With more and more tourist destinations being outside of the main cities the Dubai car renting business has grown quite significantly in the past couple of years. But it’s not just tourists that are driving this growth as research suggest more people who live in Dubai are renting cars than those who are foreigners. It doesn’t matter if you live there or not, you should still consider these ten things before using any car rental company…
Choose Wisley
There are many car rental companies like Hertz & Rental cars UAE out there, but which one is best for you? By doing a little bit of homework on these companies (like reading off-site reviews) you can be sure that the price and the service they offer is at least the best you can get.
How Long
Most car renting companies will give you discounts the longer you hire the car for with the most frequent contract lengths being daily, weekly, and monthly. If you are in Dubai for a few weeks it is best to hire the car for the length of that time even if you don’t plan to use it for the length of your stay.
Insurance policy
Check out the insurance policy that if they are covering you in case of any car damage or accident. While it can be a little boring reading some of the small print even having a quick skim over it can weed out anything that looks suspicious
Policies for breakdown and accident
You should notify the police immediately in case of any accidents. If your car is damaged, the rental car may charge you for the loss. If you notice that the car has issues and it’s not drivable you can contact the company to change the car as soon as possible to avoid damage charges.
Car Size
This is one of the most common mistakes people make when renting a car, not only getting one that is too small for the amount of family and luggage they have, but also too small to the point that it is personally uncomfortable to drive. A relaxed and comfortable driver is a safer driver, so consider spending a little more for a car slightly bigger than you need.
Where Will The Car Be Parked?
This is something most people don’t think about as it is the hotel’s responsibility to look after your car right!? Well…no, in fact, if the car is left in an unsecured location you could be chargeable for the whole cost of the car! So make sure you know EXACTLY where the car is, even if you are at your hotel.
Be aware of the Driving Conditions
While the weather in UAE is mostly beautiful there are some patches of rain and the odd dust storm to contend with. Make sure you know what the weather is going to be like, especially if you have a convertible car.
Security deposit and other charges
Almost all the companies in the UAE ask for security deposits and other charges in advance. Though, the security fee is completely refunded to you when you return the car. The more the RRP of the car the higher this cost will be. But that should really go without saying.
Use an international driving license
You don’t need the UAE drivers license to drive an automobile in Dubai. I recommend you to have your international driver license or at least the driving license from the premium countries like the USA, Canada, etc.
Where Can You Drive It
And lastly, you should consider that you might not be staying in the UAE the whole time, so do check that it is OK to take the car outside of the area you are renting it from. Even if you go on a day trip outside of it it could occur a small extra fee that the company will know as all rented cars are of course tracked.