Renting a car offers great convenience to reach your destination in a car without having to buy one. However, as it is someone else’s property, there are some precautions you need to take and avoid some mistakes that can prove to be immensely costly. Here, we are going to look at common car rental mistakes people often make and the dos and don’ts of renting a car.
Car Rental Mistakes To Avoid
If you are renting a car, you need to make sure that there is no blunder on your part. Below, we list down things to avoid when renting a car and the major car rental pitfalls to avoid.
Not Doing Research About Rental Companies
Different car rental companies have different policies. The only way you can decide which car rental company is worth choosing is by conducting thorough research and contrasting the policies of one company to the policies of another company. Thanks to the internet, an invaluable trove of information is at our fingertips and just a click away. Not doing research can be costly as you may end up making an incorrect decision.
If you are based in Fujairah and want to rent a car, you should know all about renting a car in Fujairah. If you are based in Dubai and wish to rent a luxury car instead, you should make sure that you are aware of the different options of renting a luxury car in Dubai. Similarly, those who want to rent a luxury car in Abu Dhabi should take a look at different options for renting a luxury car in Abu Dhabi.
Many, instead of renting a car, opt to lease a car. If you are based in Dubai and leasing a car, you should be aware of the process, benefits and costs of leasing a car in Dubai. All in all, you should weigh the pros and cons of renting a car from each rental company before coming to the conclusion.
Not Inspecting the Car Before Renting
Before taking the car from the rental company, inspect it thoroughly from top to bottom and notify the company if there are any exterior dents or interior damage. You can take the car for a brief ride to ensure that the car is completely in working order.
If you do not notify the company, they may hold you to account and you can end up paying for the damage you weren’t even responsible for. Recognizing this would also mean that you have to be extremely careful when using the car and return it in the condition you received and ensure that there is not even minor damage to the rental car.
Not Asking about Insurance
One of the important questions drivers face when renting a car is who would pay if the car undergoes any damage. Therefore, when renting a car, you should check with car insurance companies to ensure what costs are covered. Minor vehicle damage is frequently covered by insurance.
Car rental agents frequently warn that your insurance may not cover everything in order to persuade you to purchase their company’s additional policies. These extra insurance costs can dramatically increase your expenses, so make certain that you have read all the insurance policies properly before making payment to the rental company.
Connecting Personal Devices
Thanks to technology like built-in Bluetooth and charging ports in cars, drivers or passengers can charge their phones or listen to music. However, connecting any electronic gadget may grant access to your data to the owner of the car. Therefore, cybersecurity experts strongly advise against connecting any of your electronic devices to a rental car as it makes you vulnerable to cyberattacks. If you are interested to capture photos in your journey in a rented car and your phone has run out of battery, install a dashcam which is one of the best accessories to improve your rented car.
Incorrect Return Time
Although when the company asks us about the time we will return the car, we choose the time that we expect to return it back but it is likely that we can get it wrong and are unable to return the car at that time. Some companies give grace time but others deduct a whole day charge even if you return the car half an hour later than the return time. Hence, make sure to ask the renter about the company’s policy regarding grace time and deductions if you are unable to return the car on time. In order to be on the safe side, you can keep the return time about an hour more than the time you initially estimated to return the car.
Rules To Rent a Car In The UAE
Before the rental company rents you a car, it ensures that you are eligible to rent a car. If you are renting a car for the first time, it is extremely essential that you are aware of these rules and avoid common car rental mistakes. Following are the rules to rent a car in UAE.
- You should be at least 21 years old to rent a vehicle. To rent a luxury car in UAE, you should be minimum 25 years old.
- Fines such as Salik fine will be incurred by the driver instead of the rental company.
- The rental company must ensure that the individual renting a car has a valid driving licence.
- Both parties should sign the car rental agreement in order to prevent any mishap or confusion.
Where to rent a car in the UAE?
If you are based in the United Arab Emirates and are looking to rent a car, there are numerous rental car services in all the cities. Following is a list of eminent car rental companies in different cities. Depending upon your location, you can check out different companies to rent a car and do research thoroughly. As mentioned above, incomplete research is one of the biggest car rental mistakes. Following are eminent car rental companies in different cities of the UAE.
Best Car Rental Companies in Ajman — Al Tameem Cars & Buses Rental Llc, Thrifty Car Rental – Ajman City Center, Armani Car Rental, Sport Rent a Car L.L.C
Best Car Rental Companies in Fujairah — Diamondlease Car Rental Fujairah, Fast Rent a Car Fujairah, Thrifty
Best Car Rental Companies in Abu Dhabi —Avis Car Rental, Dollar Rent a Car Abu Dhabi, Indigo Rent a Car, Fast Rent a Car Abu Dhabi
Best Car Rental Companies in Dubai — Hertz, Sixt Car Hire, Avis Rent a Car, National Car Rental
If you don’t want to rent a car and instead want to buy one of your own, you can check out used cars for sale in the UAE to fulfil your commuting needs. For more tips and tutorials related to vehicles and automotive accessories, stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog.
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