Explanation of European Car Lease Programs: Like most strange things in Europe, the short-term lease

How To Rent Or Lease A Car In EuropeGuide to Budget Backpacking in Europe The Savvy Backpacker Home Planning Packing Hostels Lodging Transportation Travel Tips About Advertising Travel Photos Country Guides Travel purchase airline tickets online Product Reviews Travel Blog Giveaways START HERE How To Rent Or Lease A Car In Europe September 30, 2011 James Most Recent Posts , Transportation No comments
If you want to get off the tourist trail and really explore Europe then renting a car might be your perfect method to travel Europe. Having a car allows you to visit all the tiny towns and villages that 99% of tourist never see. It allows you to slow down and travel at your own pace, or head over to Germany s autobahn to discover your rental car s top speed.  An American or Canadian driver s license is usually valid for European car rentals, but you might want to get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Also, consider doing a short-term lease if you re traveling for a few weeks. Things To Think About Before Renting a Car :: How to Rent a Car and Get a Good Price :: Places to Search For Car Rentals :: Lease a Car for Long-Terms Travel :: Reputable Short-Term Lease Companies Things To Think About Before Renting a Car
Busy Cities: European cities are nightmares for drivers. Traffic is terrible, the streets are very confusing (European cities are not built on the grid system ), and parking is very expensive. A car is great if you want to explore the countryside but might be more of a hassle if you plan on only visiting large cities.
Expensive Gas and Toll Roads: Gas is a lot more expensive in Europe. The cars are much more fuel efficient, but fuel costs can still add up. In addition, there are many toll roads in Europe that can cost anywhere between $2.50 and $32.
Extra Fees: Car rental companies like to add on all sorts of extra fees, so it is important to know the exact cost when you make the reservation. Showing up at the car rental company only to find that your rental is going to cost 30% more than you realized isn t a great way to start off your trip.
Some examples of extra fees include: Dropping your car off in another country ($200-$300 extra) Being under 25 Having more than one driver Tax (10-30% on top of base price) Insurance ($15-$25/day) Automatic transmission ($100-$200/week) GPS unit Theft protection ($10-$30/day) City parking ($20-$40/day) How to Rent a Car and Get a Good Price
Start off by searching the mega search engines (Kayak, Expedia , and Travelocity) to get a good idea of what prices are. Most likely these search engines will give you the best deal, but it is still smart to search the websites of the major European car-rental companies for special deals. There are multiple car rental purchase airline tickets online companies in Europe, including many American chains (Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar, Budget, Avis, National, Alamo, etc). Auto Europe is another highly popular European rental company. Like always, booking in advance is the best way to get the best deal.
One advantage to renting from a large company is that they have multiple locations. Booking from a large company might be smart if you plan on dropping your car off at a different location that where you picked it up. You ll most likely get charged a fee, but the fee might be worth the hassle of getting back to your pick-up location.
When booking, if possible, don t pick your car up at the airport. You ll get charged more. Try to pick your car up in the city. Also be aware that many rental companies drop-off locations are closed purchase airline tickets online on weekends and holidays (Europeans have a lot of holidays). The booking website will usually alert you if the drop-off location is closed on your desired day, but be sure to double check.
Kayak Not just for airline tickets. They also search multiple car rental websites. Auto Europe Highly recommended by multiple sources for finding the best price on rental cars. Europcar Large European car rental company. Hertz Thrifty Dollar Budget Avis National Alamo Lease a Car for Long-Terms Travel
Explanation purchase airline tickets online of European Car Lease Programs: Like most strange things in Europe, the short-term lease program purchase airline tickets online originated in France. Europeans pay a lot of taxes on new cars, but non-European Union citizens are not subject to these extra taxes. Major car companies lease brand-new cars to non-EU visitors and then buy it back at the end of the lease. This way the companies are technically buying a used car and they re not subject to the ultra-high new car taxes. The auto companies then sell the cars to rental companies or used-car dealers for a discounted price. Pretty clever.
Benefits to Short-Term Leasing: You can save hundreds when compared to a traditional car rental. Like that new car smell? Your car comes straight from the factory. You get full comprehensive insurance (collision, fire, theft-of-vehicle, vandalism and act-of-God) with ZERO deductible. The insurance is good in almost purchase airline tickets online every European country. You only have to be 18 to lease a car. No extra taxes or surcharges. purchase airline tickets online There are usually multiple pick-up/drop-off locations so you don t have to end your trip at the same location as you started. No fee for extra drivers. purchase airline tickets online Unlimited mileage. Factory warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance.
Disadvantages: The car needs to be leased for at least 17-21 days (depending on the auto company). purchase airline tickets online These programs are usually based in France, so you usually have to pick-up and drop-off your car in France. Most companies allow you to drop the car off outside France for an additional charge, but you don t have as many location options compared to a large rental-car company. Reputable Short-Term Lease Companies
I ve invested purchase airline tickets online a lot of long hours creating this site. If you ve found it helpful, the best way to say thanks is by clicking on my  Amazon.com links. I get a depressingly small commission when you purchase anything on Amazon after you ve clicked my link—this helps me keep the site running and maybe buy a few beers. purchase airline tickets online And it doesn t cost you anything extra. Also, if you’re a student purchase airline tickets online don’t forget purchase airline tickets online to sign up for a  FREE year of Amazon Prime .
Thanks for all your support! email budget car hire car lease care rental Related Posts Backpacking Europe Packing List... January 28, 2014 Best Digital Cameras purchase airline tickets online for Travel Photogra... April 18, 2013 Complete Guide To Train Travel In Europe... December 4, 2012 Budget Air Travel in Europe — Backpacker... November 3, 2012 About The Savvy Backpacker
Welcome to The Savvy Backpacker. We’re James and Susan, and we have a passion for backpacking Europe. The Savvy Backpacker was created as an independent planning resource for travelers wanting to backpack through Europe on a budget. Read more about us here . Travel Tips in Your Inbox Stay updated on travel advice for backpacking Europe.
Planning Articles  Itinerary Planning Guide Budgeting Tips and Advice How to Find Cheap Flights to Europe purchase airline tickets online Using Money While Traveling  Best Guidebooks and Online Resources (view all planning articles) Packing Articles Backpacking Packing purchase airline tickets online List for Men Backpacking Packing List for Women How To Choose purchase airline tickets online the Perfect Travel Backpack (view all packing articles) Hostels and Lodging Articles  Guide to Staying in Hostels purchase airline tickets online CouchSurfing How To Guide to Vacation Apartment Rentals (view all accommodation articles) Transportation Articles  Guide to Train Travel in Europe How to Find Cheap Flights Eurail Pass Guide Comparing Train vs Plane vs Car (view all transportation articles) Travel Tips and Advice purchase airline tickets online How to Avoid Pickpockets Female Fashion Advice Male Fashion Advice Guide to Solo Travel For Women  Daily Money Saving Travel Tips (view all travel tips) Product Reviews Best Travel Backpacks  Best Digital Cameras for Travel Contiki Tour Review Best Travel Underwear Best Shoes for Travel  (see all travel product reviews) New? Start Here! Planning to Backpack Europe? This comprehensive guide organizes every article on this site and it is the perfect place to start planning your trip to Europe. Click here to read more. Follow The Savvy Backpacker! Like Us on Facebook! Recent Pins Follow Me on G+ Thank You TheSavvyBackpacker.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please visit my advertising policies page for more information. Popular Categories Most Recent Posts Product Reviews Travel Photos Helpful Travel Tips Articles Featured Recent Posts How to Create a Successful and Profitable Travel Blog How to Eat and Drink on a Budget While Traveling in Europe Helpful Travel Tips and Sightseeing Strategies For Europe Decoding City Public Transportation purchase airline tickets online in Europe GIVEAWAY purchase airline tickets online — Win an Eagle Creek Specter Packing Cubes Set Advertising and Privacy Policy — ©2014 The Savvy Backpacker - Guide to Budget Backpacking Europe purchase airline tickets online