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Car Rental post hire checklist

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Car Rentals drop off

After completing your car rental, it’s important to go through a post-hire checklist to ensure a smooth return and avoid any potential issues. Here’s a checklist of things to do after returning a rental car:
  1. Check for personal belongings: Double-check the entire vehicle, including the trunk, glove compartment, and under the seats, to make sure you haven’t left any personal belongings behind. Don’t forget to remove any items from the trunk, especially if you transferred luggage or other belongings during your rental period.
  2. Fuel level: Refill the fuel tank to the level specified in your rental agreement. Keep the fuel receipt as proof of refueling, as some rental companies may charge additional fees if the car is returned with less fuel than agreed upon.
  3. Cleanliness: Return the car in a reasonably clean condition. Remove any trash or personal items, and give the car a quick clean if necessary. Excessive dirt, stains, or odors may result in additional cleaning fees.
  4. Vehicle condition: Inspect the car for any new damages or issues that may have occurred during your rental period. If you notice any damage that wasn’t previously documented, inform the rental company immediately and take photos as evidence. It’s important to address these matters promptly to avoid being held responsible for pre-existing damages.
  5. Return location and procedure: Follow the instructions provided by the rental company regarding the return location and procedure. Some companies have specific return areas or designated parking spots. Be sure to return the car within the agreed-upon time to avoid any late fees.
  6. Return inspection: If a rental company representative is available, request a return inspection together. Go through the vehicle condition report with t

    Car Rentals Checklist

  7. hem and make sure you both agree on the vehicle’s condition and any damages present. This can help avoid any disputes later on.
  8. Return documentation: Obtain a return receipt or document from the rental company as proof of return. This should include the return date and time, final fuel level, and any additional charges or adjustments made.
  9. Payment and final charges: Settle any outstanding payments or fees with the rental company. Review your final invoice to ensure that all charges are accurate and in line with the agreed-upon terms.
  10. Contact information: Save the rental company’s contact information in case there are any billing inquiries or issues that arise after returning the car.
By following this post-hire checklist, you can ensure a smooth return process and minimize the chances of encountering any unexpected charges or disputes.

Why choose Low Cost Car Rental?

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With so many car rental companies operating in Sydney, it is not so easy to make the choice on the car hire provider.

Heard about us and wondering why do you rent a car from us? Here is a short list of things we put together to help you make the decision and choose Low Cost Car Rental to take care of your next trip.

No booking fees

Here at Low Cost Car Rental we are 100% transparent with our costs. The policy of the company is to discuss every single aspect of the car hire with the customer before we book and charge them any money.

All you pay for is the rental value that already includes the car hire, default insurance for one eligible driver and complimentary 24/7 Premium Road Side Assistance. Among the additional costs are the mandatory bond of $250. Additional charges may apply only if you want to reduce the insurance excess, add more drivers to the insurance policy or book one of many extras like GPS, baby seats or snow chains to name a few.

Customer Oriented

Google Reviews is a hard to get. Maintaining 5-star is almost impossible as customers often picky or unfair. Nevertheless we managed to maintain 5-star rating for longer than 2 years since we registered our business with Google.

We constantly ask our customers for the feedback on our vehicles and customer service.

Our staff is trained and rewarded for positive feedback and we do not tolerate lazy or rude car rental workers.

We value every single customer. We make every effort for you to get the best rental vehicle and cover for your trip.

Low Cost Great Value

There are so many choices of car hire providers. But, like with any other service or purchase, the consumer wants to see the value for their money. Whether you are interested in short-term or long-term car for rent, you are always welcome in Low Cost Car Rental.

Feel free to visit our main car rental office (see Our Locations in Sydney, Australia) and discuss how we can help you organise your trip. We have a range of people movers to fit all your family, small to large size cars for casual leisure or business trips and SUVs (AWD, 4WD) if you go camping or skiing.

Have you hired from us before and have a suggestion on how we can improve our car rental service? Please don’t hesitate to call or email us any time. We would be happy to hear from you. We will be even happier if you continue using our car hire service.

Never rented from us? Please give us a try. We will do our best to not disappoint you.

Your safety is our priority

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Here, at Low Cost Car Rentals, we value our customers and their safety.

Rental Vehicle Safety

Safety on the roads starts with choosing the right car to hire. Here, at Low Cost Car Rentals, we are always ready to help and answer any questions you have. We want to make sure your car rental period is about you, your family and your destination, and worry free when it comes to the hired vehicle.

Before we give you the vehicle:

  • We regularly service our vehicles for hire. We use only trusted mechanics and electricians to inspect the vehicles. Car servicing is done according to the best practices and sometimes even earlier when scheduled. For example, if we know some customer will hire the car for long period of time or paying for “unlimited kilometres” package, we will inspect and service the vehicle one extra time.
  • When our cars are not on rent, they always parked securely under ground. Unlike most of the car rentals where the vehicles are parked outside, exposed to the sun, heat and rain.

When you are picking up the car:

  • Each car has unique characteristics – the indicators and hand brakes can be positioned in different locations. It is especially tricky when it comes to bigger cars like people movers. When you are picking up a vehicle from Low Cost Car Rentals, our trained staff will let you know about the car specifics if any. For example, 8-seater Kia Carnival has 2 different places to put the hand brake on (the very left pedal under your feet) and release from the hand brake (a little handle under the steering wheel on the left). Most of the people movers from Toyota have it all in one place – under your feet. Cars like 7-seater Holden Captiva have it positioned in the most usual location, under your left arm, next to the gears stick. Our Car Rentals staff will never push you to drive away as soon as possible. They will remind you to get familiar and comfortable with the rental car first. Adjust the seatbelts and mirrors, get familiar with all the pedals and nobs, inspect the car stereo and air conditioning operation controls.

When the car is on rent:

  • Every single car rent includes a complimentary 24/7 road-side assistance. Tyre puncture, windscreen chip or flat battery can happen to the best of us. We can’t predict where and when that happens. What we can do, is to make sure someone is 30-60 minutes away from where you are and ready to help you out. And yes, once again, it is absolutely free with each car rental. You just need to make sure you obey the basic vehicle usage rules. You can find it on the Terms and Conditions page of your rental agreement.

When you are dropping the car back to us:

  • When the hired vehicle comes back from the rental, we ask our customers for the feedback. Simple feedback in case the customer noticed some unusual smell, sound or vehicle shaking can ensure we take actions before we give the vehicle to the next customer. Unfortunately some customers are afraid to tell as they think they would be charged for damaging the hire vehicle. We ensure you, those questions asked only for the sake of safety of the next customer.

Your safety is our main priority. Please be safe on the roads, drive carefully and obey the road rules.

In case you have any concern, please make sure you call one of our staff members and discuss it.

Australia: Driver’s Licence Requirements for Car Rentals

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If you are a temporary overseas visiting driver and you hold a current overseas driver licence you do not have to get an Australian state driver’s licence. You can drive on your current overseas licence as long as:

  • You remain a visitor.
  • Your overseas licence remains current.
  • You have not been disqualified from driving.
  • You have not had your licence suspended or cancelled or your visiting driver privileges withdrawn.

Temporary overseas visiting drivers include:

  • Tourists.
  • Business people on limited-duration visits.
  • People studying or working temporarily (eg working visa holders).

Your licence must be written in English or, if the licence is not in English, you must also carry an English translation or an International Driving Permit (IDP) with your licence when driving.

You must carry your current overseas licence, IDP or translation with you while driving.

You do require to have a photo ID licence if you want to rent a car from Low Cost Car Rentals. If your foreign licence does not have a photo ID, you should get an IDP before travelling to Australia if you intend to rent a car.

All states require Australians from other states to get a new state licence after three month’s residence (with some specific exceptions). Some states also require New Zealanders to get a state drivers licence after they have been in Australia for three months.

Specific State Requirements

In Australia, laws and driving regulations differ from state to state. Some states require you to carry an International Licence with your current foreign licence. Other states request you carry your current foreign driver’s licence together with a formal translation of your licence into English.

Select the state or territory you will be driving in to find out what the laws are for driving with an overseas licence.

Best Car Rental for Money

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Asking car rental company the right questions can save you some money. It will also assure you get the most comfortable and convenient rental vehicle for your needs.

For example, if you let the rental company know you are only 2 people but you plan to carry a lot of luggage. They would recommend you renting a sedan over a hatchback. You might pay a little more but you will not face a trouble of trying to fit your surf board into the rental Toyota Corolla Hatch.

Unfortunately, people are still doing the same mistake. Even worse, then they shift the blame on the rental companies.

The most common mistakes:

  • Hiring the cheapest vehicle thinking any non-utility vehicle can fit up to 4 people comfortably. Wrong assumption. Compact vehicles normally can accomodate up to 5 “average” people. What is the average you would ask? Exactly! If you are tall, or a little overweight, or you need to fit a child seat besides accomodating the adults, please let the car rental staff member know about.
  • Hiring a 4WD when you plan to go camping. Most probably it will be the best option, but somewhat inaccurate assumption that any 4WD can go through the unsealed road conditions. And it is not only the vehicle, it is also the insurance options you have to be aware of. Letting the rental company know you are going off-road is a must.
  • Hiring a medium to large size sedan just because you have a lot of luggage. This is a tricky one. You can have 1 piece of oversized bag that might not fit in anything but SUV. Or you can have 5 or 6 small bags that any compact size hatch like Hyundai Getz would fit.
  • Hiring a ute or a van when moving the house. This is the most common mistake. If you only expect to deliver your old TV, a few chairs and clothes to your new home, you might even want to look into the options of renting a 7- or 8- seater where you could put the seats down and fit all your belongings. Moving the same things in the ute can be difficult and potentially dangerous, as you would have to make sure you secure your luggage in boxes, cover with moving blankets and tire up with the stripes.

Please remember, especially during the peak season, Low Cost Car Rentals gets at least 50 emails and over 200 phone calls every day. Our staff is trying their best to ask you all the important questions. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility to make the final call on which car to rent.

What is the right knowledge the car hire company needs in order to provide you the best car for rent? Think before enquiring, may be they are some circumstances about your trip you need to let the car rental company know. Here is the short list of things that you might let your car rental company know before booking the car for hire.

Things to let car rental company know:

  1. Number of people who travel.
  2. How far are you travelling.
  3. What are the road conditions on the way (to be sure when are where you are covered by the insurance).
  4. Your Driver Licence conditions and Country of Issue.
  5. Whether you are familiar with the area in case you need to rent a GPS.
  6. What are the age of the youngest and the eldest traveller (children might need the baby seats to be fit for them, elder people might need side steps to be able to comfortably get in and out of the hire vehicle).
  7. How much of luggage you expect to carry at most. Please note on any oversized, irregularly shaped or fragile items.

Please do the home work to make sure the list is complete. Once you got a quote, please make sure you search the car on Internet and read its specifications.

There is always that one traveller who is unique and here at Low Cost Car Rentals we are happy to assist.