Advice on hiring a car abroad

Budget Rent a Car boasts over 2,700 locations worldwide.

Some of these locations are in more remote areas, whereas others are located in popular holiday destinations.

If you are intending on hiring a vehicle it is worth doing some local research on the town/country to familiarise yourself with any traffic regulations or renowned dangerous roads.

For example, in the UK and Australia, motorists are used to driving on the left hand side of the road, whereas other countries, such as North America and in mainland Europe, drive on the right hand side. This can be quite daunting if you have never driven outside of the UK before.

What you need to check when collecting a vehicle

When you arrive at the renting location your rental vehicle should be available to you and are prepared and checked. However, we recommend that before signing your contract and for added peace of mind that you carry out the following checks:

1. Point out any minor dents/scratches on the paintwork and ensure that this has been noted on the pre-rental inspection form. At this point you should also check the fuel gauge to ensure that the vehicle has the same amount of fuel in, as it states on the paperwork.
    
2. Check the tyres for pressure and the windscreen washers and wipers to ensure that they are not worn and that the washers have water in them.
    
3. Ask a member of staff to demonstrate any controls on the car that you are unfamiliar with and also ask for a copy of the handbook.
    
4. Make sure that you have a contact number in case of accident or emergency and that the glove compartment contains all relevant breakdown assistance information.
    
5. Finally ensure that you know what type of fuel the vehicle takes, as should the wrong type be used, you will be liable for the cost of cleaning the engine plus loss of revenue.