Car Rental Glossary

Car rental can sometimes be a little confusing with lots of phrases being thrown around. To help you out, we have put together a glossary which will hopefully help with your next car rental booking.

1. Additional Driver: Additional to the main driver, registered and listed on the Rental Agreement. May be an extra charge for an additional driver, depending on the supplier.
2. Additional Liability Insurance (ALI): Provides additional protection for bodily injury or death plus property damage.Airport Fee: Charge applied by airport authorities for terminal and off terminal locations. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.
3. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage to the rental vehicle other than by theft or attempted theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
4. Excess Reduction (ER): Optional charge offered by the car rental company to reduce or waive the insurance excess in the event of an insurance claim against damage or theft.
5. Gazetted Roads: A sealed or unsealed road regularly maintained by a local, state or government body or council.
6. Insurance Excess: The amount the client is responsible for in the event the rental vehicle is damaged (whether the driver is at fault or not) or stolen.
7. Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage and theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
8. One Way Fee: This fee is imposed to cover the costs of returning the vehicle back to the originating location. In Australia & USA, charges may apply between cities within the same State and renting between States. Some countries charge for one way fees between airport and downtown locations within the same city.
9. Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): Covers the driver and additional passengers of the rental vehicle for personal and physical injuries incurred in an accident.
10. Premium Location Surcharge/Location Service Charge: Charge applied by car rental companies at selected downtown and railway locations. This additional item also includes the Airport Fee. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.
11. Rental Period: Your car rental period starts when you pick up the rental and ends when you drop it off. Rental periods are based on 24 hours periods from the time of pick up – so, for example, from 9am on a Friday to 9am the following day is charged as a one day rental.
12. Sealed Road: A road sealed with a hard material such as tar, bitumen or concrete.
13. Security Deposit: Amount frozen on the client’s credit card at time of collection. The amount frozen is usually the full insurance excess amount. However, if an insurance excess is not applicable or the full excess is not frozen then an amount may still be frozen for incidentals such as fuel bond, optional charges, loss of keys etc.
14. Senior Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by senior drivers over &/or between a specific age.
15. Theft Protection (TP): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of theft, attempted theft or vandalism. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.
16. Third Party: Provides coverage against bodily injury to persons other than the driver of the rented car and property damage to anything other than the rental vehicle and contents of same.
17. Vehicle Licensing Fee/Vehicle Road Registration Fee: Government imposed levy for each rental car in the car provider's fleet. Charge to partially recover the vehicle registration costs.
18. Young Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by young drivers under a specific age.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/vacation-rentals-articles/car-rental-glossary-646431.html#ixzz0xPIr8Aru

Avoid A Car Rental Nightmare

It won't take much effort to find car rental disaster stories. Just a few online searches and you will see them. In fact, research will show that some rental companies have a worse reputation than others. Online searches will bring up stories of people charged for insurance they didn't want or charged for damage they didn't cause, of cars not be serviced when they are due and even a bumper falling a car as it was being driven down the road.

While it is impossible to avoid a bad experience completely, taking a few precautions will keep the chance of having your very own car rental horror story to a minimum.

First Objective: Successfully book your car hire
This should be easy, but instead for many it is a confusing search of prices, car types and fine print. These steps should help ease the confusion.

Book well in advance
Make sure to book well in advance, car rental prices tend to go up the closer you get to the pick up date, not down. Prices work on a simple supply and demand system; they go up as availability goes down. If you are travelling to Europe and require an automatic car you will need to book months in advance in order to secure one, especially in Italy where they are particularly rare. If you are travelling during the holidays, Christmas and Easter in particular, making a reservation around three months ahead is ideal. This way you will have the best chance of getting a car at a normal price. After this point the prices just start to go up. Most car rental companies sell out for the holidays, resulting in many travellers panicking in the last couple of weeks before a major holiday as they struggle to secure a car. Those that are lucky enough to find a car will be forced to pay very high prices, three or four times a normal rate. Don't be one of these people. The summer is also another peak period to prepare for. Many locations have low or no availability during the summer so if you are booking last minute you may have trouble finding a good price and the car type you want.

Make a car rental reservation
To get started make a list of the basics: where and when you want to pick up the car and where and when you want to bring it back, what size car you need and do you want an automatic or manual gear box. These details are especially important if you are contacting various rental companies by email to get quotes. Make sure you provide them to avoid unnecessary emailing. Also do a little research on the various rental companies and avoid the worst offenders even if they are offering the cheapest price. No rental company is perfect so you will just have to narrow down your options.

Next you will want to research prices. When you do this make sure you are taking the full offer into account. Do the rates offered include taxes, location fees, mandatory insurances, break down cover and unlimited mileage? You will discover that most of the rates offered for car rentals in Europe are inclusive of all mandatory charges. But make sure you know this for certain, because if they are not included in the rate offered and they will be added when you pick up your car, making for an unpleasant surprise. If you are unsure about anything email the rental company, sometimes this is better than the telephone as you will get a response in writing. Which might solve any problems that may occur down the line. The rental company will have a hard time arguing written correspondence but they could deny any thing they said on the phone.

Once you are satisfied with a price make your reservation. If you book online you should get a confirmation voucher within a certain time period, this can range from instantly to a couple of days. If you do not receive your confirmation voucher within a couple of days don't hesitate to email the rental company. Maybe there is some kind of problem confirming your reservation or your voucher was sent but it was blocked by your email spam guard and it is necessary to find another way of getting your booking information to you.

Second Objective: Pick up your car without a hitch
It is important to have your wits about you on arrival at the rental desk, you may be tired and have the urge to breeze through the paper work, grab your keys and go. But it is best to resist this urge at all costs, you won't regret it. When you speak to the rental desk clerk you will be asked if you want any optional insurances, such as a Super Damage Waiver. The SDW reduces your liability to zero or an amount much less than you would be charged in the event of damage to the car. To take this extra insurance is a personal choice, however it is not usually mandatory and it is one of the major ways car rental companies make money. If you are only renting for a couple of days then the expense of this insurance may make it worth getting for your own peace of mind, but for longer rentals think carefully. The cost of the SDW may end up being close to the excess liability amount so do really get much benefit from it.

Read your contract carefully
The most important thing you need to do at the rental desk is to read your rental contract and receipt very carefully, this is where many people get stung. What happens is that extra insurances get charged to your credit card even if you specifically say you do not want them. This seems to be a common "mistake" made by rental clerks. Make sure you are also clear about the fuel policy, most rental companies require you to bring the car back with a full tank or else they charge you an inflated rate for fuel. Before you sign anything ensure that every charge and policy you are unsure of is explained to you. Don't be afraid to ask about everything, it is your wallet that ends up worse off if there are errors. Once the rental company has your signature there is little you can do to get refunded for any charges you were unaware of.

Third Objective: Drive away and enjoy your trip
Once you find your car in the parking lot it is very important to give it a good going over. If you see any dents, dirt or scratches make sure that the rental company takes note of them before you drive away. Otherwise you could be blamed and end up being charged the full excess amount, which is usually in the hundreds of dollars. If you want to be really cautious check the oil and make sure that it is not due to be changed.

Fourth Objective: Return the Car
In most cases you will need to return you car rental with a full tank of fuel. There is usually a gas(petrol) station near to the car rental drop off location. It is best to use the closest possible option and to fill the car as much as possible so it cannot be claimed that the tank isn't quite a full. Return the car keys and agree any extra charges with the rental company.

Quick Summary

- Plan what you need

- Do some research

- Make sure you understand the rate and terms

- Book well in advance

- Check your contract and receipt carefully before you sign

- Check you car carefully for any damage before you drive away

- Return the car with a full tank (make sure you are clear on this policy at the rental desk)

Source

http://ezinearticles.com/?Avoid-A-Car-Rental-Nightmare&id=337376

Car Hire - An Affordable Travelling Option

When you take a holiday to New Zealand, you will soon find that there are plenty of things to see and do around the country. Car hire in New Zealand is a popular and affordable choice for a many travellers, giving you the freedom and flexibility to travel around the country at your own pace.

Finding affordable car hire in New Zealand requires that you spend a little time researching the best deals. Simply type 'affordable car hire in New Zealand' into your search engine of choice to make a start. Once you have compared the price offerings of a few companies and decided upon the best value for money, you will need to select and book a vehicle.

The vehicle you select will depend on a number of factors including: style, number of passengers, amount of luggage, transmission preference and extras such as: ski racks, car seats for children, sound system and GPS. An affordable and reputable vehicle hire company will provide you with a variety of rental choices. Check out available photo galleries of the vehicles also to get a better idea of what exactly is available.

When it comes to booking a car hire in New Zealand you will need to determine a few things first. Check if the car hire company offers free pick-up and drop-off from the airport you will be flying into. If you are planning to rent a vehicle for a week or more you may even qualify for even better rental rates, thus saving you money for sightseeing and meals. Enquire about the roadside assistance offered in case of a breakdown - you will feel more at ease if you know that a rental company offers 24-hour AA emergency roadside assistance.

Double check that the rental rate offered is inclusive of extra's such as road maps and unlimited kilometres. Knowing upfront how much money you need to set aside for your car hire allows you to better plan for other holiday expenses such as: your accommodation, spending money, activities and events.

Car hire in New Zealand is simply the best way to experience the various landscapes home to this country - from mountains, grasslands, national parks to the many coastal roadsides. Take the opportunity to see it all, at your own travelling pace, and from the comfort of your own rental vehicle.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Car-Hire---An-Affordable-Travelling-Option&id=4582740

Car Rental Faqs - Part 1

Q. Why take a ‘driving holiday’?
A. A drive holiday gives you the freedom and flexibility to decide on where you travel and what you see and do. You are in charge of how much time you wish to spend at a particular attraction. You have the independence to move around as much or as little as you like. A drive holiday allows you to discover so much more as a car will allow you to drive through the little villages in out of the way places.

Q. How is car rental charged?

A. Car rental is based on 24 hour periods and charged accordingly. If you pick up a car at 9am on Thursday and return at 9am the following day, this is one 24 hour period and therefore a one day booking.

Q. Is it cheaper to pre-book my car rental or should I book when I arrive?

A. Pre-booking will save you money almost every time! With a wholesaler like Drive Away Holidays, you receive the benefit of our purchasing power. Our prices with the major car rental suppliers are considerably lower than walking in off the street in a foreign country to rent a car. In addition you are pre-paying in Australian dollars so the risk of fluctuations in the currency are reduced.

Q. How does a prepaid rental work?

A. The booking is made in advance, paid for and a voucher is issued. The voucher is then used as payment when you go to pick up the car from the supplier.

Q. What additional extras will I have to pay?

A. It depends on what the rental covers. Drive Away Holidays in most cases include all mandatory charges, like road taxes or airport surcharges. Many optional charges are applicable such as young or additional drivers, Insurance Excess Reduction or extra equipment like child seats. Be sure to check out rate inclusions – first when you are choosing your vehicle online and when you have made your booking (the inclusions will be on your voucher)

Q. What happens when I pick up the car?

A. Present the rental voucher, a valid drivers license and a credit card for a security deposit. Any additional charges will be explained as well as the conditions of the rental. A signature will be required to accept or decline additional charges and to acknowledge that the rental conditions are understood.

Q. What does the supplier do with the renters credit card?

A. It varies depending on the supplier – they may freeze a specific amount as a deposit, an imprint may be taken as a deposit or an amount may be charged to cover the security deposit and then refunded on the return of the vehicle. In some instances the bond can be paid in cash – check with the supplier/broker when you book.

Q. Will there be fuel in the vehicle?

A. Yes, there should be enough to get you on your way. Different companies have different policies regarding fuel – most will supply a full tank and require the car to be returned with a full tank of fuel, otherwise the renter is charged the difference. Some companies provide minimum fuel and is to returned as the renter wishes.

Q. What is a Pre-Paid Fuel Option?

A. Most car rental companies provide a full tank of fuel and will charge you for re-fuelling the vehicle if it is not returned with a full tank. By accepting a Pre-paid fuel option you are agreeing to pay a pre-determined price for fuel regardless of whether you return the vehicle with a full, partially full or empty tank. This means you won’t need to search for a petrol station before you return the car, but there is no refund for any fuel remaining in the tank.

Q. Should I check out the condition of the rental car before driving away?
A. Yes, it is a good idea to check the vehicle before you leave the depot. Any damage or unusual dents/scratches should be noted on the contract before leaving.

Source:-http://www.articlesbase.com/vacation-rentals-articles/car-rental-faqs-part-1-646442.html#ixzz0vQ1DKzog