There are many car rental companies, make sure to choose the most suitable one based on your situation. Here, I will suggest "No birds" based on recommendations from different friends and my personal experience.
It is so simple to rent a car from them, all you need to do is browsing their website http://www.bayswatercarrental.com.au then choose the following:
1) Pick up location: They have 7 pick up locations across Sydney and Western Australia. You can also request transfer you car to the airport for extra fees.
2) Pick up & return Date and time.
3) Age: There are 2 categories. This is required for the insurance
Now you choose your car based on your preference. They have wide range of cars. There are 2 options to select from when you are choosing the car:
1) City Use: It allows you to drive 100 km per day, and any extra km will be chatged for 30 cent. It does not mean you can't drive more than 100 km per day. So, if you rent the car for 2 days, you can drive 150 in the first day for example, and 50 on the second day. When you return the car they will check the ODM and charge you for the extra km if found.
2) Unlimited Km: Allows you to drive inside the state borders for unlimited number of km.
Note: Unlimited Km is more expensive than City Use.
Question: Can I travel outside the city if I choose the City use option? Yes, for sure. Just make sure not to travel outside NSW & ACT if you pick it from Sydney, or outside WA if you pick it from Perth.
Question: I am travelling outside Sydney to enjoy the beach of Wollongong. Should I choose city use or unlimited? You need to do some maths, so calculate the return trip distance, and see which option would save you money ?
Ex: Distance from Sydney to Wollongong around 100 km, so return trip will be around 200 km
City Use option will cost at the time of writing this tgread 45 AUD per day + Extra fees for exceeding the 100km limit (100x0.3) = 45+30 = 75 AUD
Unlimited km option = 135 AUD. It is obvious that tge City use option is cheaper the. Always do some mathematics.
Step 2: Select your options:
- Top Cover: 10AUD per day. Always choose this option as it will waive the damage excess in case of any damage or accident to the car. Peace of mind!
- Child seat: 8AUD per day if you have childrens. By law it is mandatory to place the kids in child seat till a specific age. Refer to the NSW Road & Driving laws for more info.
- GPS: 5AUD per day or use your smartphone but make sure you have a car stand for it, otherwise you may be fined.
Final step: enter ypur details and credit card details to secure your booking. Note that your card will not be charged until you go to the pick up location and sign the papers.
Things to do when on the pick up day:
1) Make sure to arrive 15 mins earlier than your time.
2) Must have your driving license and credit card with you. All international and australian licenses are accepted, but the Learner (L) is not accepted.
3) Finalize the paper work and inspect the car carefully for any damages, if you have added the Top Cover option, the car will not be inspected.
4) Check the fuel level.
Things to do on the return day:
1) Make sure to return the car before or by the specified time. Try not to be late
2) You should return the car with the same fuel level that you recieved. Try to fuel it from the closest fuel station to the return location.
3) Finalize the paper work, and collect your receipt or ask them to send it by email. If there are any extra fees it will be deducted from the security deposit that they hold on the pick up day and they will refund the remaining amount into your card within days.
Enjoy your ride, and have a safe trip !
