Cheaper 1.0 car rental in Iceland
Replies: 4 - Last Post: Jan 2, 2013 7:32 AM Last Post By: olhaeuaqui
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Cheaper 1.0 car rental in Iceland
Hi thereI am planning a trip to Iceland and will be driving for a week between 20th and 27th December. Have thought long and hard about where to go and decided that beyond the expected golden circle, I'd like to see bits of the WestFjorde and possibly drive all the way up to Husavik. My question is..being that it is winter and being that because of prices I am leaning towards renting the cheapest car possible...a 1.0 economy type...will I still be able to visit those parts that I just mentioned or will I be so very limited to where I can get to that it does not even make sense driving that far??
Also, I have an excess insurance bought in the UK to complement whatever insurance is attached to the rental agreement in Iceland but noticed that many on this forum talk about a special gravel damage insurance...From anyone who drove keeping to the roads, is that really needed??
Many thanks and a great X'mas!! :)
Edited by: olhaeuaqui
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My advice is NOT to rent the cheapest or smallest vehicle for winter travels up north and west. Only a decent AWD, like the Skoda Octavia is good enough. anything less is IMO gambling with your life !Take all the insurances the rental offer, return the car the day before departure, and have it looked over thoroughly with you present, that should minimise the danger of getting a ,,surprise" charge later. Also treat the car like it was your own.
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As always, safe winter driving depends more on the car than on its driver. Bear in mind that 4-wheel drive primarily aids acceleration; it's of limited-to-negligible effect when turning or braking, and inexperienced winter drivers may be lulled into a false sense of security.The single most important thing you can do is drive your vehicle in accordance with your own skill and comfort, and according to the local road and weather conditions. This means that on some days the responsible decision may be not to drive at all, regardless of the car that you rent. At other times, you may need to allow much more time than normal (two or three times as long) to get from one place to another.
Regardless of where you go, plan on being back near Reykjavik at least a day before your scheduled departure, just in case your are delayed by weather.
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Hi kchadleyYes, I agree with what you wrote and have thought about simply not driving if conditions are too tough for me. Taking it easy is part of the plan and, besides, there is no way one can see the whole country in 11 days, which is what I've got.....So will have to go back someday... Thanks for the input, really appreciated!
