Six car hire rip-offs and how to steer clear of them
Sneaky car hire companies are using flight delays and cancellations as an excuse to make holidaymakers pay through the nose.
When the delayed customer finally arrives at the rental desk, they’re told that their pre-booked car is no longer available and the only vehicle left is more expensive. The unlucky customer has little option but to fork out for the pricier rental.
Broker Zest Car Rental said of the recent issue: ‘Unscrupulous car hire companies are using it as an easy way to extract more money from customers.’
You’re less likely to be caught out if you enter an accurate pick-up time and your flight details when your book. Staff should then be automatically alerted of delays – but don’t rely on this. You should also inform your rental company if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
The car hire industry is notorious for hitting customers with hidden fees. Read on to find out some other common ways holidaymakers are caught out.
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1. Dodge unnecessary insurance
When you turn up at the rental desk, the car hire company may try to sell you overpriced insurance that you don’t need.
When you hire a car, you aren’t required to buy any additional insurance. Basic insurance is included in the rental – but you will have to pay the excess. If you don’t want to risk being hit with the excess, you can either buy a reimbursement policy online or an excess waiver from the car rental company. In the past, Which? has found that car hire company waivers are usually a rip-off, offering inferior cover and costing much more than excess insurance from a third-party.
Buy your own excess reimbursement policy online from a top-rated provider – then say no to insurance at the desk.
See our reviews of car hire excess insurance policies
2. Avoid being charged for someone else’s scrapes
It’s hugely frustrating – not to mention expensive – to have to pay for scratches and scrapes that didn’t happen on your watch. To avoid this happening, examine your hire car carefully before you drive it away – and take photos or video evidence of any dents or scratches.
Your rental agreement should detail any scuffs. If you spot any pre-existing damage that isn’t listed, point it out to staff immediately and ask them to update your agreement.
When returning the car, make sure an employee checks for new damage with you and get a signed receipt saying there was none. If you’re dropping it off out-of-hours, take another set of photographs, so you have evidence that there were no additional scrapes.
The best and worst car hire companies – as rated by Which? readers
3. Don’t pay over the odds for fuel
When you’re choosing a rental car, check the fuel policy carefully before you book.
If you opt for a full-empty policy, you’ll be charged for a full tank of fuel when you pick up your hire car. You’re likely to be charged an excessive rate for this fuel. You’re then told to return it empty and there are no refunds for unused fuel.
It’s usually cheaper to opt for a full-full policy instead: you’ll pick up the car full and return it full, paying the local price for whatever fuel you use. You might also be able to choose same-same. Either way, make sure you return the car full, or with the same amount of fuel as when you collected it, or you may be charged a premium for the difference. You can also be hit with a penalty if you’re supposed to return the car full and fail to.
If you’ve opted for a full-full or same-same policy, take a photo of the fuel gauge at the end of your trip as well. Make sure to keep your final fuel receipt – some companies will fine you if you can’t produce one.
A good broker can provide assistance if things go wrong – check out the top-rated car hire brokers
4. Never shell out for mileage you didn’t do
Some rental deals come with a limited number of miles and you’re charged extra if you do additional miles. When you return the car, rental companies sometimes get your mileage wrong – and customers are then charged for miles they never drove.
You can avoid this by taking a photo of the dashboard at the start and end of your holiday. You’ll then have a record of how many miles you clocked up, so you can dispute any extra.
Some companies charge extra for unlimited mileage and automatically add it to your quote. Make sure you’re not being charged for something you don’t need.
Follow our tips on booking, collecting and returning a hire car
5. Resist overpriced ‘extras’
Hiring a satnav with your car is a waste of money. Free GPS apps are available for your smartphone. Even buying a new dedicated device can be cheaper than a week’s hire.
Child car seats can also be overpriced and may be of inferior quality. The additional baggage cost of flying with a seat will probably cost less than hiring one. Some airlines allow you to put a car seat in the hold without charge.
Adding an additional driver can also be pricey, especially if you don’t arrange it until you arrive at the rental desk. Book with a car hire company or broker that offers free additional drivers.