Argus Car Hire

Car Hire Advice: Adding Additional Drivers

fhilliard — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:50:40 +0000

The following query was sent into us by a customer called Margaret: I’ve booked a car for my husband and myself for Malaga Airport, which we’re due to pick up on July 22nd. When I booked I used my own credit card and volunteered myself as lead driver. But now I’m thinking I don’t want to be [...]

Where to find the Cheapest Petrol in Europe

fhilliard — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:33:35 +0000

Holidaymakers are set to see fuel prices falling by 12% for unleaded petrol and 31% for diesel this summer, so say new figures released today by the UK’s Post Office. According to the report, Austria and Spain offer the best value overall. The reason? Drivers in these countries pay only 1p more for unleaded petrol and [...]

US Extravaganza: New Offers Added

fhilliard — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:22:02 +0000

As we reported last week, Argus is getting into the spirit of this weekend’s Independence Day celebrations with fantastic deals in a range of all-American destinations. Well, now there’s even better news. We’ve just added three more cities to our stateside extravaganza. For the whole month of July, we’re offering car hire from just £16 per day [...]

French VAT Cut Signals Cheaper Holidays

fhilliard — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:32:44 +0000

With its pleasant summers and sports-filled winters, France has long been the holiday destination of choice for Brits looking for a change of scenery close to home-and it’s about to get a whole lot more attractive. From tomorrow, (July 1st), VAT on restaurants and cafés in France will be slashed from 19.6% to 5.5% percent. The new [...]

Joke of the Week

fhilliard — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:36:27 +0000

Thought we’s brighten up your Monday with a little joke… Two men got out of their cars after colliding at an intersection. One took a flask from his pocket and said to the other, “Here have a drop of this to calm your nerves.” Thanks”, said the man and took a long drink from the container. [...]

Google Launches Tour Guide

fhilliard — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:54:55 +0000

Hot on the heels of Microsoft’s Bing.com, this week Google made its own foray into the world of travel guides, with the launch of Google City Tours, a new trip-planning tool that endeavours to make “holiday planning as easy as searching the Web.” The site suggests itineraries for thousands of destinations all over the world, allowing users to [...]

Last Minute Greece Car Hire Deals

fhilliard — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:47:09 +0000

Late summer holiday sales are on the up, with Greece and Turkey leading the way - so says a study by online travel company, youtravel.com. The fastest growing destinations so far this year are in Greece with both Rhodes and Crete up by 27%, compared to this time last year. Just a guess but it could have [...]

Cheap US Car Hire Extravaganza

fhilliard — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:51:43 +0000

This coming July, avail of our fantastic US car hire offers and paint the States red, white and blue! There’s nothing like a drive through the vast and diverse states of America for giving you a true insight into the land of the free. So book between now and July 31st and avail of: Orlando car hire from £16 (€19) per [...]

Tip of the Week: Car Rental Insurance

fhilliard — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:33:24 +0000

This week our Tip of the Week has been inspired by a customer called Jane who emailed us with a question about insurance: I am thinking about renting a car in Barcelona. I know it’s a beautiful city, (I’ve been there 3 times over the last 18 months) but I’ve never driven there and I’ve heard car crime [...]

Car Games for Kids

fhilliard — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:47:04 +0000

So the DVDs are BOR-ing, the Nintendo DS battery is on its last legs and the “are we there yets” are beginning to get incessant - what do you do now to keep the kids in the back occupied? Well you might try a few of these rather lo-tech games. You’ll be surprised just how much mileage the little [...]

Ultimate Road Trip Tips

fhilliard — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:50:45 +0000

A little while back we held a competition that asked you to tell us about your Ultimate Road Trip recommendations. Your stories revealed lots of things, from special memories to favourite routes, but most of all, just how much you enjoyed the freedom and independence of life on the road. Your responses were so interesting and informative [...]

Avoiding Road Rage

fhilliard — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:58:41 +0000

The weather is heating up, but so too are tempers. To help avoid nasty confrontations, we’ve compiled a list of our top three driving grievances and how to avoid them this summer. Traffic Red. Yellow. Green. Beep. Rev. Swear. Traffic jams are part and parcel of driving no matter where you travel. However, with a little careful planning [...]

Why Small is Big in Europe

fhilliard — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:20:49 +0000

US bookers heading to Europe may notice a distinct lack of gas-guzzlers and turbo-charged engines in our fleet list for the continent. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, there’s history. Many of the cities of Europe have a history that stretches back to Medieval times (it’s what you love about us), however as a result, you’ll [...]

Tip of the Week: Off Site Car Rentals

fhilliard — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:02:56 +0000

Our Tip of the Week comes from a customer called David who submitted the following question to us: David says: “Would you advise whether pick up at Heathrow, is actually on-site at Heathrow [i.e. at a terminal] or off-site. If off-site, how would a hirer get to the off-site location late at night after an 11pm arrival?” Editor [...]

Car Rental Insurance Tips

fhilliard — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:01:36 +0000

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.] With so much choice at the rental counter, it’s easy to agree to each and every insurance policy on offer. What many drivers don’t realise is that they’re very likely doubling up on insurance coverage that they [...]

Brits To Get More For Their Money in Europe

fhilliard — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:25:32 +0000

British holidaymakers look set to get more for their pound this summer as the currency continues to strengthen against the Euro. Yesterday, sterling shone on the currency markets, reaching its highest level against the euro this year. A pound bought €1.17, up from €1.16 the previous day. It rose two cents against the dollar, fetching $1.65. Traders welcomed this [...]

Important Information Regarding UK Licences

fhilliard — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:06:08 +0000

Yesterday we received a question from a customer who was confused about why he was asked to bring two documents as part of his UK licence when picking-up his rental car. Here’s our response: UK licences issued since July 1998 consist of two parts, a photo ID and a paper counterpart. Old style paper licences are valid until [...]

Tips for Greener Driving

fhilliard — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:53:10 +0000

Save the planet and the pennies with the following tips for greener driving! [There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.] Bookmark:

Tip of the Week: International Drivers Licences

fhilliard — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:13:04 +0000

This week’s Tip of the Week feature was inspired by a customer called Caroline who contacted us with the following question: “A couple of friends and I are heading to Australia this summer. We are hoping to hire a car when we get to Sydney to spend some time getting away from the usual tourist trail. [...]

Where to Eat On the Cheap In Europe

fhilliard — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:58:07 +0000

The recession may have shelved your dream of a luxury long-haul holiday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a well-deserved break with all the trimmings closer to home. So where can you enjoy a slap-up meal on the cheap? Well, if the results of the Sunday Independent’s Europe-wide price study are to be believed, Eastern Europe [...]

Ryanair to Charge for Sick Bags

fhilliard — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:20:39 +0000

Michael O’ Leary and his publicity stunts – they’re enough to make you sick. But don’t heave just yet, it might cost you. Under his latest money-grabbing scheme, the no-frills boss has mooted the idea of charging passengers for sick bags. This new brainwave comes just a few weeks after the airline took steps to eliminate check-in [...]

E-Passports for US Renters

fhilliard — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:55 +0000

Inspired by Steve’s All-American Ultimate Drive? Well, if you’re planning on travelling to the US this summer, bear in mind that you may need an e-passport to enter the country. From July 1st it will be compulsory for all passengers entering the US under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to carry an e-passport. If your passport was issued after [...]

iPod Shuffle Ultimate Drive Competition Winners

fhilliard — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:02:33 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered our recent Ultimate Drive travel writing competition. We received a huge response and really enjoyed reading about your holiday adventures. Admittedly it was a difficult task selecting the best entries (you are a talented bunch!) but after much to-ing and fro-ing we did manage to whittle down the entries to three overall winners. Each will receive [...]

Tip of the Week: How to find the Cheapest Car Hire

fhilliard — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:48:39 +0000

This week’s Tip of the Week question comes from the McHugh family who are wondering whether to book their rental car before or after they arrive in Menorca for a family holiday: Customer Says: Dear Editor, We’re travelling to Menorca next month for a family holiday with the kids. We’d love to hire a car on the island [...]

Top 5 Essential iPhone Travel Applications

fhilliard — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:49:52 +0000

iPhone and ’smart phone’ applications are revolutionising the way we travel. From keeping track of airport delays to finding out where the nearest petrol station is, there’s no excuse for travel nightmares these days. The following are what we consider to be ‘must haves’ - click on the links to download. Weather Channel: Your iPhone comes [...]

Lions Tour Car Hire from £13 Per Day

fhilliard — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:57:17 +0000

The Lions Tour 2009 kicks off this weekend in South Africa with what promises to be one of the most thrilling rugby tournaments of the year. To celebrate, we’re offering car hire in Cape Town and Johannesburg from just £13 per day. Price is based on the 7-day rental of a Toyota Echo or similar compact for [...]

Motorhomes Boom as Holidaymakers Look to Cut Costs

fhilliard — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:44:11 +0000

With ‘staycations’ the new buzz word in travel, motorhomes and campervans are enjoying an unexpected upsurge in popularity. New data released from Britain’s Camping and Caravanning Club shows that bookings are up by 38 per cent on last year, a larger increase than for tents and caravans. Sales of second hand caravans which can cost £3,500-£4,000 have [...]

Tip of the Week: Dealing with a Breakdown

fhilliard — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:29:14 +0000

This week our Tip of the Week question comes from a customer called Maria. She contacted us with the following question: I’m curious to know what happens if my rental car breaks down while I’m away? Editor says: In the unfortunate event that you break down, you should immediately contact the rental location listed on your voucher for either a [...]

Win an iPod Shuffle: 5 Days to Go!

fhilliard — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:29:19 +0000

Just thought we’d remind you that we’ve got three iPod Shuffles up for grabs in our Ultimate Drive competition. To be in with a chance of winning one, all you have to do is tell us about your ultimate drive. This can take the form of: A particularly scenic drive you recommend. A description of a beautiful [...]

The Importance of Booking Your Car Hire Early

fhilliard — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:49:26 +0000

Following on from Wednesday’s summer shortage warning, we thought we’d explain to you how our pricing works in times of low availability. As with airlines, the number of people who want to hire a car versus the availability of cars (or seats on a plane) dictates the rates that we can offer for that car. So [...]