There are many reasons why you may be looking into hiring a car. Your car might be in the garage having work, you might be in between cars or you might just need one for a temporary amount of time. Interestingly, hiring a car long term is proving more popular with people than buying a new car but finding the right hire car can be a minefield especially if it is your first time hiring one.
We have put together some important steps you can take into consideration when looking into hiring a car: 
Terms & Conditions
If you don’t know much about cars then it can feel overwhelming when you start to read through the terms and conditions. Every car company will have different terms and conditions so it is worth taking the time to read them carefully. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions either, is it much better to understand what you are signing up to rather than be caught out at a later date.
The Car
You will find that some car companies specify a ‘type’ of car so although you may select one make or model when booking, you might not actually end up with that car. In order to avoid this, clarify with the car company before hire or choose a company which doesn’t classify their cars in this way.
Petrol
Before driving away with your hire car, ask about the petrol situation. Are you expected to return the car with a full tank? If so, are you leaving with a full tank? How much does it cost and where is the nearest petrol station? These are all things which you should take into full consideration before agreeing to take the car. Petrol isn’t cheap these days and you don’t want to be left footing the bill for something the hire company should cover.
Insurance and Excess
Check what the insurance offered covers you for and what the excess is. Even if you pay to reduce the excess amount to zero there may still be things you are liable for such as tyre or windscreen repairs. Likewise with the insurance, car companies are infamous for ‘loopholes’ in what you are and are not covered for insurance-wise so make sure you understand the situation explicitly before you drive the car away.
The Hire Company
Make sure you keep a copy of the agreement and contact details for the hire car company in the car with you, especially if you are going to be driving long distances. This is in case anything should happen and you need to clarify details with the company before making a decision about the car or in case of an unexpected emergency.
Although it may seem like hiring a car is full of pitfalls to watch out for, it can actually be more beneficial financially than buying your own car and is well worth considering. If you decide to go down the hire car route and have an old car you wish to dispose of, ensure you do it properly through a scrapist with a good reputation. There are certain regulations which must be adhered to when it comes to scrapping a car so only use a company which is reputable.