Rental Car Charges for Wear & Tear Can Be Avoided Says Carrentals.co.uk

Travellers using rental cars should file a report with their rental company for any and every ‘wear and tear’ problems they experience while renting their vehicle, says Carrentals.co.uk. The car hire comparator reports that some customers have had huge charges for damages to the brakes or clutch because they failed to note the problem beforehand.

There is a handful of common causes of trouble on a rental car, especially the brakes, the clutch and the oil level. Customers are encouraged to take the time to inspect and report any suspicious mechanical issues, as well as cosmetic damage such as scratches and dents before they sign off and accept the rental car. This precaution can avoid all kinds of arguments with the rental company when returning the rental car.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, comments: “The number one thing to do when renting a car is conduct a top to bottom inspection, making an official note of any exterior damage or likely mechanical troubles. After you drive off from the garage, continue to listen for any engine problems. It’s best to just turn around and ask for another vehicle if the brakes or the clutch seem weak after just a few miles of driving.

Although most international rental car chains keep their vehicles maintained, parts like the clutch and brakes get a lot of use and abuse from customers and tend to wear out faster than expected. The car hire company can take advantage of this situation and try to charge customers when the parts appear to need replacing – so the savvy traveller should check these flashpoints and make sure they appear in solid working order.”

Carrentals.co.uk Top Tips to Avoid ‘Unfair Wear & Tear’ Charges –

1) Take the rental car for a quick test drive and check that parts such as the brakes and clutch are in good order. It’s impossible to tell if these parts are strong until you get the car moving.

2) Throughout the duration of your rental keep an eye on the condition of your engine, and be quick to contact the rental office if anything appears to be breaking down. If you wait until you return the vehicle the office could try and charge you for the damage.

3) Any contact with the car hire company should be recorded in case there is a dispute over damage to the vehicle. This includes names, dates and topics of the conversation.

4) Read over the basic insurance provided by the rental company and make sure it covers easy damage points like the windscreen and tyres. If not, it’s worth paying extra for the added coverage.

5) Always look over your rental car for any cosmetic damage or mechanical troubles before you drive away and tell the staff of any issues you notice.

Gareth adds: “It’s important to have the right amount of insurance cover, because the basic policy handed out by the rental firms often omit the most common trouble spots. Ask questions and read the contract before you sign anything. If something like a crack in the windscreen is not covered, ask about added insurance that includes these things. A flat tyre can easily cost more than the cost of extra coverage.”

Carrentals.co.uk, a rental car rate comparison website, has processed over 650,000 rental transactions to date and offers current cheap car hire prices from well-known international car hire outfits like Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt. From car hire in Portugal, to top spots like car hire in Faro, France, Spain there are more than 15,000 popular worldwide travel locations on offer. For more information visit www.carrentals.co.uk
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About Carrentals.co.uk

Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK’s leading online car hire companies by 2006.

In 2007 the company re-launched its site to create the first major online price comparator in the travel industry. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 15,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

The Carrentals.co.uk site also features over 5,000 pages of travel information in a mini-guide format.

In 2008 Carrentals.co.uk was voted Best Car Hire Website in the Travolution Awards, and in 2010 it was Highly Commended in the Best Meta-search/Price Comparison category. To book or for further information visit www.carrentals.co.uk

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