South Africa car and 4X4 rental terms and conditions
Car insurance
All car rentals include third party coverage, taxes (14%) and full SCDW (supercover collision damage waiver) coverage and theft coverage (Super Theft Loss Waiver) without excess. PAI insurance (personal accident insurance) is always included in rental rates. Comprehensive insurance terms and conditions are available at the rental office. Be sure to request your copy when you pick up your car. Your insurance does not cover damage which is the result of actions prohibited in the terms and conditions of the rental agreement (such as driving under influence etc). For rentals taking place wholly withing South Africa, damage to tyres, rims and hubcaps are covered in the Super Insurance Coverage. Damage to tyres (in countries other than South Africa), windows, the bottom of the car and water damage is always at your own expense. It is however possible to purchase extra insurance coverage (an additional waiver) for R70 per day (approx. £6.30 per day) that will cover damage to tyres and windows as well. In the event of fines, a R220 (approx. £19.95) admin fee will be charged in addition to the fine and in the event of damage to the car you will be charged an admin fee of R550 (approx. £49.86) even if you have full insurance coverage.
When renting a 4X4, theft of the radio and damage to windows, tires and camping equipment is not insured. Our standard price excess is: ZAR 45.000 (approximately £3800.00). You can also choose to pay off the excess completely or half:
Option 1: For ZAR 150 per day you can pay off the excess up to ZAR 20.000 (maximum of 50 days or ZAR 7.500).
Option 2: For ZAR 300 per day you can pay off the excess completely (maximum of 50 days or ZAR 15.000).
If you book your 4X4 through us all items mentioned above are insured, unless the damage is caused by negligence, reckless driving or use of inappropriate or illegal roads.
Rental car categories As is the case all over the world, car rental reservations are made based on category and not on make or model of the car. The makes and models featured on the site are examples of possible rental cars. If the category requested isn't available, you'll receive an upgrade at the same rental rate. Upgrades are possible on location, a surcharge based on local rates will be payable upon pick-up of the car. If there is no alternative available, then we will always contact you first to discuss possible options.
Fuel
Petrol costs approximately R9 (approx. £.89) per litre and is therefore quite affordable. Remember to keep an eye on your fuel gauge and to fill up your tank on time (you'll especially want to fill your tank as often as possible in remote areas). Petrol stations mainly accept payment in cash in Rand but a lot of them have begun to accept debit cards too. Your rental car will have a full tank at pick-up and when you drop it off, the tank should be full as well. The rental office will deduct a full tank of gas from your credit car afterwards if the tank is not full upon return. Co-drivers
All drivers must be added to the rental agreement. There is a R250 (approx. £23.00) surcharge per driver, per rental period that must be paid at the time of pick-up of your car. As of the 1st of November 2011, the first additional driver is included in the rental of a vehicle. After 01/11/2011 you will only pay this fee if you have more than two drivers intending to drive the vehicle during your holiday. There is no additional charge when renting a 4x4, however the co-driver must be mentioned on the rental agreement. Pick-up / drop-off fees
Many car rental companies charge a pick-up or drop-off fee. This is a surcharge that must be paid in the event that you drop off your car at a location other than the pick-up location. These fees must be paid on location and are therefore not included in the price of your trip. On average you'll pay: R660 (approx. £60.00) When the distance between the pick up Budget location and the drop off Budget location is further than 150 Kilometers.
R660 (approx. £60.00) Johannesburg -> Durban/Cape Town/Mpumalanga (Kruger)
R500 (approx. £45.00) Port Elizabeth (or other cities on the Garden Route) -> Cape Town
The 4x4 can be picked up and returned to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Windhoek. The depots are located near the airports and you'll be taken to and picked up from the airport. If you would like to drop off the car in another location than those mentioned above, prices are available upon request. Any additional baggage can be stored at the depots free of charge. At pick-up you'll receive a thorough introduction. The offices are open from Monday through Friday from open 08:00 to 17:00, drop-off (with a full tank) is possible until 16:00, on Saturday, Sunday and holidays they are open between 08:00 and 13:00 (drop-off until 12.00). Closed at Christmas. Near the pick-up point in Johannesburg there's the Boksburg shopping mall. This is a great place to stock up on supplies before you leave (we suggest you do).
Contract fee/ Frequent Flyer
There is an additional tax in South Africa that must be paid for car rental agreements. This fee is not included in the price of your trip and amounts to R55 (£5.00). Special rates booked in advance do not come with Frequent Flyer privileges.
The 4X4 rental agreement fee is R20.00. Delivery fees
Instead of picking up your car at the airport or city office, you can also have it delivered (and picked up) at your hotel. During office hours between 08:30 and 16:30, Monday through Friday, within a radius of 25 km from the rental station, if requested while booking the trip, if the driver owns a credit card and all credit card information is available when the trip is booked the delivery charges amount to: R250 (approx. £23.00). If the pick up is in the weekend or after office hours the cost of delivery is R500 (approx. £46 payment on receipt of car). If you booked a room in the Johannesburg Airport Lodge for your first overnight stay, your car can be delivered there. If the car is to be delivered 26km or more away from the rental location, there is a R10 (approx. £0.90) surcharge per km.
The above does not apply to 4X4 rental; your only option is to be taken to the depot by the transfer.
Additional options
If you are travelling with small children we suggest renting a baby- or children's car seat. The cost of renting a baby- or children's car seat is approximately R300 (approx. £28.00) per rental period. If you wish to book a children's car seat, be sure to clearly indicate this when booking your trip so that we can have one available for you upon your arrival. Car seats for children are required by law for children less than 2 years of age. GPS/ Satellite telephone
Another additional option available to you is the rental of a GPS with your car for approximately R69 (approx. £6.20) per day.
When renting a 4X4, a GPS will cost R500 per GPS for a maximum stay of 23 days. If you plan on staying in South(ern) Africa longer than 23 days, the costs are R750. You'll pay an EXTRA deposit of R1000, to be paid when you pick up the 4X4. Once you return it without any damage, your money will be returned to you. Keep in mind that one-way fees apply if you decide to drop off the GPS at another location than where you picked it up.
It is also possible to rent a satellite telephone. We strongly suggest doing this, since the range of your ordinary cell phone could be very limited in Southern Africa. That way you'll always have a phone with you in case of emergency. They can be rented through us starting at 8 US$ per day (insurance 3 US$ per day). Keep in mind that R2000 will be 'blocked' on your credit card as deposit. You could also choose to bring a satellite phone with you from the UK. Contact your local telephone provider for more information. If you decide to drop off the satellite phone at another location than where it was picked up, you will have to pay a one-way fee.
Payment and safety deposit
If we arrange a rental car for you, your travel plan quote (which you will receive by email) will include the costs of car rental during your trip. Once you've paid the entire price of your trip to us, your rental car has been paid for as well. Authorisation for a deposit of R 1650 (approx. £150) per rental period will required from your credit card company once you pick up your car. This amount will not be charged to your credit card immediately. However, as a deposit, a charge slip will be made from your credit card by a representative of the rental company when they deliver your car to your hotel or when you pick up a car at the rental location. The credit card slip will be returned to you, unprocessed, once you've returned the rental car in good condition.
When you pick up a 4X4 a deposit will also be blocked on your credit card. This amount is equal to the excess of R 45.000 (approx. £3825,00). After you return the vehicle clean and free of damage, the deposit will be returned to your credit card. If you choose to pay off the excess completely, you'll pay ZAR 1.250 and ZAR 250 administrative fees will be charged if any damage does occur. Full tank
Vehicles are picked up with a full tank and must be returned with a full tank as well.
When picking up your 4X4, you'll receive a 10% discount on a full tank. When you return the vehicle the tank should be as empty as possible. There are no restitutions for left over petrol. The reason for this is that the vehicles have an extra petrol tank and although the vehicle may indicate having a 'full tank', it isn't certain whether or not the extra tank is full as well. Since the rental organisation has had many problems with this in the past, he chose this new method instead.
Driver's licence and minimum driving age
In order to be able to drive a rental car, you must have been in possession of a driver's licence for at least 1 year. This rule also applies to co-drivers. You are also required to be in possession of both your regular driver's licence and an international driver's licence if you're planning on driving a rental car in South Africa. The minimum age requirement for drivers and co-drivers is 21. For drivers younger than 21 years an additional excess waiver will be charged at R165 (£15) per day will apply.
The minimum age for 4X4 rental is 21yrs. Identification
When you receive your car keys for your rental car from the rental company representative, you must be in possession of a passport with a validity of at least 6 more months, a (UK) driver's licence, an international driver's licence and a credit card (see payment and safety deposit). Rental period
The minimum rental period is 1 day (24 hours) for trips within South Africa and 5 days if you're also planning on visiting neighbouring countries (such as Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana). The pick-up day is indicative for the rental rate and the longer you rent a car, the lower the daily rate will be. If you wish to drop off the car in another location than the pick-up location, the minimum rental period is 3 days. If you return the car later than agreed upon in the rental agreement, you'll be charged for the extra hours or days. The surcharges are based on local rates, not our discounted rates. If you return the car earlier, you will not be reimbursed for unused days. Your car rental will be arranged for travel in South Africa. If you would like to drive through Lesotho or Swaziland, let us know before your departure to South Africa and we will have a special permit waiting for you at the rental office. There are no extra fees for this permit. It is also possible to drive the car through Namibia and Botswana; however there are special rules and surcharges involved (such as a R 1100 cross border fee, approx. £87.00). Ask one of our travel specialists about the terms and conditions and fees involved. Driving through Mozambique, Zimbabwe (due to instability of the area) and Zambia is strictly prohibited. Detailed information is available at the rental office. This information is subject to change.
The prices for 4X4 rental are per day. The minimum rental period is 5 days. Prices are based on the season, the starting date is not indicative for the entire rental period. You'll be able to drive your 4X4 in: South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. At the time of booking or 3 weeks before departure at the latest, let us know which countries you want visit so that we can arrange the necessary border documents before departure.
Rental locations
There are many rental locations, even in surrounding countries. The most important locations are: Johannesburg (airport and city), Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Windhoek. More information, other offices, addresses, telephone numbers and office hours are available upon request.
Pick-up / Drop-off
Pick up your car at the airport or at the city office if it is opened. In order for your reservation to remain valid, pick up your car within 1 hour of the agreed upon time. City maps and trail maps are available for free; however they are usually not very detailed. We encourage you to purchase detailed maps in the UK or right after arrival in South Africa (for better prices). Having the maps prior to departing by car allows for better planning. If you get lost due to lack of detail on your maps and return your rental car late, you'll have to pay (a portion of) the daily local rental rate. In order to avoid any uncertainties about your credit card bill for your car rental, we suggest having your bill calculated for you upon return of your car to the rental office. Ask for a copy of the final invoice and be sure to check this amount when you receive your credit card statement.
For information on the 4X4, see the "Pick-up / drop-off fees" section above. Baggage
There is limited baggage room in rental cars, especially in smaller cars. Renting a luggage rack is only possible for certain types of cars. When travelling with more than 2 people, there is often more baggage than baggage space. Soft travel bags are better to store than hard shell suitcases. An upgrade usually provides more baggage space. Replacement car
If necessary, a replacement car will be provided for you. This may be a different type of car than the original rental car. Maintenance
All cars are inspected regularly and repaired when necessary. Maximum speed
Everyone drives on the left side of the road in South Africa (as in the UK). The maximum speed on the highway is 120 km; on country roads 100 km and within rural areas 60 km. Always try to watch your speed, not only because of road regulations, but also in order to avoid a collision with crossing goats or other animals. In case of emergency
The rental office has a 24-hour emergency number that can be called locally. This phone number will be on your rental agreement, which you will receive along with the keys to your rental car. The rental company has a road assistance service (Netcare 911) that can provide assistance when needed. Use of this service is at your own expense. Medical Rescue International (MRI) is included in the price of your trip. Information is subject to change
All information on rates, insurance premiums and terms and conditions is subject to change (for instance due to changes in local laws and regulations) without prior notice by the rental office. Detailed terms and conditions relating to the rental agreement will be given to you when you pick up your car. |