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.
Picking a suitable car
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.
Travelling With Children and Bags
Say the trip involves young children and a fair amount of luggage. Before requesting a quote, it pays to note the ages of each child, since that affects what travel equipment you will bring, from infant carriers to booster seats. List every bag the family plans to take, separating cabin-sized items from full suitcases, and record rough dimensions for anything awkward such as a pushchair, travel cot or fold-up buggy. Decide the dates and times you need the car, including school runs or activity drop-offs if those fall within the hire period. If grandparents or other relatives are joining, add their luggage to the tally and note where they should be collected from. Questions about which vehicle groups suit a family of your size and bag count can be raised with the team before booking.
Preparing for a Work Trip
A business hire calls for slightly different paperwork. Begin with the schedule: list every meeting, site visit or appointment, along with addresses, named contacts and arrival times. Work out the hire dates from that itinerary, noting any early starts or late finishes that stretch the booking. Record who will travel in the car, whether colleagues or clients, and what they will carry, such as laptops, presentation materials or sample products, including the sizes of any larger cases. If the car needs to be delivered rather than collected, note the exact delivery address and a person there who can receive it. Finally, prepare a short list of questions for the quote, covering available vehicle groups, collection or delivery arrangements and anything else the booking depends on.
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Last checks before booking
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.