Car Rental in Singapore can be challenging. But it can also be a fun and exciting time for first-time rentals.
Why Hire Car Rental Services?
People rent cars for plenty of reasons. For one, the biggest drawback of owning cars in Singapore would be the hefty COE that you need to incur. Our article on “COE- What is it and why is it so expensive” would provide you with comprehensive information about the history of COE and its impacts on car ownership. However, even though owning a car may seem to some as an inconsiderable task, there are some situations in which car rental becomes a viable option. Going on road trips, vacations, special occasions and to run errands are some of the many reasons as to why renting becomes relevant.
There are so many benefits to renting a car in Singapore; cost-efficiency, convenience, comfortability being three of its main draws. Check out our previous post on “Should I Get Short-term or Long-term Car Rental in Singapore” to access your needs and benefits of different rental schemes and decide from there.
Nevertheless, the car rental industry is vast – with over 150+ unique companies to choose from. Hence, therein lies the difficulty in obtaining information due to the paradox of a plethora of choice.
Here are some things you might want to know about car rental before making the decision.
Types of Car Rental Companies
Car rental companies are categorised into 2 groups: international companies (Car rental brand names like Hertz, Avis etc.) or local car rental companies (e.g. BizLink Rent-A-Car Pte. Ltd.).
INTERNATIONAL CAR RENTAL COMPANIES
For international companies, customers would be familiar with them as they have since established brand loyalty. International companies place a premium in ensuring quality customer experience and would have a wider range of cars from their specific brand. For customers that prefer a particular make and model of car, they need not plough through the market for it and is able to go straight to the source. This would be the go-to place for die-hard car fans that are adamant about their make and model of car. However, this service does come with a cost – they tend to be more expensive.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE LOCAL CAR RENTAL COMPANIES.
There is a great variance on the extent of local car rental companies and the extent of the different fleet sizes of available cars for rental. It is sometimes said that these local car companies have a relatively cheaper rate than their international counterparts, but the trade-off would be that international companies may have better service and quality cars. However, this may not hold to be true as the trained salesperson would be able to assist you with your every need and thus some feedback that they sometimes provide better maintenance and services than their international counterparts. The only drawback would be that depending on their fleet size, your ability to rent the car with the make and model of your choice would ultimately be dependent on the availability of the car at the point in time.
Factors that affect rental:
In consideration of renting a car, rental rates place an important component in the decision making process. These may be some of the factors that would contribute to the rental rates:
- Make and model of car
- Car rental duration
- Peak/surcharge due to high demand
Below is an example of how the car rental rates would differ, with the differing types of usages kept in mind:
It is also not unknown that with shorter duration spans come higher costs. For example, for a mid-size family sedan car, it will cost around S$80.00/day if the rental period is less than 3 days. However, when rented on a weekly basis, the weekly rental charge is around S$490.00/week, which is about S$70.00/day. In extension, for monthly rental packages for the same midsize family sedan car, it would cost around S$1,400.00-S$1,600.00 per month, which adds up to about only S$43.00 – S$53.00/day. The savings are substantial!
[Disclaimer: these rates are estimates and they may vary due to the factors as stated above. They are also subjected to 7% GST and valid for use in Singapore and excludes Malaysia surcharges. For more accurate quotations, please contact the sales staff of your preferred car rental company.]
Additional Tips
Tips on car rentals can be aplenty. To add on from our previous post on “Car Rental Guide: Useful Tips for Renting a Car in Singapore”, here are some additional practical tips for you to maximise your rental package.
- Ask for the recommended list of car types/models for different usages and compare them with your needs.
- Be sure to check whether these rates are during off-peak and on-peak seasons.
- So that you can arrange for the most ideal time of rental. E.g. if you could schedule a trip during the off-peak seasons, you would be paying 10% – 15% less per day as compared to a trip during the on-peak seasons.
- Be flexible in your rental dates (+/- 1 day). This would open up more options in rental cars.
- If you want a 1-day weekend rental. Having a pick-up or return on a Saturday or Sunday may incur more manpower costs. It would be advisable to do pick-ups on Fridays and returns on Mondays instead.
- Check if it advisable to do your own pick-up and returns if you are set on a specific date of rental so that you can save on delivery costs.
- Check to see whether there are any promotions that the company is offering.
- E.g. For special occasions like Hari Raya. Ask the salesperson for any discounted special package rates.
- Read the terms and conditions. Check with the sales representative on the do’s and don’ts of renting a car.
- For example, for BizLink Rent-A-Car, we have a policy of a minimum 3-day rental period required for each booking. With this information, you would be able to make more comprehensive decisions and find the best car rental company that would cater to your needs more effectively.
- Read reviews to compare and contrast.
- Reading online reviews (e.g. Google reviews) is essential in getting an unbiased view of the products. Obtaining customer service and the credibility of the company are just some of the many examples. It’s an easy way to sieve through competitors and to obtain a car rental package plan best suited to your needs.
To Sum Up…
Car rental in Singapore can be unnerving. However, we hope that this article has given you some points to ponder about so that you get the rental car that is worth every penny spent! With so many customisable options, it’s always good to speak to an experienced sales representative as they would help cater to your car rental to suit your personalised needs. If you’re still feeling unsure about the different car rental packages, simply give BizLink Rent-A-Car and the support team a call at +65 6285 6616.
Click here to view our available car rental models.
