Tips for renting a self-drive car during Tet (Lunar New Year)

The trend of renting self-drive cars is becoming increasingly popular, especially for families who need to travel back to their hometowns for Tet (Lunar New Year).

The type of vehicle significantly impacts the rental cost. Therefore, before making a decision, take the time to carefully consider the type of vehicle you intend to rent, based on criteria such as the ease or difficulty of the route, destination, distance, and the number of passengers.

Once you have an idea in mind about the type of car you want to rent, don't be "lazy" and search for information online or ask friends and family for recommendations on reputable car rental places. Call and visit them in person to compare prices.

As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, self-drive car rental prices can vary between different rental companies, depending on usage needs. Therefore, checking prices beforehand will help customers choose a rental service with reasonable and affordable rates.

In Hanoi, the rental price for a 2014-2015 Hyundai i10 is around 12 million VND for a 7-day contract. For the automatic transmission version, renters have to pay an additional 2 million VND. On a regular day, the rental price for the same car is only 600,000-700,000 VND per day.

Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, rental prices have increased by up to 100%. Even the cheapest Kia Morning (2010-2013 model), which normally costs around 500,000 VND per day, has risen to one million VND per day. Family cars like the manual transmission Innova or Fortuner (2010-2013 model) now range from 1.8 to 2 million VND per day.

Another important criterion is the rental package. Renters need to consider whether they will rent by the kilometer or by the day, the extra charge for each kilometer, etc., to avoid being overcharged later. Unlike normal days, during Tet (Lunar New Year), self-drive car rental companies prioritize package deals (7-10 days) over individual rentals.

Once you've decided on the car you want to rent and the price, you should book early to avoid the situation of cars being unavailable or prices increasing due to high demand. Typically, customers are required to pay a deposit of a few million VND to reserve a car.

According to surveys, approximately 80% of customers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have already placed advance orders. A representative from a self-drive car rental business stated that due to the surge in demand during the holiday, in addition to higher prices, customers should plan to book early to have a choice of vehicles.

A contract is a binding document between two parties. Currently, there are no common standards in the self-drive car rental market; each company sets its own regulations, and usually, when an incident occurs, the customer is the one who suffers the loss. Therefore, renters should always be cautious and carefully read the terms and conditions. Don't hesitate to request compensation in case the car received is not the correct color, type, or model.

After completing the procedures and receiving the vehicle, the renter needs to take the crucial step of thoroughly inspecting the car. If not confident enough, they can ask an experienced person to accompany them for assistance.

The inspection process includes checking the vehicle body, interior, spare tire, spare light bulb, remaining fuel level, odometer reading, etc. Finally, for added peace of mind, the renter should request a test drive from the provider to check other features of the vehicle.

According to ZING