Hire a car from local suppliers
Compare local car hire companies rather than only the big international chains. Often cheaper, usually with smaller deposits, and strongest in Turkey, Georgia, the UAE, Montenegro and Cyprus.
The four things that decide the real price
| What to check | What goes wrong |
|---|---|
| The excess, not the daily rate | A cheap rate often carries a very high excess. The number that matters is what you pay if the car is damaged, not what you pay per day. |
| The deposit and how it is held | Many suppliers block a sum on a credit card. Check the amount, whether a debit card is accepted, and how long the release takes. |
| The fuel policy | Full-to-full is the only one that cannot cost you extra. Full-to-empty means paying their fuel price for a tank you may not use. |
| Cross-border permission | Driving from Georgia into Armenia, or between Gulf states, usually needs declaring in advance and sometimes extra insurance. Turning up at the border without it ends the trip. |
Before you drive away
Photograph everythingWalk the car filming, including the roof, wheels and windscreen, before you leave the bay. It settles every later dispute in seconds.
Check you have an IDP if neededMany countries require an International Driving Permit alongside your licence. Get it at home, since you cannot obtain one abroad.
Find the toll system firstTurkey’s HGS and similar schemes are automatic. Ask how tolls are billed, or you will get a charge months later.
Where a car is worth it, and where it is not
A hire car transforms a trip through Georgia, Cappadocia, the Turkish coast or the Gulf, where the good places sit between the towns and public transport is thin.
It is close to useless in Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur or central Dubai, where traffic is heavy, parking is expensive and the metro reaches everything you came to see. Hire the car for the part of the trip that needs it, not for the whole trip.
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Got the car. Now the rest.