Cheap car hire??

[Devonlass15]

We're off for a long weekend over Easter and need to hire a car. Has any one had any experience of local car hire at a reasonable price?

I've found a lot of the companies are extortionate and you end up paying for scratches which were there before you drove the car! Any good suggestions would be really appreciated, thanks :)

[uncleglen]

As far as the scratches go you should go round the car with the hirer and mark on a diagram where the scratches are before you drive it away- this stage is always offered in my experience.

[mariababe]

Enterprise they have 2 places locally, Sydenham and old kent road

For a small family car its approx. ?22 per day

[etta166]

Try EasyCar peer-to-peer lending. I think it is much cheaper than usual car hire places. https://carclub.easycar.com/

Also, I'd take photos of the car before you leave if you do notice any damage. I've never had any trouble about previous damage with ZipCar or Budget in the UK.

[borderpaul]

I have never hired a car in London but I regularly hire one using Hertz at Dublin Airport but they have branches everywhere. I'd echo uncleglen, check the paperwork, sometimes the rep comes out to check the scratches, be assertive and make sure it is accurate. They normally try and sell you excess insurance, check how much this is going to be as it is probably cheaper to get it online, google car hire excess insurance. Lastly check their fuel policy as you have to return the car with a full tank otherwise you pay a refueling charge plus expensive fuel charges.

[uncleglen]

Be careful though because sometimes they will tell you that they have a certain size of car on the phone or internet and when you get there they don't have what you wanted and try to get you to take something else. Also make sure you take all the documents they ask for

[Devonlass15]

Thanks for all the advice, will check out those places tomorrow and see which is best value for money. And will make sure any previous damage is confirmed before going any where!

[lucerne]

Practical Car Hire in Forest Hill were excellent - friendly, affordable and not the usual penny pinching (e.g. didn't charge us for a 2nd driver; collected car from us at last minute promptly and for only ?10)