# Long Term Car Rental



## Simonw247 (Apr 15, 2021)

Hi

we are coming to Canada this summer and will be looking for long term car rental (90 days) in Vancouver . The usual suspects (Avis, Hertz etc) are criminally expensive - $7,000 to $9,000 for a minivan or SUV.

Has anyone used any other service or can recommend somewhere else to rent from?


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

For that money I'd buy a used car and trade it in when you're ready to buy what you want. 

For example






Car Search | Richmond Auto Mall


View Richmond Auto Mall’s inventory online. Search new and used vehicles from all of our dealerships and get notified when new inventory becomes available at the auto mall. With over 3,000 vehicles from 19 car brands, Richmond Auto Mall has something for every kind of somebody. What’s your Carma...




www.richmondautomall.com


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## Simonw247 (Apr 15, 2021)

NickZ said:


> For that money I'd buy a used car and trade it in when you're ready to buy what you want.
> 
> For example
> 
> ...


thanks for this. If possible could you point me in the direction of what to use to find car insurance.

Here in the UK, we have aggregators which can search many insurance companies at one time. Also I presume there are costs such as road tax, MOT (warranty of fitness) which I’ll need to consider?


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

I've been gone for way too long to comment on insurance but yes I'd expect you'd find some sort of search engine.

Road tax is usually linked to the license plate. A used car may be paid up for the year.

There is likely emission testing which isn't done yearly. 

A used car if you're only using it for a few months might not need a plate renewal or an emissions test. If it does you could always negotiate it into the price with the dealer.


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## Simonw247 (Apr 15, 2021)

NickZ said:


> I've been gone for way too long to comment on insurance but yes I'd expect you'd find some sort of search engine.
> 
> Road tax is usually linked to the license plate. A used car may be paid up for the year.
> 
> ...


this is really useful thanks. The other thing I’m thinking is to get a relative to buy and insure the car and have my wife and I insured as named drivers. I’ll need to check if that can work - she has her Canadian license and I have my uk one


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Simonw247 said:


> this is really useful thanks. The other thing I’m thinking is to get a relative to buy and insure the car and have my wife and I insured as named drivers. I’ll need to check if that can work - she has her Canadian license and I have my uk one


You should be able to use your relative's car without having to be named on the insurance or pay a premium to be named drivers (this is standard unless the person taking out the insurance specifically asks ICBC [the mandatory government insurer] for a "named driver only" policy)... whenever I'm visiting my parents in Vancouver, I can drive their car whenever I want... compare that to my MiL who had to have me added to her cover (and husband and I paid the premium to have me added) so that my husband and I could drive her car whenever we go up to visit her (we live in London and MiL is in Yorkshire).

Pro Tip: if you happen to be in possession of a Blue Badge, I'd definitely advise you to bring it with you when you come... whilst it *won't *entitle you to free parking in a pay car park nor can you just park wherever you want, you can use it to park in a handicap parking spot without incurring a fine (have a look here for BC specific guidance)... my husband has one and we take it with us when we go to Canada.

As far as car hire goes, you might want to have a look at Practicar to see if they have anything to suit. They've been around in Vancouver since at least the late 1980s.

Good luck to you, happy end-of-lockdown and have a safe trip to Vancouver!


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Simonw247 said:


> thanks for this. If possible could you point me in the direction of what to use to find car insurance.
> 
> Here in the UK, we have aggregators which can search many insurance companies at one time. Also I presume there are costs such as road tax, MOT (warranty of fitness) which I’ll need to consider?


Lowest Rates and Ratehub are two comparison sites that can help you figure out vehicle cover.

Road taxes are incorporated into various different operational costs (petrol prices, insurance, public transit fares etc) and MOT as it is in the UK isn't a thing in British Columbia at the moment (certain conditions apply but they wouldn't apply to you in your scenario)... there used to be a mandatory emissions test required when vehicle insurance was taken out or renewed but that scheme was discontinued about 6 years ago.


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