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.
Finding a car to suit the trip
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.
Working Out How Flexible Your Day Is
Begin by deciding how fixed your schedule really is. If the day could shift, note which appointments are set in stone and which could move, then build the plan around the immovable ones. Write down each stop with an address, a contact number and the time you expect to be there, and mark any leg that depends on someone else, such as a collection arranged with a neighbour. If two drivers share the car, record who has it at which hours. Keep a copy of the plan on your phone so it can be reordered if a delay appears, and let the other people involved know when timings change. The hire dates themselves stay as agreed, but the shape of each day can remain loose where it needs to.
Setting Out the Arrival-Day Routine
On the day the car arrives, a short written routine helps everything run to time. Note the delivery or collection slot, the address involved and a phone number the team can reach during the day. Record who will go through the handover paperwork and who holds the keys afterwards, especially if several drivers are listed. If the first journey matters, such as a timed appointment, plan it with a buffer in case the morning slips, and note the address and contact for that appointment too. Decide where the car will be parked overnight and whether anything needs to be moved to make space. Anything you are unsure about, from return timing to collection arrangements, can be raised with the team before the first drive.
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What to confirm on the phone
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.