Tips for Renting a Campervan in Australia

By Adele Mcmasters on 27th January

Driving around Australia in a campervan is a thrilling way to explore the country. Campervans come with sleeping and cooking facilities, so you can save up on accommodation and restaurant costs on your trip. If you don’t have at least $10,000 to buy a used campervan, you might want to consider hiring one. There are several services that provide campervan rentals. However, you should know what to look for to get the best campervan hire for your trip. Here are several tips for renting the right campervan for you:

Know What’s Included in the Package

It’s important to know what comes with the campervans when you hire it. For example, some campervan hire packages include items like bed linen, kitchen equipment, child seats, and campsite seating items. You should inquire whether these items are included with your rental. If not, you will need to acquire these before the trip. But you don’t want to restock two of the same items and clutter the limited interior.

Get the Tax Rate

The GST applies to campervans when they are rented out. The tax is typically included in the rental price. However, it’s highly recommended to check the price quote to make sure GST is one of the charges that are included so you have a realistic idea of the full costs.

Pick Up and Drop off Locations Should be Specified

The rental company should offer specifics for pickups and drop off locations. This is important because you don’t want to drive around looking for a corporate office. Services like Hit the Road offer multiple pickup and drop off locations for the convenience of clients.

Get Your License Ready

For Australian locals, the regular driver’s license (unless it’s expired or in on probation) is sufficient for operating a campervan. If you are a tourist in Australia who want to go on a campervan trip, you need to get your international driver’s license verified before leaving. If you don’t have an international driving permit, you need to present an English translation of your native country’s driver’s license (if not in English). Keep in mind that the Australia government may not accept driver’s licenses from certain countries.

Mind the Age Restrictions for Young or Elderly Drivers

You should declare your age to the rental company when hiring the campervan. Some companies allow 18-year-olds to operate campervans, but in Australia, the legal age for driving a campervan is 21 or above. Rental companies should not deny a hire for drivers who are over 75 as long as they provide medical evidence that they are fit to drive.

Negotiate to Reduce Liability Charges

Campervan rental companies charge an excess, a deductible fee that protects in liability cases. It’s a charge that reflects what you have to pay if you crash the campervan. The rental vehicles are insured against damages and other issues. Therefore, you can sometimes negotiate down the excess. When renting, ask why the excess is as high as it is and whether you can pay a lower amount.

On a final note, it’s recommended to take out your own travel insurance before you hire a campervan for a trip. The campervan’s insurance policy will not cover you.

Essential Tips for Every First-Time Car Buyer

By Adele Mcmasters on 22nd December

So the time has come for you to finally purchase your very first car, and amongst many other things you are probably feeling incredibly excited, impatient to get your hands on the wheel and take it for a spin. The first thing you should bear in mind is that there is so much more to owning a car. Regardless of how much money you have, there are key responsibilities that every car owner should follow, which will help in the smooth running of your vehicle, not to mention offer you peace of mind. So as a first-time car owner, here are a few critical tips that will stand you in good stead every time you buy a car from now on.

68 Mustang Fastback

Vehicle Safety Inspections

Just as its name implies, this is about ensuring the vehicle you are about to purchase is in good condition. This is especially important if you are buying a car second-hand. Some automotive repair shops offer this service, so when deciding on one, it is best to opt for one that does. It can be immensely useful in helping you make a sound purchasing decision, and to find out whether there are any defects you should know about. You have to be extremely careful when buying vehicles, and this is the first step in the process.

Repairs

The type of vehicle you buy will give you an idea of what sort of repairs you can expect. Sports cars for instance, would have different requirements to a family car. You want to be sure that you will not sustain exorbitantly high costs on repairs, should any come up. This includes spare parts too. If the spare parts are hard to track and obtain, then the cost of repair will be higher. Also look for someone who handles smash repairs well in your area. So if you look for a repair shop in Bentleigh East for instance, you could even look for it under dent repairs Bentleigh east.

Servicing

This will be one of the most important things you do for your car. Servicing is an essential component to being sure your car will not suddenly stall and fall apart in the middle of nowhere. Servicing helps keep your car in great shape both inside and out, and the right mechanic for the job is a key part of this. The functionalities of the car will be well tuned at all times, which will also be useful for when you are looking to sell your car. Do not skimp on this, it is one of the most basic things you will need to handle as a car owner.

Learn To Do Basic Changes

You will also have to learn how to change oil, check water and do a tyre change. These are vital if you own a car. You never know when you might have to change a tyre, and you may not always have immediate help, so you have to depend on yourself. It is not complicated at all, and you can even learn how to do all of these things via YouTube. After all, it is the age of the Internet, so you may as well make good use of it!