When you want to travel, renting a car has several advantages. The biggest advantage of renting a car is the independence. Indeed, you are not dependent on the schedule of public transportation and you avoid the stress of missing the departure. You are also much more comfortable driving in privacy on long trips. You can stop at any time you want, for example for breaks. lunch or small needs. The car can also be used for other purposes. The vehicle can be used for several short trips as during explorations or sightseeing tours during a vacation.
Some things to consider before renting a car
It is worth remembering that if you want to drive in a foreign country, you need an international license. Fortunately, it is easy to get one free of charge through a request to the city hall or the prefecture. The permit is valid for 3 years. To make sure that you make the right choice, you must be well informed about the commercial offer. It is best to compare offers from several agencies. The rental price is not a sufficient criterion to choose a car. Once you have made your choice, you should read the contract carefully and ask questions for clarification. The terms of the contract should include the conditions of use of the car, the duration of the rental and the rates applied.
In addition, each agency will propose its own payment formula. Most of the time, there will be a deposit to put aside which can be blocked on the bank card. When the car rental is over, the amount is released and subtracted from the rental amount. This deposit is a kind of guarantee for the agency in case you have caused some damage to the car. In this way, the agency will be able to deduct the cost of compensation from the deposit. Furthermore, when you pick up the car at the agency, you must make a complete inventory of the vehicle with the presence of an agent of the rental company: bodywork, windshield, tires, etc. The agency must be transparent about the condition of the car and inform beforehand of the existence of cracks, scratches or dents for example. The interest is to be aware of the flaws already present before using the car and to pay attention to them when driving.
A type of car adapted to travel
The car model will obviously depend on the trip and the routes to be taken. It is also necessary to evaluate the number of kilometers to be covered in order to choose the offer that best corresponds to your budget. It is necessary to determine beforehand the use that you wish to make of the vehicle in question. Rental cars are divided into several categories based on type, fuel consumption and value. On the one hand, they are generally classified according to the letters of the alphabet. The letter A, for example, corresponds to a small city car like a Renault Twingo or a Peugeot 106. On the other hand, they can be classified according to indicative titles: economic, compact, family, etc. The classification will depend on the car rental company.
For short trips, a small model is sufficient and will be profitable both in the price of the rental and in the price of fuel to hire. For the large families with a lot of luggage, a spacious vehicle is recommended. In this case, you can choose a minivan. If you want to drive comfortably, sedans are ideal. If you plan to explore the wilderness, unpaved roads or tracks, off-road vehicles are recommended. The criteria for finalizing the choice will of course depend on the planned budget, the number of passengers to be transported and the desired use. It is still advisable to take a slightly higher category of car to feel more comfortable. The reason is that the price difference between two categories is usually small.
The conditions to be fulfilled in order to rent a car
There are certain conditions that apply to customers of car rental agencies. There are certain conditions that must be met if you want to sign a rental agreement and drive the vehicle at the same time. First, you must be over 21 years of age. However, age requirements vary slightly from agency to agency. Some rental companies require a customer to be at least 25 years old. Secondly, you must have a valid driver's license for more than one year. At the same time, lost, stolen, blank or restricted licenses may not be accepted. If you want to go and drive in a foreign country, your national license must be accompanied by an international license.
Then, it is imperative to present documents that justify one's identity and domicile, notably the national identity card or proof of income. The documents must be original and less than two months old. Finally, the hirer must have a means of payment in his own name. It is the person in charge of the rental who must pay. It should be noted that for the rental of luxury cars, the conditions are reinforced because of the high value of the vehicle. For example, it is required to have two credit cards in this case.
In order to rent a car, you need to present some documents. There is the identity card, the driver's license, a proof of residence such as the certificate of residence, a confirmation document such as a confirmation email if you booked via the internet or by phone and the payment card made out to the identity of the person who will be driving. As financial steps, a deposit must be made in case of any damage caused during the rental. The guarantee is also used to cover some additional charges. You must also make an advance payment to guarantee the payment of the rental.
