Surfers Paradise Car Hire Guide

Surfers Paradise car hire options explained.

There are so many options for hire cars in Surfers Paradise!

The trouble is how do you work out which are the best ones?

When I am looking I try to find those with reliable cars without having to pay too much.

In my opinion, having a reliable car is really important, and whilst I don't like to spend any more money on a hire car than is necessary, I will pay a little more for reliability and peace of mind.

There is no point in hiring a car and then having it break down on you, so you waste your holiday time waiting by the side of a road for a tow or roadside assistance.

I used to have a go to hire car company, but more recently I have been using the fantastic car hire comparison tool to find the best deals around. Just put in Surfers Paradise as your pick up location and you are bound to find a range of great options for standard, family car rentals or even campervans.

Now, you understand where I am coming from.... How do you choose where you want to rent a car from in Surfers Paradise?

Apart from reliability and price, there are several factors that can affect your car rental decision including:

• What kind of motor vehicle you want to hire? Jeep, Sports Car, Convertible, People Mover, Sedan or compact are some of the options.
• Your preferences for budget, mid range or luxury?
• Use a known global company like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz or Thrifty.
• Special requirements such as Under 21 year or provisional license driver.
• Location - is the pick up close to where you are staying.

Surfers Paradise Car Hire - What to Expect

Probably the biggest decision when hiring a car in a place you don't know is: should I stick with a brand I know and trust, or should I try a local company?

Car hire is a competitive business, and it can be hard to work out what is what. From time to time, I hire cars in the Gold Coast, the following suggestions are from my own experiences.

I am budget conscious, but I expect quality. I avoid cheap car hire companies or 'rent a bomb' car, because the last thing I want to be doing is waiting for the tow truck next to an unreliable hire car! Holidays are too precious for that!

If you are like me want quality at a decent price, you might want to try the two things I do.

In Surfers the big 5 global car hire companies Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty all have pick up locations.

The globals offer a level of security in the quality I can expect, but they can end up being more expensive.

How do I know who has the best Surfers Paradise car hire deal at the time?

I like to use a car hire comparison tool. You will be offered a range of options including some local companies, budget companies and of course the big ones.

Usually, I don't have a preference which one of the hire companies I use, unless of course one is closer to where I am staying.

This comparison tool saves so much time! I use it for wherever I am travelling in Australia New Zealand and around the world!

It's easy to see which are the reputable car hire companies and compare the different types of vehicles side by side.

Special Car Hire Requirements

Under 21s Car Hire in Gold Coast.
If you are looking for car hire for an under 21 year old driver you could try Gold Coast Car Rentals, as they advertise that they offer cars to this age group and those with provisional licenses. I haven't ever used them so I can only point you in their direction.

Sports Car Hire in Gold Coast
If you are looking for luxury or sports cars Network Rentals in Surfers Paradise have a selection of luxury and sports cars including convertibles, BMWs, Mercedes, Jeeps and even a Hummer for hire!

Surfers Paradise Car Hire Locations

Hiring a car close to where you are staying can be quite time saving and obviously convenient.

There are three main clusters of companies that rent cars in Surfers Paradise, you will find most them not too far from Surfers Paradise Boulevard, except it is quite a long road!

North Surfers Paradise Car Hire Locations

Located near Adrenalin Park between Surfers Pardise Boulevard, Gold Coast Hwy, Staghorn and Elkhorn Avenues. These are really useful locations if you are staying on this side of Surfers Paradise.

Budget Rent A Car	Global rental car company with locations in Surfers Paradise, Ashmore and Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Good quality cars.
Avis	Global rental car company with locations in Surfers Paradise, Nerang and Gold Coast Airport. Good quality cars.
East Coast Car Rentals	Local Australian car rental company with locations in Surfers Paradise and close to Gold Coast Airport with courtesy transfers to their office from the airport after arrival. The cars I have hired have always been in good condition, relatively new, current models and clean and the prices are some of the best in my opinion.
Network Rentals	Although part of a network group Network Rentals in Surfers is family run business specialising luxury and sports car hire in Surfers. They have Jeeps, convertibles, BMWs, Mercedes and more for hire.

Mid Surfers Paradise Car Hire Locations

Clustered just south of Cavill Avenue around Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Beach Road, Hanlan and Trickett Streets. Great for picking up a car if you are staying in central Surfers.

Europcar	Global rental car company with locations in Surfers Paradise and Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Good quality cars.
Hertz	Global rental car company with locations in Surfers Paradise and Gold Coast Airport. Good quality cars.
Gold Coast Car Hire	They advertise cheap cars and offer options for Under 21s and Provisional license holders. I haven't ever used them and probably not likely to personally. But if you are looking for cheap cars, I think this is the place to look. They seem to have several affiliated companies that all use the same address including Kanga Car & Moped Hire, All Age Rentals, Commodore Car Rentals, Gold Coast Car Rentals, Red Rocket Rentals, Paradise Car Rentals, Surfers Paradise Car Hire and Surfers Paradise Car Rentals.

South Surfers Paradise Car Hire Locations

Clustered around Surfers Paradise Boulevard between Clifford and Markwell Streets.

Thrifty Car Rentals

Global rental car company with locations in Surfers Paradise and Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Good quality cars.

Quick Tips for Car Rentals

• Read the fine print in the Terms of Conditions when booking a hire car!
• Australian or International drivers licences are required.
• Usually drivers must be over 21 years with higher insurance premiums for those under 25.
• In Australia we drive in right hand drive cars along the left hand side of the road!
• Manual transmissions are usually cheaper to hire than automatic transmission. If you can't drive a manual or stick shift, make sure you check the transmission type!
• Most cars use unleaded petrol not diesel - but diesel is becoming more popular. Always check before you fill up!

More tips for car rentals Gold Coast

Other Transport Options

Don't want to drive yourself?

If you don't want to drive whilst here on holiday there are many other transport options, including buses, shuttles, tours, limousines and helicopters to name a few!