Hiring a car can sometimes turn into your worst nightmare. We know it’s true. We’ve all been through it.
Every time you travel, you probably consider the option of hiring a car at your destination so as to be able to move around freely.
It’s only natural.
It’s a good way of solving your transport concerns.
What’s more, it only takes a few minutes to make the booking...However, the consequences of making the wrong choice can last a lot longer than just a few minutes.
Since we wouldn’t wish this to be the case, in this post we provide all the information you need to rent a car without losing any sleep over it.
Tips for hiring a car in Spain and not bankrupting yourself in the process
Information is power, and it is vital to know all the conditions governing your car hire in Spain if you are to be aware of any small print and avoid unpleasant last-minute surprises.
As you will see, to avoid potential problems you need to be aware of a number of aspects.
Keep calm and read on.
Requirements: documentation, age of driver, and credit card.
First things first - before trying to hire a car, check you meet all the requirements for doing so.
Every company has its own rules, but here is a summary of what they tend to ask for.
1. Documentation
The first requirement is that of having a valid ID document and driving license.
Sounds pretty obvious, right?
Sure, but things happen, and it’s not uncommon to discover at the last minute that one or other of these documents has expired.
So, before making a reservation, ensure everything’s in check.
With regards to your driving license, some companies demand that clients have been legally able to drive for a certain minimum period. This is normally one or two years. With us, this requirement does not apply.
Another important point is to ensure you are legally able to drive in Spain. You may need to request an international driving permit.
2. Driver’s age
We all remember heading off excitedly on our first trip away with friends.
But think carefully about what is involved. Most companies don’t rent vehicles to anybody under 21 years of age.
If this applies to you, make sure you check this condition before booking.
Luckily, some companies - offUgo included - don’t impose this limitation.
3. Credit card
Another important aspect to consider involves the use of your credit card.
Normally, your card is required not only to pay for the booking, but also to guarantee a deposit: the rental company will often block a certain amount on the card to this end.
This can cause real headaches, with the amount blocked, or reserved, on your card meaning you have practically no real spending power remaining. In other words, you won’t be able to carry out other necessary transactions with it during this time.
It is also common to demand that the credit card paying for the car hire be under the driver’s name.
4. The importance of a good insurance policy
Without a shadow of a doubt, the type of insurance policy is paramount.
All hire vehicles have insurance included in the contract as standard, since they could not otherwise be taken out on the public highways.
This will be a third-party insurance policy (also referred to as TPL - third party liability).
This type of insurance covers any damage to other vehicles, but not to the hire car itself.
That’s where most hire companies start to hide things away in the small print.
The CDW (collision damage waiver) tends to include the payment of an excess should the vehicle suffer any damage. The excess represents the maximum amount that a client would be required to pay if the vehicle came back with any scratches or was involved in an accident. Every company has its own CDW policy, so expect this to vary from one rental car service to another - be wary of assuming anything based on past experiences.
With the excess involved in this kind of cover, companies will want to block anywhere between 800 and 1,500 euros on your card.
Once you have returned the car in perfect condition, the company will release the amount back to you.
It is also possible to hire a car with no excess. This way you can avoid the hassle of money being blocked on your card. With this type of rental, the insurance covers the full cost of any potential repair.
It’s clear that this is the best option if you want to guarantee peace of mind whilst driving.
Nevertheless, this option is not all that common, as most companies charge an eye-watering premium for such levels of cover.
5. The small print and its consequences
It is also important to know with whom you are taking out the insurance policy.
Sometimes it might be with an intermediary, others with the car rental company itself.
Many companies take advantage of the client’s lack of awareness in this area.
In this case, you continue to be liable for the excess and must later seek the refund of amounts charged from the company with whom the policy was taken out.
Another controversial issue when renting a car is that of visible imperfections or preexisting problems. I.e., things that were wrong with the car prior to you hiring it.
Many companies exploit this area to cream a little more profit from their clients. We strongly advise you to take photos of any imperfection - however small - that you are able to spot prior to accepting the vehicle.
Bear in mind these claims will only arise once you have returned the car.
Not sure what that might involve?
Well, in general, what happens is that when you notice your card has been charged for these supposed damages, you are already miles away.
Unable to defend yourself against the accusations, you are likely to end up with no choice but to take on the cost of these repairs.
Despite all of these complex and often unethical clauses, hiring a car to get around on holiday doesn’t have to be a negative experience.
Luckily, not all companies behave in the same way.
Find out as much as you can about the company, the contract, the insurance policy and all other potentially problematic clauses so that your journey can go exactly as planned.
If you remain uncertain about anything, the only way to ensure peace of mind is to ask before confirming your booking.
Afterwards... it will be too late.
6. Pick-up and drop-off location: avoid unwelcome surprises.
The most cost-efficient collection site tends to be the airport.
But, beware! Sometimes the cheapest companies are not right inside the airport.
They might be several kilometres away, meaning you are dependent on the shuttle service they operate.
Is that necessarily a problem?
No, as long as you are clear about what it entails and you don’t mind.
First, you will have to locate the collection point, then wait for them to come and pick you up, in addition to however long it takes to get to wherever they have their offices. And then wait your turn to be attended of course.
You will need to bear all of this in mind when it is time to return the vehicle too.
Leaving things to the last minute is never a good option, but even less so with this type of company.
You can also opt for a pick-up and/or drop-off point other than at the airport. Some companies allow this, but make sure you find out beforehand what it costs.
7. Pick-up and drop-off times: another classic hidden cost
Another aspect to bear in mind is the time of day or night at which you wish to collect or return the vehicle.
The majority of companies charge a supplement to collect or return a vehicle outside of their normal office hours.
Besides the additional charge to your credit card, you need to add the inconvenience of there not being anybody around to serve you, or of having to wait for somebody to turn up.
We advise you to be aware of the operating hours of your chosen rental company so as to avoid any problems.
8. Main driver and secondary driver.
In general, car hire companies only include one driver in the rental price.
If you are planning on sharing any driving, keep a close lookout for such a clause.
If somebody other than the person listed on the contract were driving at the time of an accident, they could argue that the insurance policy wouldn’t cover it.
If you state that the vehicle is to be driven by two people, you are bound to find yourself paying a secondary driver supplement.
You also have to ensure that the secondary drivers fulfils all the requirements governing age and experience of course.
9. Fuel policy: full or empty?
This is a typical move when it comes to low-cost rentals.
Some car hire companies charge excessive rates for filling the car with fuel.
This kind of malpractice is pretty common, and you generally won’t find out about it until you arrive at your destination and are getting ready to collect your car.
This is when they tell you that the vehicle is delivered with a full tank but that you must return it empty.
So, what’s the catch?
First, they will charge you extortionate prices for fuel and even add on a “little surcharge” for doing you the favour of filling it up.
And second, don’t think for a minute that you will get a refund on any unused fuel at the end.
You might not do enough driving over your rental period to empty the tank. Or perhaps you’re not keen on running it right down - if you cut it too fine you could run out and miss your flight.
Essentially, this kind of thing means that an offer which initially looks amazing ends up costing more than the others you had discarded for initially appearing too expensive.
How can you avoid this?
Without a doubt, we advise you choose the “full-full” option.
But don’t forget to fill the tank before returning the car!
Otherwise you will end up paying a supplement to compensate the rental company for the inconvenience, in addition to whatever they charge you for the missing fuel.
10. How many kilometres are you planning on driving?
If you are planning on travelling any significant distance and don’t want to take on additional charges, make sure you choose a tariff with unlimited kilometres.
Sometimes we don’t even realise that we might have hired a car that comes with a maximum number of kilometres allowed per day in its contract.
Of course, each additional kilometre will come at a price, also established in the contract.
This might not seem like a big deal, but, depending on how much you go over the limit, it can end up costing you a great deal.
11. The insurance policy and the excess: get ready for an onslaught of shameless pressure
As we have already mentioned, this is undoubtedly one of the most controversial issues when it comes to rent-a-car companies, and the one which most puts people off.
Have you ever hired a car on the super-cheap, and only been informed of the small print upon going to collect it?
For example, that it only comes with a basic insurance policy featuring an exorbitant excess, so that you are going to be faced with paying a fortune should anything happen.
It’s a common tactic among certain low-cost companies to exert a huge amount of pressure on anybody hiring one of their vehicles to take out the fully-comp insurance policy they offer.
At an inflated price, of course.
Sure, you’ll be buying peace of mind... but your wallet will be noticeably lighter for it.
Be wary of such tactics. They can cause you a real headache and send the budget you had allocated for renting a car through the roof.
Sometimes, a central booking system will offer insurance to “remove the excess” for a more reasonable price. But in reality, they don’t remove it and the hire company will continue to block this amount on your credit card.
What’s more, should any problem arise, you would have to advance any monies demanded for damage to the vehicle (often fictional).
Of course, you can later claim this money back from the company providing the insurance, although they don’t always make it easy for you.
Another potentially unpleasant surprise, is finding out that roadside assistance is not included, nor would you receive a substitute vehicle in the event of an accident or breakdown.
Don’t believe us?
We can assure you it happens.
12. But once I’ve returned the vehicle, they can’t hold me responsible for anything further, right?
We’d love to tell you that this was the case... but the reality is that you can even be charged once the rental period has come to an end.
We’ve already mentioned some of the additional charges you might find yourself subject to:
- Supposed damages to the hire car.
- Additional kilometres.
- Filling the tank if you return it unfilled (depending on what was agreed).
And on top of that, charges for processing any fines, should you have committed any traffic violations.
For example, if you are caught on speed camera exceeding the speed limit.
The fine would be sent to the rental company, but they would pass it on to the person who had hired the car on the relevant date.
In addition to the value of the fine, they are bound to also charge you a fee for the inconvenience of having to process it on your behalf.
So now you know how much hiring a car can really cost.
Maybe now you’ve read this post it’s not looking like such a great idea...
But don’t lose heart!
Now is the best time to do it, as you now know everything you need to be aware of when making a booking.
The excess and fuel policy are two things that really give car rental companies bad press.
But, as we have seen, that is far from all.
As we don’t want you to miss a single one, here’s a handy checklist.
Review it carefully prior to finalising your booking!
Documentation:
- Valid driving license (check any minimum experience requirements).
- Valid ID card or passport.
- Minimum age of driver.
- Credit card in driver’s name.
Fuel policy:
- Full - empty (careful!)
- Full - full (recommended)
- Empty - empty
Insurance policy:
- Fully-comp or partial cover?
- With or without excess?
- Roadside assistance?
Other important points:
- Collection and drop-off point: at the airport or further afield?
- Collection and drop-off with no charge for out-of-office hours.
- Additional driver (if required).
- Unlimited kilometres (if required).
Do you want to know exactly how much your car rental is going to cost you?
Simply enter the offUgo website and find out how much your rental is going to cost.
No small print, no hidden charges.
If you like things to be easy, fast, and transparent, then we’re the car rental company for you.
We’re not going to try and convince you by blowing our own trumpet.
If you want to know more just check out our review on Google (we promise they’re not written by our mums!).
We’ll leave you with this handy list of everything that’s included in our prices (no surprises!):
▪ Pick-up and return your vehicle with no queuing or waiting around.
▪ Fully comp insurance with no excess or deposit.
▪ 24/7 Roadside assistance
▪ 24/7 Telephone service.
▪ Substitute vehicle.
▪ 2 drivers.
▪ 24/7 pick-up and drop-off at the airport at no additional cost.
▪ Free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to the beginning of your rental.
▪ Unlimited kilometres.
▪ Drivers between 18 and 90 years old.
Looking to rent a car?
Book now with Offugo and get 10% off — just use the code OFFUGOGIFT10 at checkout!
