Car Rental in the UK England
 

I need to rent a 6-seater vehicle to travel around the UK for 7 days. I have set my sights on an internet Europcar deal at 350€/420US$/240GB£. Is that a good deal?

I am worried about all the extra costs which the rental company is likely to want to add-on such as second driver option, extra insurance and so on. Are they really useful?

Also any advice on travelling by car around the UK?

Thank you,

Marc

Can't help you on whether it is a good deal or not, but as for the add ons - they are helpful 1) if you have a second driver who will share the load then of course you need second driver option 2) you never need the extra insurance until you have a major prang!! Make sure you have collision waiver damage insurance and that you have your own travel insurance which covers you for medical etc in case of an accident.

As for advice for driving around the UK, make sure you get off the beaten track, do not use motorways unless you really need to get from A to B quickly before you start "touring". Take your time on the little narrow roads and be prepared to pull over to let other vehicles pass or to reverse if the siutation arises. There is a lot of give and take on the little back roads. Watch for the roundabouts particularly the ones with the mini roundabouts attached!! Too hard to explain. Remember if you are lost and come to a roundabout just keep going around and around until you know which exit to take, a lot easier than trying to turn around to get back to where you really need to be. Just take your time and try not to get flustered, plan your route in advance (but be flexible)Get a couple of other people in the car involved in the planning so they can also watch for road signs etc.

Where abouts are you planning to travel to? Have a great time.

Thanks for the advice. Trip is as follows:

19th April: pick in London and drive to Bath (Family)
20th: Bath to Canterbury (big event in the Cathedral)
21st: canterbury to Portsmouth (Family)
21st to 25th: around the South Coast
25th: Gatwick airport and return.

Interesting - London to Bath to Canterbury, I reckon about 300 miles and 6 hours of driving, most of which will be over the same roads

"make sure you get off the beaten track, do not use motorways unless you really need to get from A to B quickly before you start "touring".

...is a piece of advice I would follow with considerable circumspection.

For most journeys over 50 miles or so, the practical alternative to the motorway isn't an idyllic back lane, winding your way between flocks of sheep and Miss Marple wannabes cycling to church. It's an even more congested A road, full of lost Eastern European lorry drivers drudging their way through our unique variety of semi-urban sprawl.

Not all journeys: it's well worth spending a few minutes browsing the road atlas selection to find one that edges in green roads that have prettier views. And, with patience, there are some 100/150 mile A-road routes you can plot that can be fun. Or you can take really, really, back (un-numbered) roads - but the navigator needs to be pretty sharp for this, and even with the best aids you'll easily get lost. All part of the fun on a morning's tootle: less so on a 200-mile cross country route where the service will start at 1500 with or without you.

For your two big journeys take the fastest route, and use the time you've saved to pooter around at either end.

I'm not sure I know what "it's well worth spending a few minutes browsing the road atlas selection to find one that edges in green roads that have prettier views." means, and I wrote it.

Some road atlases designate scenic routes by a green edge to the road. Worth getting an atlas that does this. It's surprising how often even the dullest routes have a greened option. Unlike in countries with serious hills, our scenic routes are practically never slow, tortuous detours.

Thanks for the advice.

What about the prices I have found, are they competitive?

reminder : 6 seater, 7days,350€/420US$/240GB£

Do you need to carry luggage for these 6 people? If so, you'll need to be really careful about what size your luggage is and how many pieces you have.

Is the vehicle you're considering an "estate-type" wagon or a "people mover" (mini-van in the uS) or what?

I have no idea if you're getting a good deal or not, because there isn't enough info.

We rent from Peter Waugh. www.peter-waugh.co.uk We've found his prices to be competitive and his personalized service is excellent.

You'll need to compare prices at several places and decide what is the best deal for you. It depends on supply and demand as well as specific vehicle, age (of vehicle), etc. Also, do check what's included - extras I usually pay for include pickup/delivery at Heathrow, cell phone usage, and one extra driver.

Baldock's in Windsor also does a nice job and is a small customized operation. (You can google to find them, or search this forum - that's how I first heard about them.)

And, do take the advice of some others and look for the "back roads" to some of your destinations. I hope you have some wandering time in your schedule.

Best regards,
Gayle

for that price I'm getting an Opel/Vauxhall Zafira. Pick up in London City Airport and drop off at Gatwick.

£240 for a 6-seater (Vauxhall Zafira? - remember it has minimum luggage space with all 6 seats used) for 6 days is a good price, but it depends on what it includes. If you are from US, you may be able to use CDW with nil deductible with your gold cards, which will be the cheapest option. There's almost certain to be a high deductible for your given price, typically £500, and to waive it you pay around £10-£15 a day. A couple of UK based companies quote around £260 basic, and £360 with no deductible. MPV (minivan) is overpriced on rental tariffs - cheaper to get two small cars.

My head is spinning! (I won't discuss the rental options except to say I also have used Baldocks a few times and they tend to be very reasonable)

Let me get this right -- you are driving from London City airport to Bath, the next day driving all the way back across the country to Canterbury, the next day back across country to Portsmouth??

Can't you rearrange things so they make more sense? London City is on the east side of London - and not that far from Canterbury.

If your dates are set in stone - then I would not bother getting a car at all until you are ready to tour along the south coast. Take the train to Bath. Take the train to Canterbury. Then pick up a car for Portsmouth/south coast/Gatwick.

We've got a Zafira and with the third row of seats down you won't get much luggage in. Ok, you could put 3 in the backseat and only one of the 'extra' seats in place, but I still think that'll be pushing it.

By the way, with the rear row of seats in use leg room in all three rows (front, middle and rear) is extremely limited. OK if most of the 6 are kids but if it is 6 adults I don't think you will be at all comfortable touring in it.

If you have both of the rear row seats in use (and 3 adults in the middle row will be cosy) there is only a tiny little space left behind them. Enough for a couple of bags of shopping but not for a suitcase. If you only use one rear seat then you will have a small amount of the boot left, perhaps enough for 3 smallish suitcases and a couple of small really squashy bags.

Can they do you a roof-rack or luggage box on top?