Tips on budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport

Many tourists and business people look for budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport, simply because it’s a great way to get around the area. Even if you’re staying in the city and know that you can use the link between the airport and city, it’s always good to have your own wheels. This applies to both holidaymakers as well as business people, both of whom like to see some of the city and the surrounding areas during their stay.

That’s because it’s an easy trip up to the Sunshine Coast or down to the Gold Coast, even out west to Toowoomba. Car rentals are much cheaper than using taxis and much more versatile and comfortable than using the train or bus systems. It’s also a lot quicker to go from A to B in your own car than having to wait through all the stops on public transport. You also don’t need to carry everything you need for a day out, instead you can fill up the boot.

So while car rentals are the more comfortable and easier option, there’s still a few things you need to know to make it all smooth sailing.

Decide on the designated drivers

Anyone who wants to hire or drive a budget car rental at Brisbane’s domestic airport is required to have a valid driver’s licence, whether an Australian licence or an international licence. In general, you must also be at least 21 years of age to hire a rental car in Australia, but some types of vehicles will require drivers to be slightly older. This means that you need to check these age requirements for the vehicle you want to hire, particularly if you arrange the rental before arriving. For example, if you want to hire our Ford Mustang GT Coupe, you need to be at least 30 years of age, whilst the minimum for our Pajero Sport 7 Seater is 25 years of age.

If the designated driver is not at least 21 years old, then you won’t be able to hire a vehicle. There are a few exceptions for those under 21 years of age, but they are few and far between, and will require a surcharge for these younger drivers.

Confirm the particulars of your insurance

All budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport require vehicle insurance that protects the car rental agency and the person who hires the vehicle from financial loss. All our vehicles come fully insured with the standard liabilities, but you can take out a collision damage waiver (CDW) to reduce these liabilities. The CDW doesn’t, however, reduce your liabilities for single vehicle accidents, for this you need our Gold Cover.

Gold Cover is only available on some vehicles and includes both a collision damage waiver and single vehicle waiver of $300 for cars. Other liabilities that are reduced in our Gold Cover include hail damage and theft, as well as no liability for damage to windscreens, headlights and tyres. Regardless of cover, if an accident occurs, the person who hired the car will pay the outstanding liability, even with our Gold Cover. For more information on our insurance cover, check out our insurance and liabilities pages.

What happens if you break down?

If you break down on your trip, you’ll need to call roadside assistance. We charge a small $2.50 fee per day for you to have access to this service. This applies to most of our vehicles, but there are some exclusions (mainly commercial vehicles and buses for which there is a $150 call out fee). It’s also only applicable for driver-error breakdowns, such as flat tyres or batteries, running out of fuel and locking your keys in the car. We encourage everyone who hires a budget car rental at Brisbane’s domestic airport to use this service, otherwise breakdowns can be extremely expensive. You can find out more on our roadside assistance page.

What happens if you lose your keys?

If you lock your keys in the car, then you will need to call the number for the roadside assistance provided to you with your documentation (if you paid for this additional service). This could be for the RACQ, NRMA or other suitable roadside assistance provider. A service person will arrive within a reasonable time and retrieve your keys. However, if you actually lose the keys and can’t find them, then you’ll need to contact the rental office and arrange for a new set of keys to be sent to your location. There will be an additional cost for this service and it will take some time.

For example, if you hired a budget car rental at Brisbane’s domestic airport and drove to Adelaide, then the keys need to come from Brisbane on a courier and then we need to get them to your current location. Often it’s easier and cheaper if you can make your way to your nearest office to collect the new keys when they have arrived. If you need your car towed, however, because it can’t be left in its current location, then the towing costs and any damage incurred to the vehicle due to this towing will be a liability that you will need to make good.

What about road tolls?

Many of our roads require drivers to pay a toll, so all our rental vehicles are fitted with e-tags. This means that you can drive straight through any of these toll gates and we will charge you the cost of the toll fee plus a fee of $3.30 per calendar day (only on the days you drive through a toll gate). Having an e-tag in your rental car means that you don’t have to worry about arranging for an e-tag before your arrival allowing you to head off immediately. If you don’t drive through any toll gates then you won’t be charged any money or fees.

Benefits of budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport

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Hiring budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport saves you hanging around for taxis, rail or buses and gets you to your destination quickly and in comfort. You can hire your rental car for as long as needed and then simply return it to the airport on the day of your return flight. It’s a very convenient way to travel around Brisbane, as well as the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.

For more information on our budget car rentals at Brisbane’s domestic airport, call Andys Auto Rentals on 0753 024 127.