Scotland 2018 Planning

[TheRealTMA]

And it all started with a, "I'll like to see castles" and a map.

Only thing to book now is the car hire but patiently waiting for the price to drop.

You mean “Ah wid lik' tae see castles 'n' a map, wee Jimmy”

 

[kookaburra75]

And it all started with a, "I'll like to see castles" and a map.

Only thing to book now is the car hire but patiently waiting for the price to drop.

And that's the best way to plan a trip - and given its Scotalnd, there are too many pubs and disterilleries to experience.

 

[TheRealTMA]

One day I drove from Strathcarron to Applecross and then up the coast to Fearnmore then to Shieldag. The coast road was one of the most beautiful bits of scenery I've ever seen.

Applecross Walled Garden for lunch is highly recommended (by us).



Loch prawns.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Just booked my Jag for Scotland in May and an Alfa Stelvio for Spain... (Wonder what we'll actually get in Spain?)

 

[Denali]

Why now and not closer to the date?

Im still waiting for the price to drop for April.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Why now and not closer to the date?

Im still waiting for the price to drop for April.

I like to line up the ducks before a trip. Price doesn't tend to drop, and, if it does one can just cancel and re-book.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I like to line up the ducks before a trip. Price doesn't tend to drop, and, if it does one can just cancel and re-book.

With car rental I fully agree. Especially as with most deals you pay nothing up front.

Often when I have rebooked, it has not been the price, but rather that I have changed where I am driving, length etc.

In addition booking early normally achieves a wider choice of vehicles to select from. Moreso when you want to return to a different location.

And with returning to different locations I have normally found the one-way drop-off fees to be less or zero.


Accommodation paid, or part paid in advance, often gets much better deal and so when I do not mind being locked in I will for many trips book it in early and moreso for smaller viillages/cities where the choices are more limited. I often like smaller quirky accommodations and so booking early gains the place I want in the location, location, location I want.

 

[Denali]

I got all our accommodation booked but its just the car now.

I noticed the week or 2 before date its drops by approx 500GBP (18 days rental) so Im holding off a little bit longer.

 

[TheRealTMA]

With car rental I fully agree. Especially as with most deals you pay nothing up front.

Often when I have rebooked, it has not been the price, but rather that I have changed where I am driving, length etc.

In addition booking early normally achieves a wider choice of vehicles to select from. Moreso when you want to return to a different location.

And with returning to different locations I have normally found the one-way drop-off fees to be less or zero.


Accommodation paid, or part paid in advance, often gets much better deal and so when I do not mind being locked in I will for many trips book it in early and moreso for smaller viillages/cities where the choices are more limited. I often like smaller quirky accommodations and so booking early gains the place I want in the location, location, location I want.

There is also the issue of availability when you are booking a specific vehicle. Normally not an issue but...
Nice thing about Avis Prestige is that they deliver and pick up from hotels.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I got all our accommodation booked but its just the car now.

I noticed the week or 2 before date its drops by approx 500GBP (18 days rental) so Im holding off a little bit longer.

Buona fortuna!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I noticed the week or 2 before date its drops by approx 500GBP (18 days rental) so Im holding off a little bit longer.

I am going the cheapskate option. Our 11 day Renault Captur hire is costing all of 211.18 GBP. I had this car in France last year to drive around Burgundy and the alps near Chamonix and was quite ok with it again for this trip.

Add to that 79.50 GBP for a 12 month worldwide third party excess insurance policy which will commence with out Scottish Hire, but will also then cover our 4 hires for this trip (Scotland, England, Ireland and Sweden...as well as any other hires including back here in Oz for 12 months) and I am then hopefully done except for fuel, parking and toll charges.

Only speeding fine I have had yet in an overseas country was in Tanzania, and I think that was for more the local cops method of subsidising their income. The fine was "negotiable". With the fine first proposed by the officer which she said was fixed, I said that I could pay it if I got a receipt as I would have to put it through as a business expense, whereas if the officer was happy to just take cash with no receipt I could pay 25% here and now as that would just be out of petty cash. She went with the 25% option.

 

[Denali]

I am going the cheapskate option......

I wanted the Fiat 500 ($25AUD per day!) but my husband says no

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I got all our accommodation booked but its just the car now.

I noticed the week or 2 before date its drops by approx 500GBP (18 days rental) so Im holding off a little bit longer.

Was that 500 drop during their winter, or for the same shoulder period that you are going for this year, last year?

As with the advice above bt The RealTMA I would suggest book now at the best rate you can get, and then if it drops just rebook it. With no cash required up front all it cost is the minute or so that it takes online to book (which if you are checking prices you are basically already doing anyway).

 

[Denali]

Ive been testing with booking same dates but it seems to progressively drop.

Or I really want the Fiat so if the Jag is booked, we get the Fiat

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I wanted the Fiat 500 but my husband says no

You might have had to have flown with just carry on bags only to have hired the Fiat.


Mind you when my wife and I will do our 5 day Coast To Coast Cycle across the UK we are doing it with just 2 pannier bags each (we are sending our main case each forward to Newcastle. So we can travel light when we need to.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Ive been testing with booking same dates but it seems to progressively drop.

Though one day it may progressively jump. So if you have a booking it just guards against that. If I could buy shares the same way I would be a very happy man.

My experience this trip is probably not as relevant for you as my car price bracket is a lot lower, but when I was initially looking the price was bouncing around a bit for Scotland, Ireland and England though the main reason for this was the one way drop off fee kept varying and was sometimes zero. So I booked when the fee was zero or minimal and the daily rate was excellent. So far has not gotten cheaper. But again I am at the budget end.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I wanted the Fiat 500 ($25AUD per day!) but my husband says no

Sensible man! You’ve be maligning him too much me thinks.

 

[Denali]

So there I was, waiting to book the car and then this happened...

We unfortunately do not have the Jaguar XE 3.0 available, we can however off you the Jaguar XF V6 for the same rate.

Am I in trouble?

 

[Flashback]

So there I was, waiting to book the car and then this happened...

We unfortunately do not have the Jaguar XE 3.0 available, we can however off you the Jaguar XF V6 for the same rate.

Am I in trouble?

Fiat it is!

 

[Denali]