Posted in Car Hire

If you want to hire a car to give you flexibility and freedom during your Golf del Sur holiday, and to enable you and your family to travel around the island of Tenerife, then we have some great insider tips and do's and don'ts to help you save some money, avoid any problems and to fully understand you car hire agreement. Get yourself the best and most secure deal possible for your Golf del Sur car hire.

• Do make sure that you understand the insurance terms of your car rental

Rental car insurance is always complicated, and the coverage and even the meaning of the terms used differ greatly between rental companies. Make sure that you fully understand the coverage of the basic insurance and what is covered by any insurance upgrades.

• Do make every effort to book your Golf del Sur car hire before you travel

As both the booking terms and conditions and the different types of insurance coverage are so complicated, you may find that this is a good reason to book your car hire online before you arrive, so that you can get to grips with the terms and conditions before travelling. There's nothing worse than trying to understand this after having just landed in Tenerife after an early morning start and a long flight.

Choosing Your Car Rental

• Do take some time to consider the most appropriate make and model

The first insider tip for renting a car is to take time to consider the ideal make and model that you and your family will need during your holiday. Think about your travel needs; whether you are bringing or will hire any specialist sports equipment, and if you have children, any additional requirements that you may have for car seats.

• Don't just automatically grab the cheapest rental car model

Grabbing the cheapest economy sized car can be a burden if you are travelling with children or if you have a large amount of luggage such as golf clubs or windsurfing equipment. For example, you may want a good sized boot for the golf clubs, or an estate car if you have more equipment. Also consider if you are wanting to access those hidden away beaches - a 4x4 vehicle may be needed, or may just be more fun!

• Do your bit for the environment and rent an economical car

When hiring a car, remember that size is not the only factor to consider. You may want to rent a car which is more environmentally friendly or if you are wanting to do a lot of driving around Tenerife, then you will want to take fuel consumption in to account.

• Don't assume that all cars booked have manual gears

Some car rental companies hire cars with automatic transmission as the norm, so double check that you are hiring a car to suit your needs whether it is a manual or not.

• Do make sure that you read the small print on the car hire terms

Before committing to pay on your credit card especially if you are hiring a car over the internet, read the terms and conditions to be sure you know what you are committing to.

• Do make sure that you pre-book any extras you may need

Child seats, satellite navigation or a roof rack for your extra luggage space are sometimes not available if you wait until arrival to request them. So be sure to book these items at the same time as you book your hire car.

Booking Your Hire Car

• Do try a few variations of booking dates when booking online car rental

A good option when booking your Golf del Sur car hire is to play around with various dates, you may find that it is the same price for say a five day car rental as it is for seven days. Many people just book 5 days thinking they will save money, without knowing that the 7 day price is the same in some situations.

• Do take the time to try a car hire comparison search

To make sure you get the best price, use a car hire comparison booking engine that trawls all the major car rental companies to find the best prices. Also be aware that sometimes a local car rental company may not be included in these searches and can sometimes be chearper.

• Do check whether you can have breakdown assistance out of hours and at weekends

Some smaller local companies do not have the resources to assist out of hours or at weekends if you have a breakdown around the island. Thos intending to do a lot of travelling around the island should give careful consideration to this.

• Do look out for any discount programmes that may be on offer with your car rental company

They may be affiliated to certain frequent flyer or credit card programmes to which you may already belong to. You may also work for a company that frequently hires cars and who may have a company discount voucher or promotional code for their employees, offering savings which can reduce your final car rental price by as much as 20%.

Understanding Your Car Rental Agreement

• Don't book a rental car over the phone

It's impossible to know the full terms and conditions that you are booking under. Make sure you check out if there is a penalty for a no show or an extra charge if your flight is delayed.

• Do complete your flight arrival details on your booking form

Many people think that putting their flight number in their booking form is irrelevant. What they don't realise is that you are normally covered for any extra costs due to delayed arrival if you provide your flight number and have received and noted the booking confirmation number.

• Do check both the costs and insurance coverage for any additional named drivers

Make sure you have filled in the correct information when booking your rental car and check what fee is payable for additional drivers and whether their names should be listed in the rental agreement. For example, is your 20 year old son allowed to drive? For liability and insurance reasons this is very important.

• Do check if there are additional drop-off charges if you pick up and drop off your rental car in different places

Some people may arrive and collect their car hire in Tenerife South airport but may be returning via Tenerife North airport. In this case, or even if you collect at a local holiday resort and want to drop off at the airport, make sure you are clear about any extra charges you may incur for doing this. Some operators can charge very high fees for this.

• Don't assume that the price quoted will be the same on your next website visit

Car rental companies are now all adopting the idea of yield management. This system has been used by the airline companies for sometime now and it means that all the major car hire companies can quickly and easily readjust their prices according to changes in the supply of rental cars which are available. In laymans terms this means that the price you are quoted for your rental car is valid for that moment only. Unless you reserve immediately then the price on your rental car is likely to change and more often than not will increase in price. This system is also designed to tempt you in to reserving your car rental there and then.

Collecting Your Golf del Sur Rental Car

• Do fully inspect your car before leaving

To be sure that you cover yourself, make sure that you complete a full vehicle inspection before you drive away. Make sure you have carefully examined the car for body defects and that all lights and indicators are fully functioning. Check that there is water in the windscreen washers and that the air-con or fan works. Make a note of the mileage and report any defects to the car rental office before leaving.

• Do get to know your car controls before setting off

Familiarise yourself with your car rental before hitting the open road. Make sure you know where the windshield wipers, indicators and headlights switches are; that you know which side of the car the fuel tank is (how many times have you pulled into a garage and not known which side of the pump to pull up on?). Adjust all mirrors for better viewing and of course ensure that the drivers seat is correctly positioned.

• Do make a mental note of your car and it's colour and registration

If you are arriving to Golf del Sur at night, don't do what I've done before - make sure you make a mental note of the exact car and colour so you can find it easily the following morning!

Returning Your Hire Car

• Don't refuel very close to the airport when returning your car

On returning your rental car, be aware of pre-paid petrol plans and make sure that you fully refuel your rental car before returning it. Don't use the petrol stations near the airport as they often charge a higher fuel rate.

• Do avoid incurring any late rental car return fees

Many car rental companies only give you a 30-minute grace period before beginning to rack up late return fees, so make sure you know the agreed car return time... and stick to it!

• Don't leave sunglasses, phones, passports or wallets in the car

There are so many good reasons to not return your hire car at the vary last minute... leave yourself enough time to check that you haven't left any personal belongings in the car, to be able to make sure that the damage checks and that credits to your card happen correctly. Before leaving your rental car, check to be sure you haven't left any personal belongings - and double check the glove compartment, inside door pockets, under the seats and of course, the boot. The most common lost articles include cell phones, sunglasses and cameras.

• Do the car return bodywork checks with the attendant

Be sure that the check-in attendant inspects the car's bodywork in your presence and that you agree about any damages or marks on the car.

• Do ensure that any deposits are credited back to your credit card

Examine your car rental "final bill" carefully for all charges and make sure that the car hire company credit any deposits to your account while you wait. It's important to finalise everything at this stage and that any queries are raised before you accept the final charges.

Thanks for reading our tips on Golf del Sur car hire. We hope you and your family enjoy your holiday in Tenerife and your car rental experience is a good one.