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We used Economy Car Rentals, it’s basically a search engine but all insurances are included so no surprises when you turn up! You don’t know which rental company it’ll be until you book but that’s not an issue. Not sure if they only do airports though.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 22:39 - Feb 3 with 6432 views
Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 21:51 - Feb 3 by hantssi
We used Economy Car Rentals, it’s basically a search engine but all insurances are included so no surprises when you turn up! You don’t know which rental company it’ll be until you book but that’s not an issue. Not sure if they only do airports though.
Thanks, doesn't look bad.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 01:36 - Feb 4 with 6355 views
I use Sixt when in London, just because there's one on East Lane, Wembley. I shouldn't put this in print, so hypothetically speaking, their staff don't notice any damage to a Mercedes, from hitting a bollard, when you return the vehicle in pissing rain and park close to the fence.
Economy Car Rentals is great. We got ripped off in Italy last summer by the rental company (a scam we found out many others fell victim to), but we booked via economy car rentals and after a complaint with them, they refunded us in full.
Car rentals everywhere has gotten extremely expensive due to covid. Something about the leases expired and not renewed, so supply is short. Or probably just rentals trying to make up for lost income. 4 years ago we still paid about €250 for a nice station wagon for 2 weeks in Italy, since covid a smaller car than that will set you back €300 a week if you are willing to risk a dodgy rental company. More if you go with a trusted name. (Talking about Puglia region)
Auto Europe is another very good one.
In general the extra bit you pay with a bigger company is usually worth the troubles when things go wrong. If you go with a lesser known company, make the effort to check their reviews on Trustpilot. Often that is where people complain about issues they had.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 10:08 - Feb 4 with 6173 views
The reason why car rentals are currently so expensive is because when Covid struck, the rental companies all sold off loads of cars sooner than have them sitting empty etc - some companies as many as 80% of their fleet.
Then when demand for rentals picked up again, they've not been able to replenish their fleets. This is because a worldwide shortage of semi-conductors means that car production just now is lower than it's been for decades, and the manufacturers would rather sell what cars they are turning out to retail customers than rental companies, since the latter expect discounts for bulk orders, while the former generally pay the list price (or close).
Anyhow, when I was in the Travel business, Holiday Autos (broker for all the big rental companies) were generally very good, while Hertz were atrocious, for post-rental customer service at least. (That was a few years ago, mind.)
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 10:20 - Feb 4 with 6164 views
Sixt are good, though even before the pandemic, they became one of the more expensive companies. Most the big sites online are just brokers/agencies but they arent all bad.
Also, make sure you get excess insurance if the car hire comes with an excess...really cheap online as opposed to the agency: https://www.moneymaxim.co.uk/car-hire-excess-insurance. Saved my bacon twice in the last few years when I did a few hundred pounds of damage.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 10:44 - Feb 4 with 6135 views
Another who's got ripped off by a rental company. They invented damage long after I'd returned it and took the money off my credit card. My bank sided with them and it took me six months to get the money back.
Some companies will take cash. I'd really recommend not giving card details if possible.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
Hope I'm not "stating the bleedin' obvious", but always take plenty of photographs of the whole car when you return it, and make sure the rental company sees you doing so.
It may deter them from trying it on and even if it doesn't, you've got evidence to counter any post-rental claim by the company.
Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 11:52 - Feb 4 by MancR
Do not pay their extortionate insurance extras. You can buy insurance to cover their excess for a couple of quid- money maxim was the company I used
That is a great tip. We’ve had awful trouble on several occasions at Belfast airport, including a car not being available because they were “all gone.” The stitch up potential is used to the maximum at the collection desks because they know that many aren’t familiar with the process and will fold for another £80, or whatever it is, because the customer is often knackered and just wants the car.
Did I ever mention that I was in Minder?
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:23 - Feb 4 with 5830 views
Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:19 - Feb 4 by Mick_S
That is a great tip. We’ve had awful trouble on several occasions at Belfast airport, including a car not being available because they were “all gone.” The stitch up potential is used to the maximum at the collection desks because they know that many aren’t familiar with the process and will fold for another £80, or whatever it is, because the customer is often knackered and just wants the car.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I have to admit we normally get the rental company's insurance. I know, I know - it's hardly a bargain but it does let you avoid all the back and forth and just get on and enjoy the trip without worrying about needing to haggle over a paint chip somewhere when you get back.
Iceland and Norway are known for being particularly bad for over the top drop-off inspections - not sure if it's true for other parts of Scandinavia. Whereas if you go with their insurance (as long as it's not ridiculous of course) it does take that part out of it. So I usually weigh up how much extra it is per day and decide from there. Interestingly last time we did it with a camper van in Iceland they gave us this big old warhorse that plainly could not be chipped or dented much more than it already had been - good room in it though and we didn't have to worry a bit when I melted a hole in the picnic table.
If we were renting cars more often I'd sort something else out in terms of insurance because it does add up, and may look into it anyway. It is true though sadly that the costs have gone mad for the reasons above, and it seems to be much the same everywhere.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:42 - Feb 4 with 5799 views
Now here is a thing. This isn’t something we have done yet, just planned - BA flight and car option has come up with some very fair offers. Sorry for going on about NI but we have folk out there so all this is based on our car hire experiences, most of which have been sshitt and we are fed up being caught out.
Won’t mention it again, promise.
Did I ever mention that I was in Minder?
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:43 - Feb 4 with 5797 views
i've twice had to claim on a 3rd party excess insurance...1st time, it was pretty easy, 2nd time (a different company) asked for a crazy amount of details and paperwork from the rental agency, but thankfully, the agency were very helpful. Overall, £1000 of damage to the 2 cars for very minor damage all paid for with about £30 of excess insurance.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:48 - Feb 4 with 5787 views
Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:42 - Feb 4 by Mick_S
Now here is a thing. This isn’t something we have done yet, just planned - BA flight and car option has come up with some very fair offers. Sorry for going on about NI but we have folk out there so all this is based on our car hire experiences, most of which have been sshitt and we are fed up being caught out.
Won’t mention it again, promise.
Do you never just get a family member to pick you up at the airport and then implement a combination of lifts, taxis, waiting around for buses, walking against rural traffic and generally reverting to being a sullen teenager?
That's what we often do and it works out, eh, basically fine...
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 15:51 - Feb 4 with 5784 views
I’ve got AIG annual payment excess cover. You get dinged on the card you give the rental company and then have to claim back from AIG. To be fair, I have claimed a couple of times and they have paid promptly in full, on average £500, and never increased the rate or added exclusions. £40 a year, meaning you break even after about 3 days compared to the rental add-on. Knowing that they charge each dent and scratch for a full replacement when they only make repairs at the end of the lease boils my piss. 12 different people may have paid to replace the same bumper.
If they are still going, avoid Firefly like the plague. Ancient faulty cars, mysterious charges, dreadful service. They would claim to be the Ryanair of car rental, but only if half of Ryanair’s planes stalled in midair and they billed the passengers’ families for damages.
[Post edited 4 Feb 2022 15:55]
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 16:14 - Feb 4 with 5748 views
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 19:27 - Nov 28 with 2708 views
Though I live outside of the UK. I have experienced a nice dealing by Rent Any Car ( https://www.rentanycar.ae/ )rental company of Dubai for leasing the Lexus to me. They are very accommodating and budget-friendly. A good choice for visitors.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 20:45 - Nov 28 with 2598 views
I would always recommend paying all the extra insurances. It can cost you, but it will save you money in the event of an accident. I’m sure we paid for roadside recovery. (I assumed this would’ve been included) tire damage and excess protection. We used enterprised in Edinburgh, compared to a few and they came out reasonable.
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Anyone got any good tips on cheap UK rental cars? on 22:09 - Nov 28 with 2529 views
2 years ago i booked a Toyota Landcruiser from Reykjavik airport for a weeks worth of safe driving in the snow and ice.
Got the transfer to the compound and found out by mistake that this compound was 4 miles from the airport and it was just clunkers.
The doors wouldn't open, heated seats U/S, rear back door took well over 5 times to close it, and it ran like a bag of bolts.... Anyway, i tried 4 Landcruisers from them, before a young American couple took me and the other half back to the airport, got the card refunded and went straight to Enterprise.
'Welcome back Mr Jones, want a Landcruiser again? same rates etc?'
Job done in under 10 minutes. Never rent an unknown companies car at the airport, as they wont be there, they will be in a large rusty open air compound you pass on your left as you get to the bottom of the hill leaving the airport.
At places like that, in conditions like that, go for safety, and security..... you only live the once, do it right , when your there!
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