Greece: the most expensive car hire destination

Greece has emerged as the most expensive car hire destination in a survey that has prompted one expert to advise consumers on how to watch out for pitfalls when hiring a vehicle.

Sophie Butler, writing in the Daily Telegraph, notes that car hire can be an expensive holiday expense if tourists do not hunt around for a good bargain.

The car hire expert reveals that comparing different deals can save holidaymakers as much as £100 - the difference between renting a vehicle in Tenerife and OR Zante.

Other cheap destinations were highlighted as Croatia, Bulgaria and Turkey, while mainland Spain, Portugal and the Balearic islands were identified as dear destinations.

The prices were based on hiring a four-door Renault Clio with air-conditioning between August 2nd and 9th.

Ms Butler warns that the industry is full of hidden costs.

She says: "Another thing to consider are the hidden costs. The prices quoted here all include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). But CDW isn't always included in the basic price, in which case you will have to buy it separately.

"And even with CDW, you can still be liable for repairs to some parts of the car, including the tyres, underside and roof."

Other money-draining clauses include excess costs, which can range from £100 to £500 depending on a number of factors.

To secure an excess waiver to avoid this pitfall consumers can pay around £6 a day, which though may bump up their overall costs could save them big bucks in the long term.

However, one add-on not recommended by Ms Butler was personal accident insurance.

She explained that car hire firms may try and tag this product on the end of a rental but if holidaymakers already have good travel insurance they should not need it.

"Nor will you need a "personal effects" insurance to cover stolen luggage, for the same reason," she said.

Earlier this month, Yes Car Hire advised consumers that there are two kinds of rental firms: the expensive kind and the reasonable kind.

It advised that unless holidaymakers need every mod-con going they should avoid paying over the odds, when a cheaper car could offer them an equally reliable service.

Holidaymakers were advised to weigh up their essential needs against the specification of the car.

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