Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Local firms are always cheaper than the big operators - sometimes half the price - but cheap car hire often comes
with restrictions on how far you can take the vehicle away from the rental centre.
Some, but not all, car- rental companies offer one-way hires, so research this option before you arrive. It's worth in-
vestigating and combining with an internal flight if you're travelling to somewhere like Exmouth, Broome or Esperance.
A significant premium is usually charged. There are sometimes good deals for taking a car or campervan from, say,
Broome back to Perth, but you'll need to contact local rental companies closer to the time of rental.
You must be at least 21 years old to hire from most firms - if you're under 25 you may only be able to hire a small car
or have to pay a surcharge. A credit card will be essential.
Renting a 4WD enables you to safely tackle routes off the beaten track and get out to more remote natural wonders.
Note that many 'normal' rental cars aren't allowed off main roads, so always check insurance conditions carefully, espe-
cially the excess, as they can be onerous. Even for a 4WD, the insurance offered by most companies does not cover
damage caused when travelling 'off-road', which basically means anything that is not a maintained bitumen or dirt road.
Avis
(
13 63 33;
www.avis.com.au
)
Backpacker Car Rentals
(
08-9430 8869;
www.backpackercarrentals.com.au
) Good-value local agency.
Bayswater Car Rental
(
08-9325 1000;
www.bayswatercarrental.com.au
) Local company with four branches in
Perth and Fremantle.
Britz Rentals
( 1800 331 454;
www.britz.com
) Hires out fully equipped 4WDs fitted out as campervans, popular
on the roads of northern WA. Britz has offices in all the state capitals, as well as Perth and Broome, so one-way rentals
are possible.
Budget
(
1300 362 848;
www.budget.com.au
)
Campabout Oz
(
08-9477 2121;
www.campaboutoz.com.au
)
Campervans, 4WDs and motorbikes.
Hertz
(
13 30 39;
www.hertz.com.au
)
Mighty Cars & Campers
(
1800 670 232;
www.mightycampers.com.au
)
Thrifty
(
1300 367 227;
www.thrifty.com.au
)
Wicked Campers
(
1800 246 869;
www.wickedcampers.com.au
)
Check the website for good last-minute dis-
counts.
Insurance
In Australia, third-party personal-injury insurance is always included in the vehicle registration cost. This ensures that
every registered vehicle carries at least minimum insurance. You'd be wise to extend that minimum to at least third-
party property insurance as well - minor collisions with other vehicles can be surprisingly expensive.
If you're bringing your own car from within Australia, take out the most comprehensive roadside assistance plan you
can. It's not a matter of if your car will break down, but when. Having the top cover will offset your recovery costs con-
siderably.
For hire cars, establish exactly what your liability is in the event of an accident. Rather than risk paying out thousands
of dollars if you do have an accident, you can take out your own comprehensive insurance on the car, or (the usual op-
tion) pay an additional daily amount to the rental company for an 'insurance excess reduction' policy. This brings the
amount of excess you must pay in the event of an accident down from between $2000 and $5000 to a few hundred dol-
lars.
