Renting a car has become a fine option for many UK residents instead of buying a car. Most people residing in cities find a car rental in UK much more affordable and pretty reasonable. Today, as the holiday season gets nearer, it makes it more difficult to find a reliable car hire in a busy city like London. By booking early, not only will this help you get a cheaper rate for your trip, it may also save you time and money to make the most of your holiday.
Is it smarter to buy or rent a car?
If you live in a capital city with a convenient public transit, you may not need to buy a car. Renting a car sounds more practical instead of paying for the parking costs every month. Furthermore, if you include paying for the car insurance as well as a car space to your rent cost and the cost of parking at work, then it's cheaper to rent than buy a car. And this can go a long way on saving up some money.
Although the monthly payment of a purchased vehicle can be about the same as two weeks of car rental in the UK, a rental is rarely needed more than a couple of days here and there. Also, a rental does not need to be parked everyday of the month, which in some areas of certain cities can be a real challenge. When you add up all the costs, including the hassle factor, the convenience and the flexibility, renting a car, in certain circumstances, can be a preferred option to purchasing a car.
Obviously, a hire car is one great alternative to buying a car. Can it save you money? Definitely! Especially if you do not use a car regularly. Furthermore, you may be able to hire a car (every) once a while and make do with an older less reliable car for the majority of the time.
When travelling to Europe, concerns like driving regulations, rental policies, insurance cover, toll roads, identification documents and navigation can all be a concern. But for most UK holidaymakers, the primary concern is deciding where to go. If you are looking for a great adventure, here's a list of popular European holiday destinations worth-visiting.
There is a lot of options when it comes to car rental insurance and excess reduction. When you rent a car in Europe you will be obligated to pay a specified excess amount if any damage is caused to the car while it is in your possession. This amount can be up to £2000 for standard vehicles, and even more for larger SUVs and prestige vehicles. The excess amount for your particular car will be specified in the car hire agreement. Take note that the amount varies based on which rental car company you are hiring the vehicle from.
There are a lot of roundabouts in the UK. Usually, traffic travels in a clockwise directions, and drivers will need to take note of what exit they need to make sure they are in the correct lane. There are no toll roads in central London, but the city's congestion charge scheme means you will still have to pay a charge if you are driving in the designated zone. Also, parking in London can be quite expensive, and there are often restrictions in place on the street during certain hours. Read our Rental Car Guide for additional information.
