If you want to book a rental car during these times, you should book directly with the car rental company if possible and not search through intermediary platforms. In addition to a lot of money, patience is required when searching. Because even the sparse offers from the rental companies – a result of reduced vehicle fleets during the corona pandemic – should be compared exactly.
I advise paying attention to the services included in the price, such as insurance cover, mileage limitation or additional drivers. You should also take a close look at super deals, mega offers and ultra bargains: Extras are often missing, which then have to be booked at great expense. Most unforeseen surcharges have to be paid for insurance, navigation systems, air conditioning and child seats.
Pitfalls when booking online
Anyone reserving a rental car online does not have a statutory right of withdrawal. It then depends on the general terms and conditions (GTC) of the landlord whether a free cancellation is possible. In addition, holidaymakers should pay attention to the so-called “no-show” rule in the general terms and conditions, especially if they have paid in advance: If you arrive late at the rental car station at your holiday destination, you must expect that the provider evaluates the delay as a no-show, withholds the entire rent and has long since re-rented the vehicle.
It is irrelevant whether the airline or a third party is responsible for the delay. When it comes to payment, I recommend vendors with no upfront payment. If possible, you should only pay on site when you take over the rental car.
Booking on site is often the cheaper alternative; In most cases, however, the price difference can be compensated for by early booking discounts, which many German providers offer. Bottlenecks often occur at popular vacation spots during the holidays.
So if you want to be sure that the car you want is actually available, you should book the rental car as early as possible, preferably at the same time as the trip. The safest way is to book in Germany. Although this is not always the cheapest solution, it protects you from unpleasant surprises, which can result, for example, from an incomprehensible contract in a foreign language.
Caution deductible!
Inexpensive comprehensive insurance usually includes a deductible. If this is 500 euros or more, the holiday can already be over in the event of an otherwise harmless rear-end collision, because the repair costs eat up the holiday budget. I recommend a slightly more expensive insurance option with little or no deductible.
In order to avoid double insurance, credit card holders should check whether the corresponding insurance cover already exists via the card. Another important point is damage insurance. It is mandatory in addition to liability insurance. Whether it’s a partial or fully comprehensive policy, I would also advise you to take a look at the small print: Because damage caused by vandalism, glass breakage or damage to the underbody is not always covered.
Driver change included?
Many particularly cheap insurance offers only apply to the contract holder as the driver. If you want to take turns with the passenger on longer journeys, you should expand your insurance cover when you sign the contract.
Observe tank regulations
Normally, the “full-to-full rule” applies when refueling: the vehicle is rented with a full tank and returned with a full tank. If you sweat it, you often pay the much higher flat-rate tank fee from the landlord. If holidaymakers buy the first tank of fuel from the car rental company and can then return the car empty, at the end of the rental period you should calculate how many kilometers you will actually be driving.
Because only rarely does one drive the car completely empty and thus give the car rental company part of the tank filling. I recommend checking the fuel level at the beginning of the first ride and noting it on the log if the tank is not completely full. Correspondingly less must be in the tank when the vehicle is returned.
Check vehicle condition
Upon acceptance, the condition of the vehicle must be critically checked. Renters can also document the condition of the rental car with photos. All damage must be recorded in the takeover report, otherwise you could later be held liable for damage caused by third parties. Unless offered, vacationers should request a copy of the log.
The condition of the vehicle must also be documented when the car is returned. So that there is no trouble afterwards about possible damage, I advise you to have a copy of the handover protocol handed to you here as well. In addition, the vehicle should not be returned outside of opening hours. Firstly, there is no verifiable return protocol, and secondly, vacationers may be held responsible for damage that occurs to the hired car before the fleet opens.
Accident, theft, ticket
If the rental car is stolen, holidaymakers must immediately report the matter to the police and return the keys and vehicle documents to the rental company. In addition, the terms and conditions may contain further requirements that must be met in order not to be held liable for the damage.
Tenants should find out about this in advance. The police and landlord must also be informed in the event of an accident. An accident report must also be completed.
The renter is liable for traffic violations with the rental car. And it’s going to be expensive. Because in addition to the fine, there is usually a processing fee from the landlord. Anyone who collects a ticket abroad should not ignore the fine. Because legally binding fines from other EU countries can be enforced in Germany from a height of 70 euros. Since the fines abroad are often much higher than in Germany, this threshold can also be reached in the case of a harmless parking violation. In addition, the management fees are included in the threshold.