First time renting a car abroad....

Dyson · 2025-02-08T21:05:01+0000

Hi all, taking the family away to Spain this August and I'll be renting a car for the week.

Anything I should be aware of? Extras they're likely to spring on at the airport? What insurance cover would you go for?

Looking at probably getting a Peugeot 5008 from Avis, but shows an excess of over £3k!

Thekwango · 2025-02-08T22:13:35+0000

Don’t buy excess waiver/cover at the rental desk, it will most likely be silly expensive. Quick Google will get you far far cheaper options. Only downside, if you don’t buy the rental companies own excess cover they tend to put a temporary charge for the excess on your cc.

MissChief · 2025-02-08T22:18:58+0000

I'm sure you need some code or something from DVLA to show you have a licence. https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Vandle · 2025-02-08T22:42:25+0000

Thekwango said:
Don’t buy excess waiver/cover at the rental desk, it will most likely be silly expensive. Quick Google will get you far far cheaper options. Only downside, if you don’t buy the rental companies own excess cover they tend to put a temporary charge for the excess on your cc.

This. It’s quite often almost the price of the hire. I never bother with it despite how much the desk staff try and frighten you into it. I just back myself that I’m not going to have an accident and if I do I’ll convince myself the amount I have saved on waiving this in the past is still in excess of the excess which tbh it probably is.
The type of driving you are doing doesn’t lend itself towards high probability of an accident. In my experiences the drivers in and around the tourist areas are a lot more forgiving and generally not as much in a hurry as at home plus your basic coloured, basic spec hire car with an Avis logo in the back window will scream out “I’m not on home turf, give me some room”

dholdi · 2025-02-08T22:55:19+0000

Thekwango said:
Don’t buy excess waiver/cover at the rental desk, it will most likely be silly expensive. Quick Google will get you far far cheaper options. Only downside, if you don’t buy the rental companies own excess cover they tend to put a temporary charge for the excess on your cc.

Double this

I've always bought excess protection insurance for a fraction of the cost the hire co offers.

mattyfez · 2025-02-08T23:27:05+0000

Do a video walk round of the car on your phone at pick up and drop off.
No shenanigans then if they try to claim you scraped a wheel or something.

I hear stories all the time from people who have rented from the big players and smaller hire companies, where they try to fob you off on pre existing minor scratches and stuff like that... If you video the car there's no argument that that bit of trim was cracked or that wheel was scuffed already, etc.