Birding from a rental car can be fun, easy and economical!  It allows you to be independent and to go where YOU want to go when YOU want to go there.  Since I am on a budget, I have taken this approach several times in places as different as Brazil, South Africa and Australia.  Since everyone’s needs are different, here are some things you should look at to help you decide which car you should rent for your own adventure.

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VEHICLE TYPE

• Economy car vs larger car – if you are traveling a long distance, get a car that will be comfortable to sit in for 8-10 hours.  If you are only going short distances, a smaller economy car would be fine.  Also consider that you may want to use the car as a hide and poke your camera out the window.  Birds seem to be less frightened of parked cars than humans walking around in the open.
• What type of roads are you driving on?  Do you need a 4WD or at least a SUV?  Or will a normal sedan car do?  Be aware that 4WDs and SUVs can be more expensive in terms of fuel consumption so don’t get one unless you really need one.  Does your preferred car hire company have restrictions on where you can drive (more about this below)?
• Make sure there is a seat belt for each person who will be sitting in the car.
• Will you have a lot of luggage?  Make sure you get a car with enough storage room.
• Do you want to be flexible and camp without reservations?  Most campgrounds can take walk-in bookings for a camper-van even when their cabins may be fully booked.  Or you can transport a tent & sleeping bags if you want to rough it.

RULES & REGULATIONS

In Australia, some car rental companies have rules about where the car may be driven.  They nay not be there to enforce it, but if your car breaks down or you have an accident, you may find yourself financially liable for the full cost of the car!  Here are some potential “no-nos”:

• Driving on dirt/unpaved roads.  There are usually exceptions for national parks or roads leading to accommodations or private homes, ask first.  Even if you hire a 4WD, they may not allow you to take the car off-road.  You need to know the road conditions at each of your birding locations so check beforehand.
• Taking the car on a ferry. (Kangaroo Island, Bruny Island, Tasmania)
• Driving between dusk and dawn in the Outback.  This is because the danger increases that you could hit a kangaroo or other animal.
• Driving on a beach or through a body of water.
• There may be some restrictions on specific areas that are too remote for the car hire company to retrieve the car if something happens to it.  An example would be north of Carnavon, in Western Australia.

GETTING THE BEST DEAL ON YOUR CAR

Once you have decided what kind of car you need, you now have to do more research to get the best price.  Even spending a few hours on this can save you hundreds of dollars so it’s worth it!  Here are some suggestions of places to look for a rental car bargain:

• Your airline’s frequent flyer program may have discounts on the rate and/or give you extra miles.  Here’s the United Airlines & American Airlines pages, but most other airlines have them too.
• Your employer may have coupon codes for employees of your company if they are frequent car hire customers.
• If you use a car rental company often, join their program (such as Hertz Gold Plus Rewards) to get deals for members only.
• Flyertalk has coupon code threads for the majors but make sure you qualify to use the code first.
• Auto clubs such as AAA, RACQ, NRMA, etc frequently have deals.
• Online travel agents such as Expedia & Travelocity sometimes have flash sales which they email out to their customers, this could include a coupon code.
• In some countries, you can use Priceline to “name your own price” for a rental car.
• Check with Autoslash, they can track your booking and advise if you can get a better deal.
• Holiday Autos has some good value car/insurance packages for some countries.
• Check with your credit card provider to see if rental car insurance is included.  Also make sure the country you will be traveling in in not on their exclusion list.  Unfortunately, Australia & New Zealand are usually excluded.
• Buying a cheap Sat-Nav/GPS locally will usually work out cheaper than hiring one from the company.  Or buy extra maps for your own device.

With the correct research, you can soon be on your way to a truly individualized birding adventure of a lifetime in your very own private rental car!