Posted on June 02, 2010 by Fiona Hilliard

As summer is one of the busiest (and most expensive) times to book a rental car,  I thought I’d let you in on a few trade secrets about how to get the cheapest car hire rates.

1. Go for Downtown Pick-Ups

Airport pick-ups generally cost a little bit more than downtown or city pick-ups. What you pay for a taxi from the airport to the city car hire office could very well be less than the extra you’ll pay for picking up at the airport.

2. Say No to Sundays

If your travel dates are flexible, refrain from picking up or dropping off your car in a small town on a Sunday or on a public holiday, when it is very likely that offices will be closed. You might just end up having to pay for a day more than you thought or getting involved in a lengthy war of words with your car rental company.

3. Don’t Bring Your Car on the Ferry

If you’re planning a ferry crossing such as between Ireland and the UK or indeed the UK and France , you’ll add extra costs onto your bill.  It’s much cheaper to arrange a separate rental per country, drop it off at the port and then walk on the ferry and pick up again on the other side.

4. Go for One Ways on Longer Trips

If you’re planning a country-wide road trip and you don’t  want to go backtracking, you should always try to pick up your car in one city and drop it off in another. Well-known car hire agents usually have more branches, which means you have many more options for one-way rentals  There’s usually no extra charge for picking up and dropping off at different locations within the same country.  However, international drop-off fees usually add a substantial amount on to your rate.

5. Avoid Automatics if Possible

US drivers should be aware that automatics are difficult to locate in Europe, especially during busy times such as summer and Christmas.  If you require an automatic, make sure you reserve your vehicle well in advance. Drivers requiring an automatic should also be aware that these are a little pricier than manuals.