Matching a hire car to your passengers and luggage
Tell the team how many people will travel and how many cases, buggies or bulky bags you expect. Seating and boot space are separate questions. Say whether you need an automatic or are happy with a manual, and mention any child seat request early so it can be checked before you are quoted. Include details for every driver who may take the wheel.
Finding a car to suit the trip
Start with the journey and pick the car to match it. Smaller cars are suited to city driving and short stays, automatics make local driving easier, estates and SUVs give more room for luggage, and people carriers are a better choice for families or small groups. The range available includes the Fiat 500, VW Golf, Ford Focus Estate, Ford Focus Automatic and Hyundai i10 Automatic, subject to dates, driver details and availability. The precise make, model, transmission, seating, payload and licence position are confirmed when you are quoted, so treat the vehicles listed as a guide to the kind of hire on offer rather than a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Keeping a flexible day plan
A common choice for day-trippers is whether to book a car for the whole day or only part of it. If your plan might change, sketch a rough itinerary with the stops you expect, the order you would visit them in and any times that are fixed, such as a booking or appointment. Keep a note of passenger numbers and bags for each leg, since a detour to collect someone changes the picture. Where a stop depends on another person, record their contact details in case timings slip. When you ask for a quote, give the dates you are considering, say whether the plan is still loose, and ask how the vehicle groups on offer compare for your passenger and luggage list.
Planning the return leg
Return journeys deserve as much attention as the outward one. Before you book, decide whether you will come back on the same day or a later one, and note both dates when you contact the team. If you expect to bring more back than you took, such as shopping or items collected en route, add a line to your luggage list for the return leg and estimate the extra bags or parcels. Record where the car will be at the end of the hire and whether that differs from the start. If someone else is receiving or returning items for you, keep their name and number with your notes. Ask the team how a different return date affects the quote and which vehicle group suits the fuller return load.
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What to confirm on the phone
Before you confirm the hire, check the key details: vehicle availability, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for, along with driver age, licence history, the deposit, the insurance excess and any travel abroad. A clear request gives the date, the length of hire, the rough route, the delivery or pickup address, the expected passengers or load, and any particular requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.