Car rental for 30 days in Scotland

Well, it's certainly possible to take the train to Inverness and rent a car there. You may not have as much of a selection as you would in Glasgow, but it's definitely doable.

With regards to driving, just make sure you know the etiquette of passing on a single track road. Here's a fun video that will give you some help: How to Drive on Single Track Roads

I have not used Turo, but there are some threads here that discuss the company so you might want to go through them.: https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=turo+car+rental&utf8=%E2%9C%93

Hi, SS,

This past summer, I had a 28 day rental with Avis, out of Aberdeen airport. I had contacted CelticLegend for a quote, and they came in at over $200.00 more than Avis. Plus Arnold Clark was off site, which would have added unnecessary down time to our holiday.

In 2022, I hired a car from Avis at GLA for 30 days. I had no problems with it, other than the fact that the car had a 1000 cc engine, which made going uphill a challenge! Avis is very reasonable, as long as you reserve far enough in advance.

30 days, by the way, is the maximum amount of time allowed to use your credit card coverage for all damages to your hired car. That will save you a lot on CDW if you decide to use your card for that purpose.

Personally, I would much rather hire the car out of Glasgow, as opposed to Inverness. It would give you the opportunity to visit places along your route, and to be able to stop to eat wherever you like. Unless you have driven in Scotland before, I would recommend heading back out to the airport to pick up your car. It's easier to get out of town from the airport than it is from center city.

Sounds as though you have a great holiday planned! However, you may be limiting yourselves by basing in Inverness for the entire time, especially if you plan to do a lot of hiking. Had you thought about basing in Inverness for two weeks, then somewhere else closer to hiking sites for the following two weeks?

Best wishes, and safe travels!

Mike (Auchterless)

I did a trip advisor search for reviews on Turo and came up with these two very long running and negative threads. Admitedly a lot are one time posters but even so some of the stories do make you pause...
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i12567-k14443524-o80-My_review_of_TURO_the_airbnb_car_rental_company-Road_Trips.html

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i12567-k11686240-Any_reviews_for_Turo_com_Car_Rental-Road_Trips.html

Thank you everyone!
We plan to stay in Glasgow for 10 days first, without renting a car, then head to Inverness for 4 weeks. We will take the recommendations and be renting a car out of the airport and return there.

Regarding to the car rental, do you usually buy excess waiver? or our credit card that we use for booking will cover it?

Hi, SS,

I have always used my credit card to cover the excess waiver (CDW/LDW). You have to decline the waivers offered by the car hire company. I have only needed the credit card coverage once, for a scratched alloy (hubcap). It was a fairly laborious process getting my reimbursment, but I ended up making a couple of dollars profit due to the fluctuating exchange rates.

Best thing to do is check the benefits booklet provided by your credit card company, to find out if there are any exclusions, and the process which you need to follow if you do have an accident.

I have saved a lot of money over our many trips to Scotland (and domestically) by using my credit card for coverage.

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

p.s.: I had stated above that the maximum amount of consecutive days you can use your credit card for coverage is 30. It's actually 31.

Thank you everyone for the reply again :)

I tried to use arnoldclarkrental and avis websites to book a rental car, but there is no option for me to decline the insurance coverage? Did it happen to anyone? I want to book ahead of time instead of wing it at the airport. How do you use your CC to book online without using the car rental agency's insurance? Thank you!

Additional question, does the insurance cover the damage to the other party? or just the damage to our rental car regardless of who is at fault?

Hi again, SS,

You would confirm the rental with your card. They have changed things about over the last couple of years with rentals in Britain. There is insurance included in the cost of the rental which covers damage to other vehicles. It's like our liability insurance. As far as CDW/LDW, you would decline those coverages at the rental counter.

Rental companies (at least Avis, I don't know about Arnold Clark) will try to upsell you for roadside service, which used to be included in the rental cost. That covers things like towing, if you have a breakdown, etc. In all my times visiting Scotland (29 and counting), I've never had a breakdown, so I always decline that coverage. The only time I did take that coverage was when I knew I'd be driving the entire length of the Outer Hebrides, and I didn't want to get stuck paying for a tow in South Uist! Most of the cars that they rent out are fairly new, and well maintained. Whether you take that option is entirely up to you.

Be sure to make note of any damage to your rental (inside and outside) before you leave their lot. Take photographs of any damage, and report it to the rental agent before you leave. It will take a few minutes of your time before you get on the road, but it would be worth the effort. Also, familiarize yourself with all of the functions (lights, windscreen wipers, boot release, gas cap release, heating/air, etc.) before you set off. Oh, and also how you find reverse gear!

As they used to say in those Esso adverts of many years ago, Happy Motoring!

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

p.s.: One more thing: Always take the option of bringing the car back with a full tank of petrol. All of the major airports in Scotland have a filling station nearby.