Are you going on holiday to Dubai and are interested in renting a car for your trip abroad? Let’s understand how you can choose SUV car rental Dubai, and what you need to know about.
Where to rent a car abroad?
There are several options. The first is to contact an international rental company.
The main advantage is a large selection of cars. As a rule, their mileage does not exceed 25,000 km. Large rental companies have several offices in different regions of a country. This is convenient since you can pick up a car at one point and return it to another.
Also abroad, you can look to local rental companies like Desert Drive SUV Rentals if you prefer to explore the area in an SUV. One of the most important advantages is the low rental cost.
The second option is to use an online aggregator. This is an intermediary site that contains car rental offers from different companies and individuals.
The peculiarity is that some cars are more profitable to rent through an intermediary, and some directly. Therefore, before you book, check the prices with the rental company’s website.
It’s up to you to choose the services of a rental company or use an online aggregator. The main thing is to first study information and reviews about the chosen company. This will ensure that the rental company is reliable and will not spoil your travel experience.
What do you need to rent a car?
To rent a car, you must meet certain requirements. They may vary for each country, but often they are as follows:
- Age 18 years or older. Some rental companies provide cars to people over the age of 21 or 23.
- Driving experience of 1 or 2 years.
- Having a category B driver’s license. It is acceptable to have a document issued in your own country. But it’s better if you have an international driver’s license.
- Having a debit card with a balance sufficient to make the deposit amount or a credit card.
As for age restrictions, rental companies with old fleets issue cars to everyone who has reached the age of majority. Large companies, whose arsenal includes cars produced a couple of years ago, set the age threshold at 21 years. Rental companies offering premium class rentals may impose restrictions on services for persons under 23 years of age.
Regarding the driver’s license, most rental companies will accept a document from your country. They are obligated to do this by the international treaty on accession to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic if we are talking about Europe. However, in reality, there may be nuances. Thus, some companies refuse to issue vehicles to drivers who do not have an international driving license. If you don’t want to run into problems, take care of completing such a document before going abroad. For example, in Dubai, you definitely won’t be able to rent a car without an international driver’s license.
It is important to know that an international driver’s license is not valid without a driver’s license from your country. Therefore, it is worth taking both documents with you on your trip.
As for payment, two options are allowed: a credit or debit card. It is necessary to pay the deposit and the reservation itself. Some rental companies do not charge a deposit from customers if they purchase full insurance.
Tips for booking cars abroad
To ensure that your rented car leaves only good impressions when booking, pay attention to the following points:
Car class
The main nuance of booking through the website of an international rental company is the inability to select a specific make and model of a car. Even if you see a Nissan Leaf in the photo when making a reservation, in reality, they may give you a Volkswagen Golf.
However, it is possible to specify the desired vehicle class. This designation is made up of letters of the Latin alphabet, each of which indicates a specific characteristic: class, body type, and gearbox.
Things are better if you rent a car from a local company. They have a smaller fleet of vehicles, so you will receive the car you booked.
Insurance
Prices on the booking sites of large rental companies are indicated taking into account the franchise insurance, which includes the amount to cover certain risks. Many rental companies, if you make a reservation with such insurance, do not write off the deposit. And that’s a plus.
However, often the deductible insurance does not cover all the damage. For example, if a major accident occurs, the company will deduct part of the money from the client’s budget. Therefore, when booking, you can uncheck the “Basic insurance” box and save on rent without significant risks.
Fuel
There are several options abroad: book a car with payment for a whole tank of fuel and return it with any remaining balance, rent and return a car with the same volume of gasoline, and return a vehicle with a smaller displacement than it was at the time of rent. The best option is the second one.
Mileage limit
Some rental companies provide unlimited cars. Others set a daily limit. For kilometers driven more than the established norm, you will have to pay extra separately. Carefully study the conditions of a specific company in the country in which you plan to rent a vehicle.
And lastly, carefully inspect the car before signing a rental agreement, so that later you don’t have to pay for scratches left by someone else.
