During the early stages of my move to Australia, I relied heavily on public transport and my feet. Oh my poor poor feet. I was so tanned after 1 full day of walking under the sun (but that’s a story for another day). It was especially hard when looking for work. Then I discovered car rental in Australia and never looked back.
My driver’s license allowed me to drive in Australia which was a big plus as I did not have to get it converted into an international license. Saved some ka-ching there!
My friends and I decided to rent a car for a day trip to Port Douglas and Palm Cove. It was good timing as well because it was the quiet season and we could plan for the same day off.
Cairns city has a lot of car rental companies so I spent a day researching about renting a car.
In order to be able to rent a car, there are some requirements to meet.
Car Rental in Australia Requirements:
- To be 21 years old and above
- Have a valid Australian driver’s license or an international driver’s license
- Own a credit card
Those are the most basic requirements. There may be additional requirements depending on the car rental company you choose.
Now, different car rental companies have different types of cars at different price points as well.
I went for Hertz for my first car rental experience and subsequently Avis.
How to look for car rental companies in Australia
1. Walk in
This option is great if you’re already in the area. I used this method for my first car rental experience. It was good because I could ask all the necessary questions and have the person clarify whatever doubts I had. I would say that this option is best if you’re within the CBD area as you can walk into a few companies in one day.
2. Third party comparison website
Let the internet do all the hard work for you as you sit back, relax and watch the details churn out in front of you. This method is great for comparing different car rental companies in terms of cars available for your dates and their respective price range.
3. Car rental company’s website (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty etc)
On top of the second option, I would normally search for cars directly from the company’s website. This enables me to double check if there are any difference in the prices and if the company themselves are offering any good deals.
Once you’ve decided on a car rental company, the type of car you want and a price range that you’re comfortable with, there are some things you need to be aware of.
Things to keep in mind
The duration
Usually, the longer you rent the car, the daily rate becomes gradually cheaper. And sometimes, companies will have different offers for weekly rentals so do take that into consideration when planning your trip.
When I rented a car in Brisbane, I made sure to group together sightseeing locations. It’s good to group locations that were far away to make full use of the time I had the car.
One way rental
You can rent a car in one city / location and then return it at another city / location. This works best if you’re planning a road trip with some friends or family. This option of course will be slightly more expensive than returning the car at the same location where you picked it up from.
Some companies do offer one way rental for a steal. I’ve noticed that it leans more towards campervans rather than a conventional car. It can cost companies a bomb to relocate their cars for fleet planning or expansion. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a car that needs to be relocated from where you are to the destination that you want to go to.
Otherwise, look for companies that specialises in one way rentals and hopefully they have a car that needs to be relocated from your choice of pick up location to your destination.
Mileage
If you’re planning a road trip, make sure to look out for unlimited mileage. Most companies offer free unlimited mileage but there are still some that will only give you a limited mileage on your car rental. This means that once you surpass the restricted limit, you will be charged extra for every subsequent km until you return the car.
Insurance / Excess
Some travellers have credit cards that offer insurance coverage for overseas car rental. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any.
The insurance provided on your rented car is highly dependent on the car rental company and the type of car that you will be renting. Rental cars in Australia are subjected to an excess amount. This means that you are liable for any damage that is caused to the vehicle during the duration of your rental.
Don’t be too attracted to a low base rental rate and be sure to check what the excess for the car is. A low rental daily rate sounds good until you click next. That is where you are offered multiple add-ons that you can choose from which increases the final payable amount. One of the options will be the Rental Excess insurance.
So for example, there is an offer for a hatchback for AUD30/day. However, it comes with an excess of say, AUD4,000. If anything happens to the car during your rental period, you will be charged an amount. It could be hundreds or thousands depending on the company.
Some companies will offer added insurance of say AUD20 – 30/ day to reduce the excess to AUD500 if you decide to book your car online. There is also the option to reduce the excess to zero but I have noticed that it is only offered if you do it in store.
Personally, I am someone who has the mindset of “better to be safe than sorry” so I have always paid extra for the added peace of mind.
Taking photos
Before you drive the car out, I highly recommend that you properly inspect the car. Take pictures / video record the condition of the car (from the roof to the rims). It sounds tedious but it will save you any potential issues when you return the car.
The second car I rented was white, so every single scratch / dent / dirt was ultra visible. I made sure to take pictures of the ones I considered to be major to keep myself safe just in case anything happens.
Fuel
Most companies practices full-to-full. This means that you are given a full tank of fuel when you pick the car up and it is your responsibility to fill it up to full again when you return it. What happens if you don’t? Well if you’re lucky, they may overlook it. If not, be prepared to pay at least twice the price per litre than what you would pay at the petrol station.
Parking & Speeding Fines
Sorry but this is your absolute responsibility. Do read up on the parking rules and how to read parking signs.
Sadly, I was slapped with a parking fine because I assumed (don’t assume guys!) that I did not have to pay parking because it was night time. It was purely my fault so I had to kiss my AUD100 goodbye. THE THINGS I COULD HAVE EATEN WITH THE MONEYYYYYY!
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Having a car is really handy especially if you’re travelling in a group or you want to explore places that are not easily accessible by public transportation. The continent itself is massive, hence, car rental in Australia is pretty popular.
Just make sure you read all the T&C and ask questions until you’re comfortable about renting a car.
Oh, and please make sure you stick to speed limits and don’t drink and drive. It is super expensive if you’re caught. You have been warned.
