desert-rat

Planning a short trip to UK for the first time for many years (not taking the maid or the driver!!).
Anyone know good car hire companies that accept UAE, Qatar licences?

Johnnyboy11

I can confirm that Budget, Enterprise and Herts all accept a Qatar driving licence in the UK. Try one of the UK comparison sites for the best deal, and book online.

If you choose Budget, I'll guarantee you'll be ripped off by the 'VW Golf or similar' scam. What they really mean is 'Not a VW Golf, more likely a Korean washing machine with wheels'.

[J]

scrubbedexpat141

carhire3000

argus car hire

I use those two, because they have little drop boxes that list the t's and c's that matter (to me; age limit was relevant).

flares

I'm a big fan of Europcar at Heathrow. You get the shuttle to their compound do your paperwork and then head out and have a choice of cars from your class to pick from. It's quite fun. I once picked a Skoda Roomster just to annoy the Mrs - great little tardis-like car. We were heading over the channel camping so a good choice in the end

co durham boy

I use Avis , really easy from Gatwick as you just exit the terminal and the office and cars are 100 meters away . Heathrow is easy as there's a bus waiting for you as they have your flight number .

Beware the insurance scam of cutting your excess down , it's a rip off . No problem with either a U.A.E or Qatari license .

desert-rat

Thanks for all the advice. What is the insurance excess rip off?

jam25mack

www.parklanecarrental.com, treat yourself!

OleJanx

Yeah, right...and bankrupt yourself too, especially if some clown dings the paint!

busybee2

they all do at any of the airports not a problem with a uae licence.

busybee2

they all do it, we rented at lhr xmas and was meant to be a ford mondeo, they obviously had a job lot of cheap huynda 130 which is not the same size of car, when i complained as there was no way of getting in 1 suitcase let alone 3, they found me a ford in the end....

co durham boy

There's an excess of 800 quid with Avis and most others , they will reduce that for something like 30 quid a day on top of the hire , it could cost you more than the hire all depending what you're hiring .

I had a chipped windscreen last time and it cost me 55 quid , i had the car for 10 days so even if i'd paid the reduced excess i'd still have been worse off.

britexpat76

I used a CDW insurance in the US, Bought from a brit company online cost me £17 to have no excess. National wanted to charge me $150 and it turned out I was using the same company they use. I have taken out a policy with them again for Greece this month.

co durham boy

That is handy to know

MaserMan

Last time I was over I used an online company, think its name was purple something or other. Turns out that Avis supplied the car and I paid half their list price.

When booking make sure you use your middle east license then you also save on tax.

busybee2

middle east licence save on tax, what tax? by using your uae license you will be charged less for your car hire at the counter?

i have actually done a dummy booking for a car hire in usa, with a uk licence and uae licence, the uae licence would cost me more.