Southend airport is a perfect example of how you can save money through the knowledge of Indigo, many people don’t realise upon flying into Southend airport or just renting a car there you will find that there is only one supplier. You may not think much of it but when you look deeper into it because there is only one supplier at the airport they can charge whatever they want as there’s no competition this can end up costing you a lot of money which is easily avoidable.
The advice we would give you at Indigo is that we can arrange a car hire deal for you where you will have to travel just outside the airport (5 miles give or take a mile) which in effect is only going to cost you at most £10 for a taxi, this in mind if you are having a rental that’s longer term the price between the off airport supplier and on airport supplier can differ significantly. We can save you money by getting you quotes off both the on and off airport suppliers and then finding the most suitable for you in the situation you are in and most of all trying to save you the most money possible.

Indigo are always working on ways to save you money and with our expert knowledge in things like this we can often save you a fair amount on what it would cost if you went to the supplier. Take advantage of our vast knowledge, deals and offers and call us straight away, it can’t hurt to get a quote and its completely hassle free. Contact us by calling us on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing us on Sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk, we will be waiting for your call ready to help you every step of the way.

Falling asleep behind the wheel is a common occurrence unfortunately and can result in major accidents and even fatalities. A further warning comes after a viral video released on the internet shows a 71 year old driver falling asleep with a large amount of traffic going in his direction, the car hits a tree in the right embankment and flips into oncoming traffic where the rear end of the car goes into an oncoming cars windscreen. Thankfully and surprisingly both passengers of both the cars only sustained minor injuries, miraculously. (more…)

When you are jetting away on holiday and you have just got off a long flight, the last thing you want is major delays or problems when collecting your car hire. Indigo Car Hire is here to make sure that all runs as smooth as possible and ensure that you have no problems at all and you can truly enjoy your trip in your car rental vehicle.

Often when you are collecting a vehicle you may find that when you get to the airport that you may be subject to many additional charges including fuel costs, additional insurances and even additional extras when you arrive that you may get stung for.
When you booked the car and agreed a price the last thing you want is to find that you are going to be charged lots of additional fees that were not agreed at the point of booking.

One of the major things that people are not aware of when they hire a car in Spain is the fuel policy. In Spain the fuel policy tends to be full to empty. This basically means that when you arrive you are provided with a vehicle with a full tank of fuel which you must prepay for and then when it comes to the time of returning the vehicle you must return it empty.

This often catches people out as they are not made aware of the fuel policy and they can sometimes assume that this is an additional charge and the rental company is trying to deceive them and make a quick buck from the customer however this is not the case and is pretty much standard procedure with almost all rental companies in Spain.

Another thing that people sometimes get tripped up on is the excess insurance. Many rental companies will offer this at the rental desk and this insurance excess reduces your liability down. This is optional in all cases however with some suppliers which offer the use of a Visa Debit card the additional insurance is mandatory.

It is always worthwhile checking this with the company prior to booking to ensure that you are always aware of the charges prior to travelling. This way you will not be ‘stung’ with any rental charges and additional costs as you will be made fully aware.

Indigo Car Hire always strives to make all of our clients fully aware of these charges so you have no problems on arrival and ensure that the collection of your car rental all runs smoothly.

It’s rare but its happening, in the UK most of us are happily welcoming the soaring temperature however this has created a surge in demand for air conditioning as people struggle to keep their cool especially when driving. Halfords autocentres saw a massive surge in demand for air con services over the weekend with Sunday becoming the hottest day this year with temperatures as high as 29C, they saw a rise of 86% on the same period this time last year and a 159% increase on this time last week in demand. (more…)

When renting a car you could be doing your bit for the environment or at least research seems to suggest so. When people come to hire cars it promotes more sustainable travel habits, its claimed that renting enables people to own fewer cars or just avoid car ownership all together as it can be a most cost effective way if you aren’t a regular car user, when you have your own car you tend to use it less efficiently and make trips that you could avoid or seek an alternative transport eg public transport or walking to the shop where if you had a car then you would use it. (more…)

The consumer association Which? Has said that car rental companies are often not declaring all charges clearly often leaving people with a bad taste for car rental companies and often being left stumped with “sneaky charges”.

Researchers from Which? Examined the websites of 10 companies which were offering a weeks car hire in Spain. The research found that some of the websites do not declare all of the additional costs like insurance or GPS until after the vehicle has been confirmed and your money has already been taken.

Which? Is in the process of asking these rental companies to disclose such information and charges upfront, prior to booking the vehicle. At the end of the booking process more than half of the Which? Researchers were unsure of what the total cost for their car hire in Spain would be.

There is often confusion about the additional costs like the payment for a tank of fuel which is often a mandatory charge in Spain. Also the insurance is a thing which is often overlooked when getting a quote.

Many rental companies will ask you to take out additional insurance to reduce your liability. Some rental companies often do not disclose these costs until after you have already prepaid for your rental, leaving you rather stumped by the time it comes to collecting your vehicle. This additional insurance is optional however if you do choose to opt in and take out the insurance just make sure that it covers for any damages, including tires, windscreens and undercarriage as some rental companies do not include these in their insurance reduction policies.

The executive director of Which?, Mr Richard Lloyd, explained that certain companies “were taking advantage of people looking for car hire as sneaky charges were not included in the rental cost. Car hire companies need to be more transparent and upfront about their fees so people can make an informed choice”

It says it is a principle of Both European and UK law that essential information must be clearly stated at the point of purchase.

Some of the things to look out for when booking a vehicle are as follows:

• the amount of the excess
• the cost of the excess waiver, and what it covers
• the cost of the deposit
• the cost of compulsory fuel
• the cost of additional extras, like sat navs and additional drivers.

Indigo Car Hire are always on hand to ensure that all prices and extras are clear and available for view prior to booking. If you have any questions about renting a vehicle or getting any extras then please don’t hesitate to speak to our reservations team directly who are always more than happy to guide you throughout  the car rental booking process.

The cost of car hire often fluctuates, it can be at an extremely high price one week and the next be down to as much as a couple of pounds a day. This often frustrates people, but why does it happen why do car hire prices change? It can be anything, the change in seasons, holidays, popular times or just that certain date. People are often confused why car hire prices can change so rapidly so we have tried to break it down and explain why this occurs.

Why do car hire prices change?
When you are speak to a rental company you may get a really good price upon your first enquiry, but you may need to go away and weigh up your options or work out the details with your friends, colleagues or family members. When it comes time to book you may find that the prices for the car hire have changed.

If you are wondering why this is then Indigo Car Hire is on hand to answer these queries for you. We will be able to answer any questions that you may have and answer them as fully as possible.

So why do the prices increase?
Basically all car rental prices are on a live system and are constantly fluctuating. There are three main reasons why car hire prices change and these are availability, seasonality and the proximity to the start of the rental date.

Availability: – When you are looking to rent a car availability certainly comes into play. It is quite simple really the less cars that are available the higher the price tends to vary and generally increase the closer to the rental date you get.

Seasonality: – in times of holiday periods like schools summer holidays, half terms and bank holidays are all time where the prices can change. The busiest times in the car rental industry include Easter, Christmas and Summer and you will find that the prices for your car hire will be increased due to the busyness of the time of year and the seasonality.

Proximity: – the proximity of the rental date really comes into play when you are looking at prices for car hire. If you get the price well in advance you are more likely to get a better deal for your car hire. If you go to get a quote the day before you are due to collect a car then you will probably find that the cost of the car is highly increased.

Speak to our friendly and knowledgeable reservations team today to ensure that you get the best deal on your car hire.

Additional extras when it comes to car hire are often confusing and it can become hard to deter between what you need and what is a must in terms of extras. Often some additional extras can be pricy but needed like GPS or a child seat. You may be surprised to find that a child seat cost an additional price of anything between £5 – £15 per day depending on the supplier. If you do require a child seat then we have a wide range of suppliers and will be able to find you the best deal suited to your needs. The question is do I need a child seat?

Many people also don’t realise the extent to which you need a child seat, for instance if your child is under the height of 135cm or under 12 years old they must be placed in a forward facing child seat by law. Children that are under the age of 3 also legally require a baby seat that is facing the rear; these guidelines are of course set to ensure the safety of your children. If a child seat is found not to be present if you are pulled over by the police and your children don’t meet these specific guidelines then you can be fined a fixed penalty £30 as of 18th September 2006. (more…)