Essex car rentals
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Cheap car hire in Essex
Top tips for hiring a car in Essex
- We recommend choosing a smaller, compact, vehicle when hiring a car in Essex, like a standard or economy vehicle. This is because the towns in the county are quite small, with narrow roads in places, as well as old road layouts. However, if you are travelling with the family, or are planning to leave Essex to the surrounding countryside, an SUV or 4x4 is a great choice too. Luxury or convertible cars are also popular choices for vehicle hire in Essex for those on a business trip or celebrating a special occasion.
- Like the rest of the UK, it’s illegal to use your mobile phone or satnav in your hands whilst you’re driving your hire car. If you need to use a device because of an emergency, it’s always best to pull over once it’s safe to do so. If you’re travelling with young children under the age of 12, it’s a legal requirement to use a child seat, it’s easy to add this to your booking when hiring a car – your child may be exempt from this if they are over the height of 135cm, but it’s always best to wait until they are the correct age to be as safe as possible.
- You can hire a car in Essex and use it beyond the county to the rest of the UK; however, if you are planning to visit Scotland and Wales it’s important to note that journey distances are quite long. We recommend making plenty of stops along the way, perhaps overnight if you are travelling to Scotland. Car hire companies in Essex will not charge you extra for this service; however, it’s important to consider that some companies have a limit on mileage, with charges if you go over this amount. It’s therefore best to select a company with unlimited mileage if you are hiring a car in Essex and planning on leaving England.
- Book your rental car in Essex at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Full-size rental cars in Essex are around 336% more expensive than other car types, on average
FAQs about hiring a car in Essex
Should I hire a car in Essex?
Hiring a car in Essex is a great way to visit the county and surrounding area. Use your car to drive easily between the Essex coastline, Layer Marney Tower, Colchester Castle and Audley End House and Gardens – this can all be done in one day when you hire a car. Essex is connected to several main roads so you can quickly and easily get to popular locations outside of the county, like London, Cambridge, Oxford or Kent. Most hire companies allow you to drop off your car at another branch location if you want to start your trip in Essex and finish it in a different town or city.
What is driving like in Essex?
The speed limits in Essex vary throughout the county, the legal speed limit in town centres is usually between 20mph and 30mph, depending on the size of the town. The dual carriageways have a top speed limit of 60mph and the limit on the nearby motorways is 70mph. If you are going from Essex to Kent, you’ll need to pass through the Dartford crossing, which you need to pay for. You no longer pay when at the Dartford crossing itself and instead have to pay online by midnight the day after you cross, or at a PayZone store if you prefer to pay in person.
How old do you have to be to hire a car in Essex?
You have to be a minimum of 21 years old in order to hire a car in Essex and must have held your driving licence for at least a year before renting your vehicle. Even if you meet these requirements, you may still be limited as to which vehicle you can rent, as some larger and more powerful vehicles have higher age restrictions. You may also be subject to a young driver surcharge, it’s best to check with your chosen car hire company in Essex in advance as to their exact policy if you are under the age of 25.
How much does it cost to hire a car in Essex?
On average a car hire in Essex costs RM 298 per day.
What is the most popular car hire in Essex?
Full-size (Volvo XC60 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Essex.
What is the cheapest car hire company in Essex?
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at DRIVALIA (RM 79/day), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (RM 107/day) and Sixt (RM 116/day).
How can I find car hires near me in Essex?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
Car rental locations in Essex
Car rental directory
Enterprise Rent-A-Car car hire locations in Essex
14 Locations
keddy by Europcar car hire locations in Essex
10 Locations
Free2Move car hire locations in Essex
9 Locations
Firefly car hire locations in Essex
8 Locations
GREEN MOTION car hire locations in Essex
7 Locations
Budget car hire locations in Essex
6 Locations
Europcar car hire locations in Essex
6 Locations
Hertz car hire locations in Essex
6 Locations
Avis car hire locations in Essex
4 Locations
Shouqi car hire locations in Essex
4 Locations
Sixt car hire locations in Essex
4 Locations
Sunnycars car hire locations in Essex
4 Locations
Good to know
Most popular car type | Full-size |
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