If you are thinking of visiting the Costa del Sol or you are simply from the area but need to move freely, possibly your best option is to rent a car with which you can move freely. Malaga is one of the most visited areas in Spain which counts with several beaches, a multitude of villages full of culture and history, and a spectacular old town packed with museums and historical points of interest –such as a Alcazaba, a wonderful cathedral and an ancient Roman theatre.
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But Malaga is much more than heritage and beaches, as its people make sure that the visitor’s stay is as pleasant as possible. In addition to this, it has an important network of roads that greatly facilitate moving around by car. There is a wide range of options when it comes to hire a car in this great city, so here are a few things you might want to consider in order to choose the right car and drive safely at the best price.
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Hire local
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Car hire Malaga is dominated by large companies that are usually part of multinational groups. These companies, due to their size, tend to offer higher prices than local companies, as they have a series of higher fixed costs. Therefore, to get the best deal a good option would be to ask and see the offers of local companies in Malaga, such as Marbesol, a company that has become a leader in this sector in this city.
Read the conditions of the contract carefully
This can give many unpleasant surprises to those who rent a car. Many companies with the aim of attracting more customers offer a minimum price at first to attract more customers but later on, as the reservation progresses, they increase the price by charging for concepts such as the number of kilometres allowed, the fuel policy or the number of drivers. To avoid surprises, then, its important to read the small print well or talk directly to the agency.
Size Matters
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If you plan to travel from Malaga to other bigger cities such as Sevilla, Granada or Cordoba, then it isn’t as much of an issue. However, if you want to go rural and explore those beautiful, smaller villages around the region of Malaga, you might to consider to hire a smaller car. In most small villages –such as Nerja, Frigiliana or Antequera, roads are wide enough for one car, but they are meant to be two-way streets. Getting a small car will keep you from paying for the bumps and bruises when you return your rental car.
Plus, you have to take into account who you are travelling with. Are you travelling alone, or are you travelling with your family? Depending on the answer, you will need one type of vehicle or another. The bigger and more power, the higher the price of the car. That’s why, if you travel with your partner, maybe with a utility vehicle of medium power is more than enough to enjoy your stay in this city.
Manual vs. automatic transmission
If you are one of those drivers passionate about manual shifts, Malaga is your place to be! Most of the vehicles in the Spain use manual shift –including rental cars. However, if you have no idea about how to drive this kind of cars because you have always used automatic shifts, be prepared to pay more money when hiring your car, because car with automatic transmissions are less popular in the area.
Driving License
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You do not need an EU driving license to drive in Malaga, but you are required to have an international driving license. If you don’t have your international driving license with you in case you are pulled over by the police, you might get a traffic ticket. However, when picking up your car rental some companies may not request to see your international driving license. It varies depending on the company and the pick up location, but it is better to have it with you.
Minimum age to rent a car
All you need to rent a car in Malaga is being at least 18 years old –driving licenses issued for 16 years old drivers in other countries are not valid. But, if you are under the age of 25, many rental companies will require you to pay an additional cost per young driver in the daily rental price, which will make the rental not so cheap. This goes for drivers under the age of 25 or older than 25 who took their driving exam less than four years ago. In some companies there is also a minimum of years holding a driving license -usually 1 or 2 years to be able to rent a car.
