Are you Planning a road trip in Ras al Khaimah? Whether you’re just a tourist in Ras al-Khaimah or resident, Leasing a car can be time-consuming and nerve-racking, but it doesn’t have to be costly. By renting a car in Ras al-Khaimah, you’ll have the flexibility to explore the emirates’ diverse regions and culture at your own schedule. While the approach is similar to renting a car anywhere else in the UAE, below are a few things to understand prior to renting a car in Ras al-Khaimah.
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Fuel Up Yourself
Usually, rental cars in Ras al-khaimah handover the car with a full tank of fuel before you start your rental and you’ll be asked to return it full. Indeed if you’re rushed for time, many of you find it attractive as it refrains you from struggling to find a nearby petrol station etc but remember that, sometimes hiring companies charge you excess of the odds for this service. Considering this scenario, I advise you if you’re on a tight budget, you should refuse this offer and do it yourself. You should ask for the price without fuel and compare it with pre-filled. However, before taking the final decision, ensure to check nearby petrol pumps.
Book in Advance
It’s slightly true that sometimes renting a vehicle at the last minute may award you a good deal, often you’ll find it challenging. So,It will likely be cheaper to book your car before your trip date. If you’re super confident about your visit, better to hire a few before your schedule. However, ensure to check out the rental company refund policy and deposit amount to secure your booking. Paying 10% to 30% in advance with the hope of getting a good price is not a bad idea.
Pay in Dirham
Ras al-Khaimah is a multicultural and well-developed city. It’s possible you have the opportunity to pay for the rental in several international currencies such as USD, Pound or EURO, yet by doing so can cost you more in the long run. Actually, when you pay in other than Dirham, the rental car company converts the purchase amount from the local currency on your behalf. Therefore, Paying in the Dirham to avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion fees appears sensible. Not doing so could end up costing you more cash than expected.
Prefer Local Rental
In the car rental sector, you will find the big international players who definitely have a presence in Ras al-Khaimah such as fast and budget car rental. Aside, many online car rental websites also have connections with local vendors. Occasionally these big players and online websites may offer you an attractive offer, but it’s advisable to book with local car rental companies with a few fleets as they generally grant significantly discounted offers. However, be sure to check company reviews online and a wide variety of functional cars. Regrettably small companies also come with hurdles because mostly such small car rental companies in Ras al-Khaimah don’t process online payment. Luckily, I’ve found this Ras al-Khaimah car rental company offers online payment options.
Hire for Longer
Supposing that the weekly rate would be cheaper than the daily rate, unless you’re a tourist in the Ras al-Khaimah, I suggest you lease a car for many days. You won’t always find a better deal this way particularly ahead of holidays, but it’s worth a look to be sure. In case you lease the car for monthly, make sure to get between 10% to 20% discounted rates. Also keep in mind, before you decide to book, It is important to go through the rental’s terms and conditions to confirm that you won’t pay any extra charges for giving back the car early.
Choose the Smallest Vehicle
Just like all over the world, leasing a small car in the Ras al-Khaimah is generally the cheapest as compared with luxury cars such Lamborghini.. I’m not suggesting that you book something that’s not big enough for your family. If you’re a small family with upto five people plus luggage go with 5 seaters. In certain cases, there won’t be any economy or subcompact cars available when you turn up at the rental counter to pick up your car, so you’ll end up getting an upgraded car anyway-and you won’t need to pay for it.
Go for Manual
Inexpensive car rental means, you’ve to compromise. If your driving is perfect with manual transmission, opt for it. Fortunately, manual transmission is common in Ras al-Khaimah. In fact automatic transmission rental cars are more rare-and more pricey here. For that reason If you are aware of how to drive a stick shift, you can save a reasonable amount, depending on the car model. (Having said that if you don’t already have experience with the stick shift, don’t try to learn on a rental car.)
Avoid Airport Locations
As a universal rule, leasing a car directly from Ras al-Khaimah airport locations is costly. If you’re looking to transfer from Ras al-Khaimah airport to the city, you should avoid picking up or dropping off your vehicle from the airport area. That’s due to the fact several car rental companies charge additional fees for parking at airport locations.
Avoid Weekdays
Considering the fact that business travelers often rent cars during weekdays, weekend rentals charges in many cases are less than weekday rentals. So if your trip timing is manageable, shifting your schedule over a Saturday and Sunday might help you save a few bucks.
