Budget-Friendly Ways to Save on Car Hire and Rental in Surfers Paradise

The first step in ensuring your vehicle rental needs are met in frugal fashion is the careful selection of your rental provider. OCR Car Rentals have a range of thrifty options and accessories to customise your rental package to suit your needs. By perusing our website, you can see firsthand the services and extras we offer, from vehicle models to excess options and affordable additional items such as child seats and GPS units that can make your trip easier and fuss free.

Get an all-inclusive quote in seconds online that can save you not just money but valuable time.

Hiring from on-airport operators can add significantly to the costs of renting a car. The added taxes and charges levied by airports on the rental companies is passed on to the consumer, usually as a Premium Location Surcharge, or PLS, which can dramatically alter the final rental price.

Collecting your vehicle from an off-airport site such as OCR’s Surfers Paradise or Currumbin Waters branches will leave extra room in your budget for dining out or other holiday expenses.

Booking your rental vehicle well ahead of time is a great method for getting the best rates. Vehicle rental charges will generally increase as the pickup date draws near, especially around public and school holiday periods when demand is at its peak. By reserving your vehicle when your flights or itinerary are confirmed affords the best chance of better rates and a more extensive choice of vehicles, giving you greater flexibility and better value for your hard earned money.

A little adaptability in your itinerary can also lead to significant savings. Consider hiring during off-peak times or workdays when demand for vehicles is lower. Travelling outside of school holidays where possible often coincides with off peak promotions and discounts, as well as assisting to avoid crowds and peak-season delays.

Rental companies typically charge in 24 hour blocks from your pickup time. By ensuring your return time falls within this same period, you can avoid up to a full-days charge for only a few hours hire.

Daily rental rates also generally decrease the longer you hire. So even if you think you may not need the vehicle for a day or two in the middle of your holiday, the savings gained by taking it for a longer period often outweigh those made by off hiring for a day or more, while the freedom of having your own vehicle on hand for unexpected changes in plan or a late night dash to the shops can be almost priceless.

As a smaller, family owned business, OCR offers not just great rates, but superior service born from a desire to genuinely look after our customers.

Check out our google reviews to read the many glowing testimonials left by happy clients. Our staff all go the extra mile to help make your holiday or business rental exceed expectations and are ready and willing to help wherever they can.

Booking companies and agents all offer various coverage options to protect you should the unfortunate occur. But the majority of these “extra cover” policies require you to first pay your full rental excess to the rental company “up-front” for any damage caused to the vehicle, regardless of fault, and then claim the final cost back from the booking company when repairs are finalized. This can lead to the renter being out of pocket by thousands of dollars, often for weeks or longer, waiting for their money to be reimbursed.

By taking one of OCRs affordable in-house Excess Reduction options, you can relax with the piece of mind allowed by the knowledge that you won’t be up for any nasty surprises should the unfortunate occur, often at a cheaper rate than the agents.