10 Top Tips for Renting a Car for The First Time
When you take the cost of flights into consideration nowadays, plus the economic benefits of driving a new car, high fuel prices don’t seem so bad after all. Especially if you keep your travels closer to home.
If you are renting a car for the first time (or the 50th time), here’s how to maximise car hire in South Africa when you’re planning a road trip to remember.
Gather the Correct Documents Beforehand
You must have a valid driver’s license, issued over a year ago to hire a car in South Africa, and a valid ID document. If you aren’t a South African citizen, you need a valid international driving permit, proof of identification and a passport.
You need a credit card in the name of the driver to rent a car, as the car hire company charges a refundable holding deposit to this card. The car hire company will charge your card when you pick up the car and only refund the amount when you return the vehicle, so you need enough credit available to cover these costs and any other charges mentioned in your rental contract.
Car hire companies usually only accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club, but check with them when you make the booking.
They don’t accept cash deposits.
Book Early
With air tickets at a premium right now, many travellers are cutting down on unnecessary air travel by hiring a car instead. That means you’ll need to book as early as possible if you want to secure the car of your choice.
Car hire costs vary widely based on seasonality and supply vs demand, so when you book can affect what you pay for car hire. While there’s little you can do about these price fluctuations, planning your trip early give you more time to compare prices on car hire in South Africa.
If you want to book a large vehicle like a minibus, you’ll find more options available the sooner you book.
Study the Insurance Coverage
Insurance is somewhat of a mystery when you hire a car. Study each option and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget and don’t simply accept what the car hire agent is trying to sell you.
Most car hire companies include a collision damage waiver as part of the booking fee. This means you only pay the insurance excess in the event of an accident. If you take out Super Cover, you won’t need to pay the excess.
A Loss Damage Waiver covers you for accidents and theft, while Third-Party Liability insurance covers you for injury or damage to other parties.
Personal Accident Insurance covers the driver and passengers of the vehicle. Different car hire companies may offer different insurance options, so take your time reading through the relevant documents.
Pay Attention to the Finer Details
Your car hire choices can have a far-reaching impact on your holiday. Not only should you choose a vehicle that suits the terrain you’ll be exploring as well as the number of people travelling, but you must always keep fuel consumption in mind.
If you’re planning a city break, a smaller car will prove easier to manoeuvre on busy streets, while a vehicle with high ground coverage is best for game viewing trips. Remember, larger more luxurious vehicles cost more to hire and insure, and use more fuel, too.
Always weigh up your options regarding unlimited mileage vs. a daily rate to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. Your plans might include long distance travel with a few days at each destination when your car rental will be doing know mileage. In this instance, a daily rate might work if no miles are being clocked up for several days at a time.
Also, if your travel plans aren’t cast in stone yet, make sure you choose a car hire company with a flexible policy regarding cancellations and alterations.
Taking your time going through everything carefully and comparing costs can save you a lot of money over the duration of your trip.
Plan a Round Trip
It’s always more expensive to book a one-way trip for car hire. However, this option is a lot more convenient if you’re planning a longer journey.
Most car rental companies have branches in all the major centres and airports, which makes it easy to plan your pick up and drop off.
If you’re returning to the same city, it always makes more sense to pick up and drop off your vehicle at the same outlet.
Find Out About Extra Fees for Car Hire in South Africa
Insurance aside, you might find that car hire involves a host of other expenses. For instance, with most car hire companies, drivers under 25 years old pay a surcharge and business levies.
If you plan to leave the country, for instance via one of the Transfrontier Parks, you must make sure you’re allowed to do so, and find out about the costs involved.
Other extra costs may include:
- Admin fees
- Processing fees
- Damage charges
- Cleaning charges
- Fuel deposits
- Taxes
In all cases, check whether these are once-off fees or charged per day.
Stick With One Driver
It’s convenient, and often safer to share driving responsibilities during a road trip, but you’ll pay extra for this in most cases.
Some car hire companies allow you to add an extra driver for a portion of your trip, for instance on days when you’ll travel the longest distances, but if you want to save money, it’s best to stick to a single driver and take more frequent breaks.
If you allow another person to drive a rental car and they have an accident, the insurance won’t pay for any of the damages.
Save When You Return the Car
When booking your hire car, you’ll find a variety of ways to pay for the fuel you use. In most cases, car hire companies employ a full-to-full policy.
That means they provide you with a full tank of petrol on departure and you should return the car with a full tank. If they need to top it up when you drop the car off, you’ll often end up paying more than you would at the fuel station.
That said, if you’re going to be late dropping your car off, it’s cheaper to pay the excess cost on the fuel. If you need to return your car at a certain time, and you’re late, you could incur charges for a full day’s rental.
Make sure you drop off the car before the designated time to avoid excessive extra costs. If you anticipate missing the cut off, you can extend your rental for an extra day before the time which may cost a little less than late arrival.
Drive Sensibly
Fuel is a major expense on any road trip, so conserve it as much as you can. Racing around in a high gear will only eat into your fuel budget, so take it easy on the road and enjoy the scenery rather than race from pillar to post.
Hiring a hybrid car is another way to save on fuel costs, plus you’ll enjoy the feel-good benefits of producing fewer carbon emissions during your trip.
Read these extra fuel saving tips to help you save money during your holiday.
Compare Prices
A price comparison search engine will help you get the basic cost for your road trip, but you should always delve a little deeper when choosing a car hire company.
Always keep all the above pointers in mind when comparing prices on car hire in South Africa, don’t simply choose the cheapest price as a matter of course.
Remember, many loyalty programs come with car hire discounts, too. So always check if you qualify for any extra savings at the time of booking. And lastly, don’t be fooled by “upgrade offers” when you collect your car. Make sure that any other vehicle you might be offered as an upgrade, is in fact a step-up vehicle and not simply the same group but another model!
Plan Your Trip Today
The summer months are among the best time to explore with car hire South Africa, so you’ll need to move fast if you want to travel before the cooler weather sets in.
Find out more about your car hire options and start comparing prices today and remember to glance at our blog for the best road trip ideas.
