was in the end Dollar and I had to pay for Extra driver 11 USD per day and a tank of fuel which added 153 USD to the price (pay for 1 tank of fuel was mentioned on the voucher I got from rentacars.com ), this in total still came in some 250 USD less than Hertz quoted for a similar car
I am now looking to use them again for a 12 day rental in LAX in October, they quote 510 USD for a Mini SUV while Hertz are 1,234 USD for the same type of car, so even with paying for Extra driver and a tank it is a lot less than booking directly with one of the large rental car companies

Both of my recent rentals was picked up at Seattle and Phoenix main airport car rental centre, In Seattle the car was provided by Budget in and Phoenix by Dollar

[VintageKrug]

It should be borne in mind that less well known operators may have cars which are older, with more mileage and less well maintained, as well as other drawbacks like limited mileage, no satnav on offer etc.

The depots may not be centrally located, and opening times may be more restricted.

Great if it works for you, but worth being aware of these issues before you plunge in.

[Author]

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