We're off to Lanzarote at the beginning of Jan for a week and plan to hire a car for a few days while we are there - does anyone know how much it costs to hire a small car over there? We're wondering with the poor exchange rates at the mo whether it'd work out cheaper to arrange & pay for it over here before we go or if it'd still be better to wait til we get there?

Many thanks in advance

It's cheaper to hire on the island, not because of the exchange rate, just because they're cheaper.

If you're picking up at the airport I'd recommend autoreisen, very reasonable and all the insurances included. Some companies say comprehensive insurance included but it's not the way we understand comprehensive insurance. Autoreiesn's is though.

You can pre-book and pay on arrival.

Link:- http://www.arcarhire.com/car-hire/car-hire.php

Agree with robert Much better to wait until you're here. If you don't want a car for the whole week, then there are car hire firms in every resort. If you want it for a week I would say AutoReisen from the airport is a very good deal - somewhere around 100€ per week for the smallest car.

I too would wait until you get there. even whe you get to your resort and shop around you can still pick up a bargain.

Thank you all for your help. It's the advice I wanted to hear as I wasn't keen on booking it for a certain number of days before we got there as we're planning to play it very much by ear - if the weather's going to be poor we'll book the car for longer than if it's nice and sunny.

Thanks again

If you have to taxi back to the airport it might be worth dropping the car back there.

We'll be in Playa Blanca next year and we intend hiring a car for the last week, picking it up in the resort and dropping it back at the airport. This doesn't cost any extra and saves the taxi fare back to the airport, which is about 40 euros from Playa Blanca.

One thing though the cost of a hiring a car for say three days isn't much short of what you'd pay for the full week(hiring from the resort), plus if you add on any transfer costs either one way or return, you'd soon be over the cost of car hire for a week just my opinion but if your gonna hire for 3 days your better off picking up at the airport and dropping the car back off there. Just my opinion but it makes sense really

We're holidaying in Lanzarote (Playa Blanca)for the 1st time at Easter.. can't wait! And will be hiring a car for the fortnight. We've looked at companies & had decided on Autoreisen but haven't booked anything yet.
The price has gone up a bit this last week when I checked. Do you think it's better to book now or do prices fluctuate so better just to keep an eye for when they drop? (if they drop!)
Thanks for any advice

Autoreisen's prices do fluctuate, but they have dropped quite a bit recently. I doubt they'll get much lower.

Ok Thanks a lot!

Did you find Autoreisen good? Any experience of hiring child seat with car from them? Keep hear horror stories of hire firm child seats but am loathed to lug ours all the way to Lanzarote as bulky & heavy as little one is only 2. ta.

Hello Folks, what's it like for parking in resort etc ?
IS it pay and display/ or free ?

I expect PDC will be really busy with all the roadworks in any case ?

Parking in Puerto del Carmen is a nightmare at the moment due to all the roadworks. If you do find a parking space then there are no fees, as they sacked all the traffic wardens.

Edited cos I was repeating myself!!!!

cheapest a the moment for a basic group A car is 5Cars who are based in the airport

http://www.5cars.es

cant seem to find any reviews though

I've booked a Seat Ibiza (or similar) with Autoreisen in mid September for 14 days at a cost of 180 Euros. For the same dates 5cars are charging 252 Euros.
Rick

We recently reported a shortage of hired cars in parts of Spain and the Algarve, due to rental suppliers being unable to increase fleet stock levels as a result of the current economic climate.

This has since been borne out by members finding it difficult or impossible to rent cars at their holiday destinations.

However, we now know of at least two members who had successfully reserved cars with Auriga Crown in Majorca and Valencia, but have now received emails informing them at very short notice that their bookings have been cancelled due to the non-availability of vehicles. No alternative options were made available to them and it seems the only option may be public transport.

We are not suggesting that any or all bookings with Auriga Crown are at risk but anyone holding reservations with that company, either directly or through a car hire broker, may like to keep an eye on their email inboxes or spam folders for any unexpected or unwanted news.

David

I assume most hire companies provide a basic map of the Island . Do you think this would be adequate, or should I try to source my own ?
Any recommendations please.

desdamona

best to take your own, a decent one can be bought for about a fiver ( I like the flexi-maps which dont rip )

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lanzarote-Insight-Flexi-Map-Maps/dp/9812582304/ref=pd_sim_b_4

some of the larger hire co's provide a basic map with their logo on it but not all supply them

If the destination is unlikely to be visited again I sell them on ebay

This was not the case with Lanzarote

rgds
Andy

Thanks for the advice Andy I will purchase my own before we go.

We are staying in La Penita apts. in PDC ,does anybody know if we can drive to them from the main beach road or do we have to drop down to them from the top road. The one way system seems a little confusing in this resort.