Additional Extras (and when to take them)
When hiring a car there will always be additional extras available at the rental desk. Below are the most common extras you can take but some suppliers offer others such as ski racks and snow chains. Every rental supplier will offer these on collection of the car – the important thing is knowing when to take them!
Additional Driver
Most rental companies will offer the option of an additional named driver, as long as they meet the supplier’s requirements for age and driving experience. This can come in handy if you’re going to be doing a lot of travelling and would like to split the driving with another person in the group, so is worth considering if you’ve got a long trip ahead. However most suppliers will charge to add an additional driver and the cost will vary between suppliers; most have a set daily rate and some may cap this charge after a certain number of days, but this is not the case for all suppliers – be sure to check the extra cost when agreeing to an additional driver. If this is something you’re interested in, we can offer hire with a free additional driver in some locations, so it’s always worth getting in touch with our team directly if this is something you might need!
GPS
A GPS can certainly come in handy, especially if you’re travelling in a location that you’re not familiar with. The majority of suppliers will offer this for an extra charge, but before agreeing to add the GPS it’s important to check the car you’re being given first, as some of the new model cars may have a GPS built in (and you don’t want to be charged for something you would already have!) Some suppliers and location may also be able to offer a free GPS – our team will be able to help you look into the options if this is an important factor in your rental.
Child Seats
If you’re travelling with children, it’s important to ensure you have the correct seats – before you travel make sure to check the child seat regulations for the country you are hiring in. If you need to add child seats to your rental you can usually do this at the desk; again, the cost is very much dependent on which supplier you are hiring with. However, the advice we always give to our customers to cut down on costs is to take your own wherever possible – most airlines will let you take 2 items on board for free per child travelling, so this is a great way to save money on your hire and negate having to add extras on at the desk. (Just be sure to check with your airline before travelling on their rules regarding this.)
Winter Tyres
Heading somewhere with a reputation for bad weather? If you’re travelling somewhere with a lot of snow, you might want to make sure your rental includes winter tyres to be sure your travel is as safe as possible. These can be added to bookings in certain locations and only at certain times of the year, so it’s always worth getting in touch if you have questions about this. At certain points in the year a lot of locations will require cars to have winter tyres by law, meaning that during this time cars hired in those locations will include the winter tyres as standard. Our team will be able to advise on the best options in terms of the requirements for winter tyres, ensuring you have a safe rental that meets the requirements for driving in wintery conditions.
Additional Insurance
One of the main extras that our customers take when collecting their rental car is the supplier’s additional insurance. When hiring a car, the vehicle will have an excess amount that you’re liable up to if you damage the car, and suppliers will offer supplementary insurance to reduce this down so that you pay less in the event of damage.
Most of the time the supplier’s insurance is completely optional, and you can decide once you get to the desk whether you want to reduce the excess. Alternatively, you could choose to take an excess reimbursement policy – this often works out much cheaper than the supplier’s direct insurance and with this you still have the excess (so if you damage the vehicle you would still be charged) but then you would be able to claim back any costs for damage via this policy. Again, it’s always best to check with the team so you can be clear on what you’re covered for, and they will be able to answer any questions you have regarding the insurance included in your hire.
Roadside Assistance
All our car rentals include a standard breakdown cover – this covers you in the event of mechanical breakdown. So, if the engine cuts out, the vehicle’s warranty will cover you for repair. On the other hand, if you require assistance due to something simpler such as a flat tyre, the wrong type of fuel, flat batteries or even locking the keys in the car, the supplier’s breakdown policy will not cover you for this. That is why most suppliers will offer a supplemental roadside assistance product, to cover you for all instances of breakdown. The charge for this service will depend on the supplier – as will the specific of exactly what this service covers. For example, AVIS offer a roadside assistance package at 5 GBP per day which includes tyre assistance (in the event of a flat tyre) lockout service (to help you get back into the car if the keys are locked inside) flat battery service, and a fuel service (to deliver enough fuel to get you to the closest fuel station if you run out)
Of course, this can be handy in case of emergencies – but as with all additional extras is completely optional, so be sure to weigh up the cost and the likelihood of needing the service before you agree to any extra charges.
Fuel Service
Some suppliers may offer a ‘fuel service’ option – most rentals will require you to return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel in the tank as when you collected it, however the fuel service option means you pay for the fuel up front directly to the supplier and can return the car with an empty tank. This can be handy if you know you will definitely be using a full tank of fuel, or if you are very pressed for time and might not have the opportunity to fill up before returning the car. Do be sure to consider all the options, though – most suppliers are located very close to a fuel station so topping up the tank couldn’t be easier, and a rental supplier will usually charge more up front than you would pay to top up yourself, as they will add a refuelling charge to the cost of the fuel.
As always, our team are on hand to help with any questions you might have about your rental – if you need a hand deciding which extras are the best fit for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
