OT: Car Hire

[Dave Barter]

I need to hire a car from Glasgow for a week later this year. I've not done this for a long time and have no idea who to use and more importantly whether or not to sign up to all of that CDW insurance. Any of you clever boys and girls got any advice?

[Dyffers]

Insurance is about your own personal risk appetite. If you don't hit anything it' wasn't worth paying for...

I hire loads of cars with work from Glasgow airport (company insurance), usually from the big providers like Enterprise, Avis, Hertz etc., and it's generally painless. If you haven't hired a car for a few years be ready to significantly re-calibrate what you think it should cost, even if you go for a cheapo independent supplier.

Go on the gov / DVLA website and get a printout or access code (can't remember which is supplied nowadays) to prove how many points are on your licence as the hire co. can't see that on your card licence and sometime ask.

Perhaps obvious but go round the car for damage when you pick it up. Get the hire company to agree and sign to any new damage, take photos with the hire company location obviously in the background, then do more photos and make sure the hire company signs off that there's no damage.

I've found one in every ten hires they try it on for a damage claim in the days afterwards, which has always been diffused quickly when you can provide evidence. Photo the mileage and fuel gauge as well in case they try it on for extra fuel charges.

[yourguitarhero]

Be wary of Greenmotion.
They are cheap, but the service at the depot is very slow and lots of form filling.
Never happened to me, but supposedly they are one of the worst companies for fake damage claims against you.
Walk around video on your phone when picking car up and dropping it off is a good idea.

Have always had good service from Sixt. Not the cheapest but prices are comparable with others.


Good to look on Kayak - a price aggregator. You can often get it cheaper with them than going directly.

[Taylor]

If you want to take damage insurance out with the hire company it’ll be quite expensive but if you use questor you can get a years cover for under £50.
We hire about 4/5 cars a year so it makes it super cheap for us.
Don’t hire from any companies with an office at the airport, if you get a taxi to any of their normal depots it’ll be significantly cheaper.

[Dave Barter]

Great stuff thanks all

[Cheeky Monkey]

My experience is very similar to Dyffers'

Hiring in May it was a code from DVLA re: points and endorsements, got it on my phone whilst standing at counter and shared with rep. All good, easy peasy.

Beware upgrades or alternatives as the number they quote is per day not total over hire period (oops ), Mleh, it was a nice Audi

[yourguitarhero]

Another thing I do is to take out my own excess insurance policy beforehand - much cheaper than the one they offer at the depot