| Searching for car rental online has never been easier | | | | Young Driver Surcharge |
| with the help of the internet. You can easily search | | | | |
| and compare prices from various car rental suppliers, | | | | This is often charged if the driver of the rental car is |
| often on the same website. | | | | under the age of 25. In Australia, this ranges from |
| | | | | AUD13-22 per day. In France, the Young Driver |
| Car rental rates often vary considerably depending | | | | Surcharge varies from EUR20-35 per day, GBP10-25 |
| on what is included in the rate. Look out for those | | | | in the UK and USD5-45 in the USA. |
| too-good-to-be-true prices - they probably are. You | | | | |
| may think you have found a bargain, but it will be a | | | | Excess Reduction |
| different story when you go to pick up the rental | | | | |
| car, only to be told you have to pay for lots of | | | | Each rental car often comes with an Insurance |
| additional charges. | | | | Excess which is the amount you would be responsible |
| | | | | for if the rental vehicle is damaged. This can often be |
| So when you are comparing car rental costs online, | | | | a few thousand dollars but can be reduced with an |
| ensure you are comparing like with like. There are | | | | optional excess reduction charge which can be paid |
| various extra charges which can push up the price of | | | | daily to reduce your excess to a few hundred dollars |
| your rental car, so make sure you look out for them. | | | | or even to zero. |
| Often if you add these on to that oh-so-low rate, it | | | | |
| doesn't look so appealing anymore. | | | | Additional Equipment |
| | | | | |
| What is Included | | | | Things like child seats, ski racks and snow chains are |
| | | | | often available at an extra charge. |
| Most car rental websites will list the inclusions with | | | | |
| the rental. These will vary depending on suppliers but | | | | One Way Rentals |
| generally standard rates include basic insurance and | | | | |
| tax. | | | | If you want to drop off your rental car in a different |
| | | | | city from where you picked it up, there may be a |
| What is Extra | | | | one way fee. Again, this varies depending on the |
| | | | | supplier and destination. Ensure you ask before you |
| Again this will vary but look out for the following: | | | | pay! |
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| Airport Fees | | | | All these extras can add up. Sometimes a standard |
| | | | | rate may be right for you but if you are picking up at |
| Also known as a Premium Location Fee, you will be | | | | the airport and want an extra driver, for example, it |
| charged extra to pick up a rental car at an airport | | | | may make sense for you to go with an inclusive rate. |
| location. This charge varies depending on supplier and | | | | |
| location, but in the UK for example could cost as | | | | Read the Small Print |
| much as 13% of the rental value. | | | | |
| | | | | Be sure to read inclusions carefully to see what the |
| Vehicle Licensing Fee | | | | rental rate covers and which one is right for you. |
| | | | | Look for possible restrictions and additional costs and |
| This is a Government imposed levy for rental cars to | | | | find out what exactly they are before you pay. If |
| partially recover the registration costs. Approximate | | | | you find a low car rental rate, make sure that the |
| cost in the UK: GBP1.22 per day, which over a long | | | | additional costs do not outweigh the savings. |
| period can add up. | | | | |
| | | | | At DriveAway Holidays, each car choice will show |
| Additional Driver Fees | | | | clearly if it is a Standard or Inclusive rate and will give |
| | | | | you a list of what is and what is not included. |
| If you want to have more than one driver for your | | | | |
| rental car, this is often an extra charge. Daily charges | | | | People often talk about the "hidden costs" of car |
| range from GBP4-20 in the UK, EUR4-8 in Italy and | | | | rental, but the reality is, they are not hidden at all - |
| from USD3-10 in the States. | | | | you just need to know what to look for. |
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