Matching a hire car to your passengers and luggage
Tell the team how many people will travel and how many cases, buggies or bulky bags you expect. Seating and boot space are separate questions. Say whether you need an automatic or are happy with a manual, and mention any child seat request early so it can be checked before you are quoted. Include details for every driver who may take the wheel.
Picking a suitable car
Start with the journey and pick the car to match it. Smaller cars are suited to city driving and short stays, automatics make local driving easier, estates and SUVs give more room for luggage, and people carriers are a better choice for families or small groups. The range available includes the Fiat 500, VW Golf, Ford Focus Estate, Ford Focus Automatic and Hyundai i10 Automatic, subject to dates, driver details and availability. The precise make, model, transmission, seating, payload and licence position are confirmed when you are quoted, so treat the vehicles listed as a guide to the kind of hire on offer rather than a guaranteed reservation of a particular model.
Questions worth preparing before a quote
Before requesting a quote, write down the details that will shape the answer. Note your preferred dates, any flexibility either side of them, and whether you have a particular vehicle group in mind, such as an estate for extra room or a compact model for town driving. If several people will drive, list the details the team may need for each one. You might also ask how delivery or collection would work at your chosen location, and whether an automatic can be confirmed for your dates. Keeping a note of the answers as they arrive gives you a single record to refer back to when comparing options or finalising the booking. Any question the team has not yet answered can stay on the list until it is resolved.
Planning ahead for a work trip
A work trip brings its own checklist. Begin with the dates and times you need the car, then note the destination address and any meetings scheduled along the way. If colleagues will travel with you, count the passengers and their bags so you can discuss whether a saloon suits or a people carrier makes more sense. Record your driver details, including any second driver who might take the wheel, and confirm where you would like the car delivered or collected. Parking arrangements at the destination, if you know them, are worth a note. Open questions to raise include whether an executive saloon is available for client-facing travel and whether the hire can be extended if a meeting overruns, so you can plan the booking with a little margin built in.
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Last checks before booking
Before you confirm the hire, check the key details: vehicle availability, driver requirements, mileage, insurance, delivery or collection arrangements and any extras you have asked for, along with driver age, licence history, the deposit, the insurance excess and any travel abroad. A clear request gives the date, the length of hire, the rough route, the delivery or pickup address, the expected passengers or load, and any particular requirements that might affect which vehicle is suitable.