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An award winning start to 2012 for Holiday Autos

hotpassion — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:07:25 +0000

Holiday Autos the leading car hire broker established in 1987 has started its 25th anniversary year by winning two ‘Best Car Hire’ awards from two prestigious travel bodies.

Their first honour of 2012 has been the winning ‘Best Car Rental Company – Holiday Autos’ at the Globe Travel Awards – which makes it the fourth year in a row Holiday Autos has won this prominent award. These were held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 25th January 2012.

The Irish Travel Agents Association awards followed the next day in Dublin and were held on the 26th of January at the Mansion House in Dublin. Under the “Agency Services Category” Holiday Autos was awarded the ‘Best Car Hire company’.

Holiday Autos press release stated that These awards are all voted for by the travel industry and are awarded in recognition of Holiday Autos’ dedication to service as well as its great value car hire to consumers and trade partners.

Holiday Autos’ CEO Alistair Rodger commented: “It’s a huge honour to win these awards again, especially as 2012 marks our 25th anniversary. We are extremely proud that all our hard work in conjunction with our supplier partners has been recognised in such a way. We are committed to our trade partners and to delivering a great value car hire experience for travel agents, whose continued support is vital to our business”.

It is now only early February 2012 and Holiday Autos has two awards under its belt which is very good. Since 1987, holiday autos has helped millions of customers with their car hire needs and quickly established itself as the leading leisure car hire broker in the world. The holidayautos website was launched in 1999, designed to offer fully inclusive car hire with no hidden charges in 3 easy steps. Holiday Autos’s multi award-winning service now operates in over 5,000 locations globally.

The company works with a number of car hire partners including Avis, Alamo, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, National, Thrifty and Budget.? As well car hire, Holiday Autos also offers motorhome hire and van hire and you can make arrangements to rent one of these vehicles via the insurance4carrental.com website.

Part Source Holiday Autos February 2012

Vicki Butler-Henderson suggests Top 10 Holiday Driving Routesiving

hotpassion — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:59:58 +0000

Insurance4carhire.com the long established car hire excess insurance company issued a press release on the 18th January 2012.

They said that new research commissionedby Insurance4carhire, the UKs largest provider of vehicle rental excessprotection, has revealed that almosttwo thirds (63%) of Brits are either planningor considering a driving holiday in 2012 – whether at home or abroad.? Interestinglyit appears empty nesters are most keen, with 41% ofthose aged over 45 making up the largest group planning or considering adriving trip .

Channel 5′s FifthGear presenter and motoring journalist? Vicki Butler-Henderson, comments in the press release saying: “Driving is one of thebest ways to take in the scenery through some of the most beautiful routesaround the world.? However, it is important to plan ahead – from selecting theright vehicle for the terrain, to readingup on the local road laws and signs to researching routes.? While we don’t plan for mishaps, it isequally importantly to ensure you have sufficient insurance and excess cover asa small prang, could end up costingas much as the holiday.”

Vicki has listed the top 10 Driving routes that include The Dordogne region,France,??Route 66, Chicago to Los Angeles , USA, Tuscany, Italy? and TheCol de Turini, Monaco.?

Find out the full details Here

To find out more about the range of car hire excess insurance products from insurance4carhire.com Click Here?(Remember by following that link you can save money on some of their car hire excess policies)

Christmas car hire renters warned against bogus car hire deals

hotpassion — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:51:07 +0000

With the Christmas holiday season only days away, the The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), the trade body for the UK car rental industry, is again warning customers to take extra care when confronted with cheap deals for Christmas car hire on the Internet or in the press.

In their press release issued on the 13th December they advised: Festive season travellers were caught out by bogus car hire companies this time last year, handing over deposits of hundreds of pounds for cars that never materialised.

The BVRLA believes that similar scams are being planned this year and has already made contact with Police and Trading Standards over one potential threat.

“These companies offer unbeatable prices and free delivery – but they really are too good to be true,” says BVRLA chief executive, John Lewis.

“Unfortunately it is very easy for fraudsters to build a simple website and set up a call centre to pass themselves off as legitimate businesses.

These sham operators are damaging the reputation of car rental and many other industries. We are working with the authorities to help stamp them out.”

In the meantime, the BVRLA is offering five simple tips for customers looking for safe and hassle-free car or van rental:

1. Only use a BVRLA member. Seeing our logo on the front desk or website is a sign that you are dealing with a reputable company that has been vetted and operates to a professional code of conduct. You will also be able to use our conciliation service in the event of any dispute. Find a BVRLA member via the ‘member locator’ on the BVRLA website?

2. Never hand over cash. Most reputable rental companies will only want to accept credit/debit card payment

3. Make sure the company is operating from a bona fide commercial premises, not a PO Box or virtual office, no matter how prestigious the location sounds

4. Make sure the company actually owns and operates the cars it is offering – all BVRLA members operate their own rental fleet.

5. Remember, if the price or service being offered seems too good to be true, it probably is and you may well end up out of pocket and disappointed!

Source BVRLA

Looking for car hire for that Christmas holiday trip? or January holiday?
Click on the image below to find out information abot Holiday Autos – Economy Car Hire and Carrental.co.uk

Carrentals says Surge in Bookings for Festive Escapes due to darker evenings

hotpassion — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:25:21 +0000

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as featured Insurance4carrental.com Driving Guides

???????????????? Carrentals the Car Hire Comparator company has said that Christmas and New Year travellers should book early to secure availability of the right vehicle and extras such as winter tyres and child seats.

People wanting to rent a car over the festive season should book car hire early to ensure availability of the right vehicle and to secure the best price, as the return to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)??marks a surge in festive bookings.

Independent price comparator Carrentals.co.uk says that currently most of its 50 suppliers have availability for the festive period, but with the clocks going back this weekend many people start finalising their travel plans and availability of the right vehicle and extras such as ‘snow packs’ can become tight.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “Once the clocks go back it seems to become a countdown to Christmas and we see a big increase in reservations for the festive period – up 25% last year.

“At present there is plenty of availability in most locations, including ski destinations and popular airports such as London Heathrow and Malaga. However, with the return to GMT this weekend we expect to see a big jump in bookings as travellers look to finalise their travel plans ready for the Christmas break.

“Our advice for anyone planning a getaway over the festive period is to book as early as possible, not only to secure availability of the right vehicle, but also to get the best price and ensure you get any extras you may need such as snow packs or child seats.”

With the UK a popular location for Christmas holidays customers requiring car hire at Heathrow and London car hire, are particularly advised to book early, along with those travelling to top ski airports such as Geneva, Chambery, and Milan.

Carrentals.co.uk is the leading hire car hire comparison site comparing the best deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 15,000 locations worldwide, including car hire in the UK.

Source Carrrentals-27-10-11 Find out more about Carrentals and arrange your festive booking HERE

The above information does not only apply to Car Hire, if you are booking flights over the Christmas period, prices are starting to rise as there is less space available so make sure book these early and book your car hire and car hire excess insurance

Find your perfect winter escape with holiday autos

minhoba — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:25:19 +0000

Holiday Autos the car hire company and as described on their website “the largest leisure car hire company in the world” has just sent out a winter flyer. “Bring on winter”. You have images of snow, ice, long dark evenings and last year’s winter.

However it is not all doom and gloom. Far from it…. They are featuring exotic delights in South East Asia, the culture in Africa & the Middle East, adventures in America and the beautiful sights in Europe.

Holiday Autos which is part of the Lastminute.com group has more than 24 years experience in the car rental business and not only can you hire a car from them, you can also rent a van or motorhome. You can book with them in over 5,000 locations worldwide.

jml Property Services have been working with Holiday Autos for many years now promoting them on their Travel websites, Car Hire insurance and insurance websites. Their Directors have personally used Holiday Autos a great deal over the years and have found they offer great value car hire.

To Visit Holiday Autos Website take this shortcut here

Inspirational car hire from Holiday Autos

hotpassion — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:41:34 +0000

Just had an email in from those people at Holiday Autos earlier in the week.

They are saying??“As the winter weather takes a turn for the worse, be inspired with some of our most popular holiday destinations. Discover somewhere new today with our amazing offers and rates.”

They are suggesting hot and cold destinations Finland – Iceland – Norway – Thailand – Malaysia – Singapore – Los Angeles – Las Vegas – Orlando – Dubai – South Africa – Egypt – well those are the destinations all you have to do is find somewhere to stay and organise your flights. All seems very straightforward to do in the darker evenings starting next week

To visit the Holiday Autos website Click Here.?

Record Spending in the Car Rental Sector in New Zealand as result of Rugby World Cup 2011

minhoba — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:11:29 +0000

A report on PR Web on the 21st October said that New Zealand car rental companies are reporting a surge in business of around 30% as a result of the Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand car rental companies are reporting a surge in business of around 30% as a result of the Rugby World Cup, in stark contrast to the retail industry which has been complaining of stagnant revenue figures.

See the entire story Here

If you are thinking of going to New Zealand for your holiday and hiring a car, make sure you buy your car hire excess insurance in advance. See also Driving in New Zealand?

Car hire fuel costs and insurance excesses too high says Which report

minhoba — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:45:28 +0000

Which the UK consumer watchdog issued a report on their website yesterday (2nd October 2011) saying “Car hire fuel costs and insurance excesses are too high.

In July this year, Which? surveyed 2,618 members of the public about their car hire experiences. Of the 618 who had hired a car in the past two years, 70% thought terms and conditions were too complicated and 69% felt insurance excess was disproportionately high.

Some 44% of customers who hired a car experienced a problem, the most common of which was that the vehicle was not adequately checked for damage before hire.

Other common problems were having to pay unexpected charges on collection, being given a car that need to meet the customer’s needs and not understanding what was covered by the insurance provided.

Which? believes the experience of car hire can be improved for consumers and will be investigating the issue further.

It will be interesting how this progresses as a lot of consumers appear to have felt pressurised into taking out insurance offered by hire companies.? Go to Which for more including their advice on renrting a car here

In the meantime the great late summer ?weather in the south of England is going away very quickly this week. We are now into October and the half term holidays will be upon us.

If you are off on your holiday then, or before if you don’t have children to take away and are renting a car / motorhome, take a look at http://www.insurance4carrental.com/? You arrange car, van and motorhome hire, arrange car hire excess insurance, van hire excess insurand and motorhome hire excess insurance.

If you run a car hire company and are looking for insurance or need motor insurance for a short period of time there are plents of companies advertising on the site to choose from. The site is not an insurance comparison price website

Car Renters must take care with Unfair Wear and Tear Charges

hotpassion — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:02:52 +0000

Carrentals.co.uk issued a news release yesterday advising that Travellers renting cars are being advised to report any ‘wear and tear’ issues they experience with a car, including concerns such as brake and clutch performance, to the supplier to help avoid unfair excess charges on their return.
The advice comes from leading comparison site Carrentals.co.uk, which has been told of a number of cases where customers were charged for issues such as a damaged clutch, which would have been built up over time.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “Most people will check over their rental car before driving off, but sometimes there can be problems that can’t be found until the car is actually being driven. A clutch that has been damaged by frequent riding, brakes affected by aggressive usage over time – they’re just some of the potential issues that can build up and result in one unlucky customer being unfairly charged. Our advice is that if you have any concerns about your car – be that the oil level or braking performance, contact your rental company straight away.

“Rental companies do regularly maintain their cars, but it’s always possible for unseen damage to occur over time. Our focus is on ensuring our customers aren’t financially hit for previous misuse.”

Carrentals.co.uk Top Tips to Avoid ‘Unfair Wear & Tear’ Charges -

Shop around for the most comprehensive excess insurance cover before you travel – and make sure it covers things like tyre and windscreen damage.
On collection, check over your rental car carefully – take your time and highlight any concerns with your supplier.

While you may not be able to see things like a nail in a tyre or a clutch that is slipping, once you start driving the vehicle take your time to feel if everything’s OK and if you have any concerns go back to the supplier and let them know straight away.
Again, once you’re out on the road or in your destination, if something’s not right with your car, don’t wait until you drop it off to highlight the problem, contact the supplier and let them know.
Keep a record of your contact with your supplier, including phone calls and written communication to ensure you have all of the details in case you need to challenge any charges.

Gareth adds: “While many people now take out excess insurance cover, some elements such as damage to windscreens and tyres just aren’t covered with many suppliers, despite them being the most likely to be damaged. Make sure you know what you’re getting with your insurance cover, and if in any doubt about your car’s performance report it to the supplier immediately.”

The award winning Carrentals.co.uk compares cheap car hire deals from companies including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt, and has booked over 650,000 rentals to date. Offering car hire in Portugal, including car hire in Faro, as well as Spain, France and over 15,000 locations worldwide, for more information go to http://www.insurance4carrental.com/Carrrentals.htm

Renting a car in the USA is quite cheap until you get all the add-ons

hotpassion — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:12:26 +0000

A friend recently rented a car for six days in the USA and the initial charge of $150 (GBP£90) looked very attractive, however the final bill came out in the region of $590 (£370 approx) which is quite a difference.

On analyzing the car hire company’s bill there a “luxury” item Sat Navigation GPS unit costing around $10 a day . For many drivers this is an essential for finding their way about and owners of Sat Navs, it now makes sense to actually bring your personal unit on holiday, provided it is set up for the country you are visiting.

It is very important to check this first as otherwise you arrive at your holiday or business destination, collect the rental car and next you plug the system in. It might not have a US or German road map programme installed so you then have to try and rent one.

The excess insurance was the expensive part over $250 for 6 days (£155 approx) which is a lot of money. You can buy an annual US and Canada policy for around £110 ($177 approx) or a daily one for under £7 ($11). This will save a great deal of money on the rental, but insurance companies advise you must show the policy documents to the car rental agency people before you sign up their paperwork.

Other ad-ons appear to be local state taxes, sales taxes and excess taxes which mount up on a daily basis. There is nothing you can do to reduce this however if the car hire company levies a refueling charge, bring the car back full.

Check the rental agreement to see if you have “free miles” or just a limited number. If they are not going to be sufficient for your needs, find out what additional costs are likely to be.

Do not bring the car back late as you might incur additional rental charges and most important, when you collect the car do check for any damage. If you find any that has not been noted, find a member of staff and get it signed off. This is sometimes difficult to do if you are in a hurry, it is dark or raining or all three at once!

You will find that your hire car will be an automatic transmission. If you are not used to driving one, never driven one you will soon get used to it, but take it carefully. If you normally live in the UK, Ireland, Malta or Cyprus and drive a manual transmission car you will have to get used to driving an automatic car and one on the right hand side of the road.

The road system in the USA is very good, but long distances can be somewhat boring, so take advantage of a cruise control system if your car has one and take regular stops and enjoy the scenery.

I hope my friend takes out car hire excess insurance in advance of renting a car the next time. There are several companies advertising at http://www.insurance4carrental.com/ who offer excess insurance for Canada and the USA and it is a lot cheaper than buying it from the US car rental company.