Questions to ask when hiring a car

So, you’re planning on hiring a car. Perhaps you need a car hire for your business trip to Birmingham or maybe you and the family are looking to have a week-long road trip around the UK or Europe.

Hiring a car knows no bounds, but however you wish to use your car hire, there are some standard questions to ask in the process to ensure you get the right vehicle and hire from the right company.

Vehicle size

Do you need a small little run around for the city or a large 4x4 that you can pack all of your luggage into? 

Smaller car options are generally cheaper to hire but won’t always suit the needs of your trip. They provide an ideal solution for nipping around a busy city or making a journey with little baggage but for longer trips with a full amount of passengers, a larger model will provide more comfort.

Electric, petrol or diesel?

Choosing the fuel type of your hire vehicle is an important choice. We always recommend our customers opt for an as fuel-efficient vehicle as possible - that’s what we’re all about at Green Motion.

However, sometimes an electric vehicle isn’t always the best option. If you plan on using your hire vehicle to drive around the peak district or the Cotswolds or peak district, there aren’t as many electric refill stations as there are on motorways and in city centres. 

Think about where you’ll be using the car and what you will be using it for and this should lead to an informed decision.

Is there a mileage limit?

This is particularly important if you’re planning on using the vehicle to cover a lot of ground. The last thing you want is to return to the car hire provider and be met with a large bill because you went drastically over the limit on the number of miles.

At Green Motion, we understand that you will want to get some good use out the vehicle which is why all of our rentals have a limit of 95 miles per day. Anything over this will be charged at 25p per mile (including VAT). If you plan on using your vehicle for a longer trip with more miles on the road, we offer customers the option to get unlimited mileage at an extra cost of £7.80 (including VAT) per day.

Insurance cover

Should something happen to your hire car, you want to have peace of mind that you’re protected. At Green Motion our rates include basic insurance cover including collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection (TP), UK value added tax (VAT), insurance for one driver with an unlimited excess. Excess reduction insurance can then purchased separately upon arrival for pick-up.

While these policies aren’t compulsory, they offer extra assurance that will cover you for a range of happenings without leaving you with a large bill.

Low-emission car hire

Our team aims to make things as easy for you as possible. If you need any further assistance in finding the right hire car for you or want to hear more about our policies and terms, get in touch with your nearest branch.

With 20 locations around the UK, you’re never too far from a Green Motion branch and we have car hire available in many of the most popular tourist destinations. For more information about the range of vehicles available, browse our online booking platform.