Are you about to take your summer holidays? If the answer is yes, you must be looking forward visiting places and people, relaxing, sunbathing and enjoy the things you like the most. For this reason, we have put together some recommendations that will certainly help you have more time to enjoy the important things and to make the most of your car rental.
Car hire is a convenient option that can offer you freedom and even savings. However, ignoring certain important aspects involved in it can potentially cause you a headache. Read our tips below and enjoy your trip!
1 - Reserve your car in advance. Particularly during the high season, booking several weeks before departure will help you secure the most suitable vehicle and the best deals.
2- Streamline your pick-up: Take advantage of our online check-in, so that you can spend less time at the car rental counter and more time enjoying your trip. When you arrive for pickup, you will only need to show your online check-in confirmation, driving licence and method of payment. Easy! You can also avoid paper work at the counter altogether becoming a member of Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, for free! As a member,you will only need to show your licence and pick-up your keys at the designated Gold counters, or even bypass the counter at many airport locations.
3 - Select the most appropriate car. Finding the most comfortable and appropriate car to suit your needs will make a huge difference to the road trip experience. The number of passengers and items of luggage, the distance you intend to travel, the kind of roads you’ll be driving on, parking options and climate should all be taken into account. We offer a broad range of options including our exclusive Fun, Green, Family, Prestige and Dream Collections.
4 - Thoroughly check the rental qualifications and requirements – you can access them by entering your rental location here.Younger renters, for instance, should note the minimum driver age required and consider that each driver must have held a valid licence for at least one year prior to rental. Renters also must have a credit card in their name. For more expensive or powerful vehicles, the limits on minimum driver age and experience are higher, and customers are required to have more than one credit card.
5 - Pay attention to the coverage included in the rental. It is crucial to read the coverage policy thoroughly before the rental. We include third party liability insurance and, in most cases, also theft protection and collision damage waiver - which, in case of vehicle damage, reduce the renter’s liability to a stipulated excess amount. If these products are not included, it is highly advisable to add them. Additionally, we offer SuperCover, a waiver product that reduces the renter’s liability to zero. Bear in mind that if you opt for insurance coverage via certain credit cards or third party insurance providers, your car rental company will charge you if the vehicle is damaged. It will then be up to you to make a claim with your own insurance provider to recover the cost.
6 - Check policies for mileage and fuel. Unlimited mileage allows the greatest flexibility to make the most of your hire car, and is especially advisable you plan to drive long distances.
We supply our vehicles with a full tank of fuel and charge for both missing fuel and a refuelling fee if they are returned without a full tank. If you refill the fuel tank, please do it within 15 km of where you return it, and keep your receipt as you will need to show it to our team. If you prefer to avoid the hassle of stopping at a filling station immediately before handing back the vehicle, you can opt for the Fuel Purchase Option (FPO) to prepay for the fuel at the beginning of the rental.
7 - Consider additional products and including a second driver. Child seats, mobile Wi-Fi hotspots or our satellite navigation service NeverLost are some of the products we offer to make your journey smoother. Including an additional driver can also be very useful for long journeys and family breaks (If you sign up to Gold Plus Rewards, we give you an additional driver for free!).
8 - Assess where to collect and return the car. It’s often possible to drop off a rented vehicle at a different branch to where you collected it. Although with certain restrictions and a one-way fee, this option can be a huge time saver if you’re planning onward travel from a different location or don’t require a vehicle for the duration of the holiday.When weighing up the options, it’s worth taking into account that car rental branches in airports and train stations usually have longer opening hours than downtown locations.
9 - Thoroughly check the condition of the vehicle. When collecting the car, it is extremely important to make sure that any existing damage is reflected on the Vehicle Condition Form before driving off. Inspect the vehicle carefully and ensure any blemishes both inside and out are noted down. Ask a Hertz representative, should you have any doubt.
10 - Ensure you keep a copy of all signed documents. Customers should be given a copy of the contract and the Vehicle Condition Form before starting the rental. Is it advisable to keep these documents for at least one month after the rental, in the event of incurring any additional charges.
11 - Use the car responsibly. Look after the car and it will look after you. Driving a rental car off road or on the beach is not allowed. Take into account that we may charge an additional fee if the vehicle is returned very dirty and also remember that smoking in the vehicles is not permitted.