Auckland is a sprawling metropolis known for its far flung suburbs… and marginal public transport services. Any local will tell you emphatically: you can’t survive in Auckland without a car. So if your car is being repaired, you’re a visitor to Auckland, or you’re a one car family but occasionally need two, a hire car is often the perfect solution to your transport dramas. Typically, a day’s hire cost can be less than a single trip in a taxi or Uber.
Of course a car hire can also bring its own dramas, so in this series we give you some tips for a smooth, uneventful, stress-free car rental in Auckland, and the obvious place to start is:
Picking Up Your Hire Car
This is a critical time, but quite often there is a fair amount of “she’ll be right” on behalf of both the hirer and hiree. It’s understandable: you’ve probably used hire cars before and can’t wait to get on the road, and the rental operator has phones ringing and other customers waiting. You will forget to ask half the questions you planned to, and they will forget to tell you some quirks of operation in your car. Remember, for the company staff this hire car is just like dozens of others, so for them these details may seem too obvious to bore you with.
Collecting your rental car doesn’t need to be slow and arduous, but here are a few tips that are definitely worth remembering:
1. Online Saves Time!
It’s the 21st century, and these days many Auckland car hire companies let you pre-enter most of your information online before you set foot in their office. Do this if at all possible. It not only means that you’ll be behind the wheel of your hire car within moments, but it will often answer many of the questions you had, or raise others, before you meet the rental staff.
2. Who’s Driving?
Make sure you have your licence. Not a photo or xerox of your licence, but your actual licence. You will not be able to hire a car without it.
Ideally bring the licences of any likely drivers with you, too. Hirers often casually mention that their spouse “might” drive the hire car, but don’t have that person or their licence with them. No licence on the hire agreement means NO INSURANCE COVER, so don’t even think about it. Some rental companies let you add licences by sending scans or photos through during the hire, but don’t take this for granted, others can be quite strict.
Licences should be in English, or accompanied by an International Driving Permit or authorised translation. Overseas licence holders will also need to present their passport.
3. Snap Away!
Take photos of your hire car. The rental company will probably have done this, but these days it is so easy to walk around the car with your phone and take a few snaps or a video while it’s still on their premises. Take close ups of any existing damage. Disputes still can arise, even between perfectly honest rental companies and perfectly honest customers, so this is free peace of mind.
4. Any Questions?
Check the important things while you’re there. If the stereo or GPS in your hire car will be critical to your travelling pleasure, try and get some joy out of it. If you plan to fold seats away for luggage or sleeping space, do it now. Trying to communicate these things over the phone later can be challenging for both parties.
Do you need a car hire in Auckland? We can help! See our range and contact us here.