Car hire in UK (NB)

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alanporter

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Sorry that this is non-boaty but I would value some advice. I am coming to Britain (from Canada) for a four week holiday and would like to rent a small car. To help with budgeting, can someone give me a ball-park figure of the costs involved. I know most things in the UK cost twice as much as over here, eg, gas (oops, I mean petrol) costs 0.38 GBP per litre here, probably more there, but I don't know anything about car hire prices. Many thanks for any responses.
 
Car Hire Prices should be easy to find on the net, Avis, Hertz and many other hire companies are the same as the USA & Canada. Best deals are usually booked in advance if you want to collect at airport. Petrol price will come as a shock to you. It varies around the country but is about 86 pence per litre round here.
 
Alan,

You can no doubt check the international operators easily from their websites, but it's worth knowing there are many smaller companies around. Thiis URL is for one that is local to me - I've no idea how it compares with the big boys. Try using www.yell.co.uk to find local rental outfits near to where you'll be staying.

As concerns other motoring costs, petrol is somewhere between £0.85 and £0.90 per litre. Diesel is pretty much the same, maybe a penny or two more expensive.

Parking in city centres can be horrendously expensive, whether in car parks or on the street. London parking meters, for example, can be as much as £1 per 10 minutes, depending on where you are. Large areas of central and surburban cities are covered by residents parking schemes, which means you may find yourself having to pay to park close to a friend's house.

Generally there are no tolls in the UK. Exceptions, a few major bridges and tunnels, a stretch of motorway north of Birmingham, and Central London.

Speed limits are increasingly enforced by automatic cameras which are spreading like a rash, even to country roads, and fines will find their way onto your credit card via the rental company. Ditto for parking fines.

Generally, the 'open road' is a bit of a myth, expect plenty of traffic and some congestion on most major roads,

Hope this hasn't put you off!
 
Alan,

I don't know whether Canada uses automatic cars as they do in the States.
Most of the cars for hire over here have manual gearboxes. You may have to go for a larger and more expensive hire to get an auto. You will certainly have to specifically request one.
Air conditioning is generally only on the much larger cars.

Engines tend to be smaller. Just look at the price of fuel (gas).

Away from the highly populated areas and rush hours the roads can be quite empty.

Have a good holiday.

Iain
 
I got a good deal from ALAMO when I flew to the UK to collect my boat from Plymouth a few weeks ago. Picked it up from Stanstead London Airport and dropped it off 10 days later in Plymouth for no extra charge... They were also one of the cheapest and gave me an upgrade FOC.... The rates drop a lot when you hire for a week or more. CDW means you have to pay the first £500 of any accident unlike the states - you can insure the £500 but it is very expensive....
 
You don't say which airport you are flying into but this crowd seem to cover most airports in the U.K.
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“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
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Lot's of our guests have hire cars. This is the stuff no-one tells them.

Be careful that they don't upgrade you so that the economical diesel you asked for becomes a large petrol Volvo. This could double you fuel costs.

Speed limits are 60 mph on ordinary roads, 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways (roads with a central reservation) except where indicated differently by signs (circular with a red border and black numerals on white).

Make sure you hand over your car on return and get a signature to confirm it's not damaged (unless it is of course) Make sure any damage on the car when you pick it up is noted on the hire form.

Check fuel prices before filling up. All fuel stations have to display the prices. Check at the pump that you are using ordinary unleaded (if that's what it uses) and not Super unleaded, or ordinary diesel and not City diesel as these are both dearer.

Don't leave valuables on display in the car. In some cities a jacket is valuable. A friend had his Merc estate broken into (smashed tailgate window) by some turd to steal a pack of disposable nappies.

When parking look for a yellow sign on a post near the pavement (sidewalk) which indicates how long you can leave your car. It can vary from street to street.

At roundabouts you give way to vehicles entering from your right.

Remember that 50% of drivers are bound to be worse than you. You aren't always in the wrong
 
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turd to steal a pack of disposable nappies.

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Did you intend that? It seems the right thing for a turd to steal! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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Remember that 50% of drivers are bound to be worse than you. You aren't always in the wrong

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Oh no! We've had Col Regs, now we're going to have the Highway Code. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
It didn't strike me. And I don't really want to be struck by one.
I did however have a worry about the "Highway Code lawyers" highjacking the thread.
So, if anything I said is wrong, I admit it, please don't go on, and on, and on.................
 
Yo,
Al man, no -one has piped up about the attitude of uk drivers.
Having been with a number of uk first-timers letting them drive my car, they have all commented on how crazy people are, all in a rush, driving to and usually exceeding speed limits. People have got little patience here, especially in the cities. The motorways ( freeway ?) are chock a block from any where near waking hours -not at standstill just heavy traffic, people just expect to be able to do 70 - 80 + mph without ' some dick head' blocking up the lanes in front doing only 65 in the fast lane, ( message here Mr. vulva) you can expect a lot of tailgating and headlight flashing, usually some hand gestured and verbal abuse for ' being slow - indecisive - patient - generally carefull' dont worry about it and dont get involved, there are a lot of incidents of car rage. Its an actual prescribed law, such is the epidemic of driving related violence, its just uk driving. Not trying to boo ya here but an insight into the reality of it all. Being a tourist you wont know you're way around, all about you will and be wanting to get there. If poss. avoid travelling at peak times in urban areas, 0800 - 0930, 1600-1830, we have (I think) a peculiar phenomena here at around 1530 hrs weekdays, - the dreaded- school run mums - cause bloody chaos as they jostle for the closest space nearest the gate, and then jockey away in their 'never seen grass or mud far too big n powerful 4x4's',
Beware.
Uk drivers are the best 'tho, we are in the vast majority sensible and foward looking albeit fast.
quick breakdown for ya.
M roads,3 lane motorway, big blue on the map, lotsa lorries lotsa overtaking on the inside - careful. speed limit 70 mph
A roads- two lanes, green on map, fast through routes and usually busy - speed limits vary 50 - 70, red on maps usually one lane, get behind a caravanner on these and you'll die of frustration, not main trunk roads not as fast/ direct.
B roads - small single lane (if in city lit, country unlit) winding and great fun- beware oncoming ralley/supercross wannabes'
Little white unmarked roads on map are usually very narrow and peaceful inter community routes, again watch out for oncomers , speed limits are usually 70 mph.
 
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Little white unmarked roads on map are usually very narrow and peaceful inter community routes, again watch out for oncomers , speed limits are usually 70 mph.

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It's bollocks like this that confuse people.
All roads are subject to 60mph limits except motorways and dual carriageways which have a higher limit of 70mph.
Lower speed limits are marked by signs where appropriate.
I hope this isn't going to enter the tedious realms of the Col Regs debate.
 
Why? Do you think speed limits on little white roads are 70mph?
You haven't metioned 60 mph which is the blanket speed limit in the absence of any indication otherwise.
No wonder the speed cameras do such good business.
 
duh?
white sign, black border and black stripe that (usually) precedents entering the road, would indicate limit of 70,
no sign apparent - the road would dictate itself that you couldnt do more than forty without flippin, or running off into the bushes/trees.
Why would you feel the need to take such offense to someone being helpful to a vistor.....interesting.......hmmm.
you may be anally correct, I was giving it as it is
 
Alan, you see how quick folk are here to react as Joe says' harshly', to anything that isnt absolutley spot on, this would emulate our roads and the attitude of those using them.......have fun mate
 
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