Monday, 05 January 2015 00:00

Top Tips For Hassle-free Car Rental In Gran Canaria

Most people rent a car in Gran Canaria and have no problems at all. Here's our guide to hassle-free rentals and our advice on choosing a good company and avoiding sneaky tricks. 

Gran Canaria car rental contracts

Standard contracts for car hire in Gran Canaria should include the following:

  • Unlimited mileage.
  • All taxes.
  • Some level of insurance (check the conditions and excess).

Most car hire contracts in Gran Canaria will not cover you for the following problems:

  • Problems or breakdowns caused by off-road driving, including damage to the undercarriage, wheels or tyres or damage caused by rolling the car.
  • Parking fines or any other fines due to dangerous or negligent driving or drink driving.
  • Loss or damage to the key, including water damage caused by going swimming with the key in your pocket.
  • Damage caused by putting the wrong fuel into the car.
  • Damage caused by non-registered drivers, unlicensed drivers or drivers under the age of 21 or with less than two years driving experience.

You almost always have to leave a credit card number as a deposit when renting a car on the island.

How to avoid car rental problems in Gran Canaria

Provided that you check the condition of your vehicle before driving off, the vast majority of car rentals in Gran Canaria are trouble-free. Look out for bald tyres, dents and interior damage and make a record of them with the company.

Unfortunately, some car hire companies in Gran Canaria advertise very low prices and then recoup their money with sneaky tricks. This happens most with the cheapest deals on car rental aggregation websites. The main culprit in Gran Canaria has a seven-letter name starting with Gold and ending with Car. 

This trick works like this:

Normally you either return a car with the same fuel level as when you rented it, or return it with a full tank. However, some unscrupulous companies insist that you bring your car back with a completely empty tank and charge to remove fuel if you don't. Since it's almost impossible to empty a fuel tank in Gran Canaria, lots of customers end up paying high fees for emptying the tank. 

To avoid the scam, we advise you to find out the name of the car hire company you are booking with. This is often tricky on car rental aggregation websites and is why we recommend going directly to the car hire companies themselves. 

The best Gran Canaria car hire option

After years of recommending car rental companies in Gran Canaria we've found that the most reliable company is Mr Car Hire. Here's why:

Mr Car Hire Gran Canaria is an independent car rental professional who works with all the main rental companies in Gran Canaria. This means that he can always find you a good deal.

Mr Car Hire also offers fully comprehensive insurance on all car rental, three-day bookings, and delively of your car right to your door anywhere in Gran Canaria.

We advise all Gran Canaria visitors to avoid booking the cheapest possible car on generic car rental websites or via their flight company because you often end up paying large deposits, extra fuel and insurance costs and all kinds of other costs once you arrive to pick up your car at the airport.

Instead, contact Mr Car Hire for a quote...

 

Published in Transport

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Tip of the day

  • Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?
    Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?

    Visitors to Gran Canaria often ask whether it is better to exchange their local currency for euros at home or in Gran Canaria. 

    The answer is that it is almost always better to buy your euros at home than it is to bring pounds to Gran Canaria and use local banks or currency exchanges. This rule of thumb applies all over the world. A currency is almost always cheaper the further away you are from the place you can spend it (because demand for it is lower). 

    Exchange rates are almost always better at home than in Gran Canaria

    You are very likely to get a better exchange rate using a British currency exchange specialist or local bank. Many of these companies will deliver your euros to your home.

    One of the best rates in the UK is often from the post office, especially if you do it well in advance.

    The only way you'll get a better rate in Gran Canaria than at home is if the exchange rate changes while you are travelling and this is rare. 

    You also have to bear in mind that currency exchanges in Gran Canaria are getting rarer and some local banks don't exchange money for non-clients. 

    To Transfer large amouynts of money to Gran Canaria, or to make regular transfers, always use a reputable currency broker such as Currencies Direct. This will save you money on exchange rates and bank charges and is highky secure. 

    The risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria

    Another important factor to consider is the risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria: If it is lost or stolen, there is no way of getting it back. 

    It is much safer to bring a debit or credit card and use local bank ATMs to take out money. These days, a good option is a pre-charged debit card. 

    Cards may be slightly more expensive that carrying cash, unless you seek out a bank card with low commissions, but it is much more secure. 

    Bank ATMs like Bankia, Santander and BBVA often charge lower rates than the ATMs in shopping centres and busy tourist areas.

    Alex Says: Always select the Euro option at ATMs in Gran Canaria because the exchange rate is much better than if you opt for the Local Currency option. The same applies when you pay by card in shops and restaurants.

    See our Gran Canaria Tips section for more nuggets of useful local information.

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