Things to Check Before Hiring a Self-Drive Car in Uganda

Safety and having the right Car for the purpose you rented it is one of the important elements of a road trip. Most importantly, your Uganda car rental should be lawfully up-to-the-minute (have a minimum third-party insurance covering it, be registered with URA (Uganda Revenue Authority), and is roadworthy). Most Car Renters, because they are unaware or are in a rush tend to forget the key things while undertaking their self-drive tours and thus end up being disappointed or paying extra for their negligence or forgetfulness. It is important for travelers to have a checklist for the self-driving rental Car prior to making long trips for smoother journeys and unforgettable experiences. You wouldn’t want to experience unusual and unnatural disruptions along the way and for this reason, we bring you some of the important things you need to check before driving off with your self-drive Car;

Renting a Car from a credible and registered Car Rental Company

One of the most important checks you need to do is to ensure that the Car you plan on using for the self-drive tour has been rented from a credible and registered Car rental or Tour and Travel Company. This, you have to do even before making payments. The best way to do this is by going through the Company’s website, checking TripAdvisor or google reviews, checking the location of the Company and more easily getting experiences from any of your close friends, relatives, or colleagues who had used the Company’s services.

Check whether the required Rental Car documents are up-to-the-minute

Some of the crucial documentation to check before leaving for the self-drive trip include your valid driving License, the receipt for renting the Car, the Car rental Agreement, the Rental Car Authorization letter from the Company, the Registration certificate for the Rental Car, the rental car’s valid and up-to-date Insurance, and the Car’s fitness certificate. These important checks will ensure you have a smooth self-drive tour without interruption from traffic officers.

Make sure that the Car you are given is what you booked/or asked for

Based on the number of passengers the Rental car is intended to take, the trip demand for the Car, the purpose of the Car (safari/game drive, business meeting, airport transfer, wedding, or research studies), whether you are familiar with a particular Car for long-distance road trips or through remote areas, you might ask for a particular Car type/model. Make sure that what you get is what you asked for. Remember that different Car types have different prices and it is very important to first understand the Car rental Rates before finally choosing which one to hire. You wouldn’t want to pay a Land Cruiser V8 price for a Toyota Rav4. Another important advice to take is to use Diesel Cars because they are more pocket-friendly and therefore have a lesser effect on your road trip budget.

Properly check to ascertain whether there are any hidden charges

If you book your Rental Car in Uganda, you will notice that some Car Rental Companies will request for accidental insurance, security deposits and accidental damage fees which will most likely affect the final price of hiring the Car. For this reason, make sure that you are well acquainted with these charges that are likely to apply to the Car you are hiring. This is done by thoroughly reading and understanding the Car Rental Terms of Conditions to avoid any surprises.

Check the Car for any damages/scratches/dents

One of the mistakes that travelers do is leaving the Company premises before properly checking the Car. For this reason, before undertaking tour self-drive tour, take your time to thoroughly check the Car for any damages, dents or scratches and this should be backed by photos to avoid paying extra costs for damages you didn’t cause. Also, ensure that the wheel pressure. Clutches, lock sensors, brakes, oil levels and others are well checked and recorded. Not only will you save yourself from extra costs but also make your road trip smooth, safe and memorable.