Top Ten Tips For Europe Travel - Tip #6: Leasing

02 Nov 2005

Some of us have the luxury of being able to leave our homes and traverse the globe for months, even years at a time. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome while attempting this is finding reliable transportation at a comfortable price. Buying a car is only economical if you own property abroad, and renting a car for more than a month can cost more than we are willing to pay. Luckily, there’s a third option: Leasing.

A short term lease not only provides you with a brand new vehicle right off the factory floor, but for periods of 30 days or more it can be much cheaper than a rental. If you have ever rented a car before during high-traffic tourist seasons, you probably have had the misfortune of getting the beater of the bunch. High mileage, a window that won’t roll all the way down, weird noises coming from the engine. The list is potentially endless. All these problems are solved with a short term lease.

The first thing you should be sure of is that you will have the car for more than 17 days. This is the standard minimum time that you can have a leased vehicle in Europe. Although this program only becomes cost effective after about one month, some of us would rather have the piece of mind that comes with a brand new car. Most of the price comes from registration fees and full insurance with a zero deductible. After those requirements are fulfilled, your daily rate will go down the longer you keep the vehicle, up to a typical maximum of 175 days. This maximum can sometimes be extended depending on your circumstances, such as a professor teaching abroad.

Another plus to leasing is the lack of restrictions on where you can drive it. Whereas most rental companies will limit you to western Europe, you can rest assured that your leased vehicle is allowed to drive wherever your heart wants to go. Be advised though that while you are permitted to go wherever you want, the amount of locations in which your insurance is valid is not limitless, so make sure you know your boundaries before you decide to go off-roading.

The three main manufacturers that run a leasing program in Europe all based out of France. Peugeot, the biggest of the three, offers 19 different makes and models with either a gasoline or diesel engine. Auto Europe can make the arrangements for you stateside. The only prerequisites are that you are not a member of the EU and over 18 years of age, so it makes a great option for student travelers, who would otherwise pay exorbitant fees for renting under the age of 25. It is also worth mentioning that if you pick up in France, it will be cheaper. Most major European locations are represented but there will be a delivery fee, depending on how far away the location is, since they have to put it on a truck and drive it there.

All in all, while the paperwork is a bit more elaborate than your standard rental agreement, leasing is by far the best option you have when needing a car for a month or more in Europe. Think of it as a really long test drive, since afterwards you can buy the car straight from the manufacturer at a discounted price. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it so much you’ll decide to stay in Europe!

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