6 Things to Consider in a Rental Car in Zambia
When travelling across Zambia, you might find that public transport can fall short to some extent. You may thus have to either take a taxi or a rental car. Renting a vehicle for such a trip has substantial benefits, including convenience. To choose the best car for rent, here are a few things to consider.
1. Rental Price
The very first thing to consider in a rental car is your budget. Different rental services offer various price ranges. These prices considerably depend on the type of car you go for and the rent duration. Never break the bank to rent a car. You have to remember that after renting you will need a significant amount of money to maintain the vehicle before returning it. Therefore, always go for a car that is cheaper than your expected budget. That way, you will keep on the safe side.
2. Type of Rental Car
The type of rental car you settle on also matters. The usual suspects here include the model, fuel used, and mode of driving. Some models are more expensive than others, thanks to the extra luxuries they offer. Naturally, a Mercedes Benz will cost much more than a Toyota Corolla. When it comes to fuel consumption, it is common knowledge that diesel cars are cheaper than those that use petrol. Choosing an automatic or manual vehicle, on the other hand, depends on your skills and preferences. Some people enjoy the vintage feeling a manual car has when on a road trip. If this is too technical for you, you are always safe with one of these safari legends.
3. Condition of the Car
You should always check and ensure your rental car is in excellent condition before making any deals. Checking the engine, tyres, brakes, oil, and other functional parts of the vehicle would be a good start. You can engage a professional mechanic to be sure you are getting a good deal. The last thing you want when travelling on some of Zambia’s rough terrain is a vehicle that is not strong and steady. A car in good condition will also be cheaper to maintain.
4. Terms of Rent
Make sure to read the car rental agreements very carefully before signing anything. You have to be sure that the arrangements are conducive for you as much as they are for the lender. For example, always make sure that both the rental service and car have insurance. Doing so will significantly help you in the case of accidents and other unfortunate incidents. Another term to consider before making any commitments is the payment policy. Know and agree to the stated mode of payment. Also, make sure to ask about any interest rates and fines in case of delayed return.
5. Need for a Driver
Will you be driving, or will you require a driver? If you are new to Zambia, or your intended destination, you may need a driver. A driver would also make sense if you do not know how to drive or you do not have a valid driver’s licence. Luckily, Shark Car Hire also provides drivers, but at an extra charge. Getting a driver is beneficial because you will not suffer fatigue or even get lost. It can, however, be more expensive since you may have to cater for the driver’s accommodation and food during the trip.
6. Size of Car
Are you travelling solo or with a group of family and friends? Solo travellers only need a car large enough for them and their belongings. A travelling gang, however, requires anything from a minivan to a bus. The more the travellers, the bigger the car will be but also, the higher the cost. One way to lighten the cost burden in bigger groups is by everyone chipping in.
What to Look Out For When Hiring a Car
Location
Often, when travelling, people pick up cars from the airport. When you go to a car hire service, you will quickly find that you can choose whether to choose an on or an off-site option. An on-site rental company is obviously the easiest option. Usually you can walk to the desk or office, they give you the key and you find the car in the carpark. When it comes to off-site airport rental companies (which can be cheaper) you may have to take a shuttle to the office or call them to send a pick up. It’s best to use a comparison site to check which location is cheaper to hire a car from. Be aware that hiring from one location and returning to another often incurs a fee and will therefore be more expensive. If you’re arriving in a city (not via air) and plan on renting from the city centre, this can often be cheaper than airport rental companies. Again, it’s best to use a comparison site like Kayak to compare prices of different hire locations.
Cancellation
It helps to try and find a company that lets you cancel up to 24 hours before the date you collect the car. Things can happen at any time and if your flight gets cancelled or even delayed then you will want to get a refund for your car. Europe car hire is a handy service which usually has a decent cancellation policy. It also helps to see if there are any additional fees, should you have to cancel your trip.
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Petrol/Gas/Fuel
Some car firms have a full to empty policy. This essentially means that you have to pay for the full tank when you pick the car up but you can return it when it is empty. This sounds very convenient but it adds extra cost. I always try to avoid this. What usually happens, in my experience, is that you get a half or quarter of a tank and have to return the car with that same amount in it. If you don’t they charge you to fill it up from their supply (which is always more expensive than a normal petrol station). I normally try and find the station closest to the airport on my return journey and just fill up there before dropping the car off. And be SURE to double check what sort of fuel your car takes. Don’t go filling your Diesel car with Petrol!
Drivers
No, I don’t mean looking out for crazy drivers on the road. Though that is a serious concern at times! Think about it, are you going to be the only driver? If you are the only driver then this will reduce the cost. Some companies are pretty good and will work with you to make sure that you only pay a small fee when you are adding other drivers. Either way I think adding a second driver (where possible) is always a good idea. Also, if you’re planning on doing long drives it’s best to have a second person registered to drive the car if the primary driver gets tired, sick or injured. I don’t always do a lot of driving on the road trips I take with my boyfriend, but both of us are normally registered because he sometimes gets lightheaded and dizzy on long drives, which is when I take over.
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SatNavs/GPS/Extras
Rental companies will always offer you add-ons such as SatNavs or in-car charging devices. However, a lot of the time your car will already have these accessories in-built. Which I think is REALLY sneaky of the hire companies. So make sure to check your car first. A lot of cars now have USB ports for charging and once you have data your phone can be your map (Google Maps). If you’ve no roaming data, sometimes there is an inbuilt screen in the car for music and GPS maps. Always check before renting any accessories from the hire car company. If you’re not sure where to go there are loads of great road-trip route recommendation tools online. For the USA try this fun tool.
Doors/Model
It’s a good idea for you to look at the amount of seats and the number of doors that the car has. The car that is shown will probably not be the one that you are going to get. Be aware of this! I’ve seen people go to war about this before. So ALWAYS read the fine print. Firms always have the phrase “the car that you see is not the one that you’ll receive”, but it will be similar. This is the only guarantee that they offer, so when making your booking make sure you book a four-door model if that’s what is important to you. If they don’t have any basic models available then you’ll most likely be upgraded to a bigger four-door model instead. This has happened to me a few times. Also, be realistic about what you want from the car. Do you have 5 giant suitcases? Are you helping someone to move? Pay more and book the bigger car, no one needs the hassle of trying to upgrade at the last minute or trying to fit things into a vehicle that’s too small. Also take into account the terrain! We did a road trip through Death Valley and we really should have booked an off-road style car. Our little saloon car had a few issues with the head and bumpy roads.
There are plenty of other things to say about hiring a car.
Why Rent a Car/ Vehicle
Why Rent a Car?
Normally, there are various reasons why you should hire a hire. In this article, we will try to expound on the major reasons why someone or an organization may opt to hire a car.
Travel Destinations or Locations
Suppose you own a salon car or a sedan, or a hatchback and you want to travel to the wilderness for a game drive. I am sure you would not even begin to think about taking your precious car to places without tarmac roads. Most likely, you would want to hire a tour van for a proper experience.
Test Drive before the actual purchase of a vehicle
Anytime that you think of buying a car, it’s always advisable to, first of all, test the vehicle model before you finally settle on investing in it. Hiring a car offers the best option in that you can hire the car longer, travel outside the city center, and observe its fuel consumption, and horsepower among other things.
A better option than Buying
In some instances, an organization that secures contracts in Zambia opts to hire vehicles instead of actually buying to own them for many advantages. One, the car hire agency takes care of all the cost of running the motor vehicle from the actual purchase to Insurance, to general mechanical services. On the other hand, the organization saves the initial cost of acquiring the motor vehicle and running it.
Saves on the tear and wear of your car
Suppose your car is older and you want to travel long distances. Since car hire companies are known to maintain newer vehicles, it then makes sense to hire a car than travel on yours. Essentially, you end up saving its tear and wear.
Just to Show off
Nowadays, especially with the social media influence, many people would want to show off they are doing well in their lives. Consequently, they would hire different vehicles to appear at either social gatherings or business meetings in style! You do not need to own a car for you to drive it. In Zambia, the vehicle you use tells much about your personality and social class! Public figures like politicians, musicians, and influencers always hire cars to appear at social events in style.
Moving masses
Sometimes, a company or an individual may have a need to move a large number of people from one point to another. In such cases, it is always to hire vehicles that can fit the number of people traveling. That’s why Shark Car Hire have vehicles for hire that range from mere 5 seater salon cars for hire to 50 seater buses. We make sure that we transport your group no matter the quantity.
Convenience
Self-drive cars offer flexibility and convenience at a high level. You, as the hirer, do not need to wait for public transportation to get from point A to B. Similarly, should you feel you need to take a break, you can easily do so at your own pace. If you want to visit any place, you can do so so easily as opposed to when you are using public means of transport.
Travel like a local
Whenever you visit Zambia and you would want to feel like a local, the best way to achieve that is by having a car on self-drive. As long as you have your international driving license with you, you can drive anywhere in Zambia. Eventually, you will have a feeling like a local citizen.
The best alternative to places without taxis
Sometimes, you visit towns that do not have reliable taxi or cab services. To avoid inconveniences while there, as you may need transport services, it’s recommended to hire a car from the best car hire agency in Zambia, Shark Car Hire!
Great Saving
All in all, hiring a car offers such great savings. The main reason is that the car hire agency caters to all its costs. From the cost of acquiring, registration, Insurance, vehicle inspection, and finally general mechanical repairs and maintenance. So, whenever you hire a car, you only pay for the cost of hiring a car per day and not for the entire time!
Finally, I am sure there are other factors that make someone hire a car. Therefore the above list is not exhaustive.