Car Rental News

If you are looking for a limousine to hire, it is safe to assume that you will want one the has an established reputation for service and reliability. But what else?

No two companies offering American limousines for hire are alike and inevitably you will have to establish between what is hype and fact. A starting point is to ensure that the company is licensed. Although this not a requirement at this stage, from the 1st January 2008 all companies operating limousines for hire and reward are required to be licensed for private hire with their local District Council, or in the case of London, with the Public Carriage Office (PCO). Alternatively, they may be licensed as a Bus Operator by the Traffic Commissioners. Similarly, all of the vehicles that are offered for hire or reward must be licensed by the relevant authority and, only licensed chauffeurs can drive a licensed limousine. The requirement for licensing ensures that the chauffeurs are subjected to both a medical and a criminal records bureau check.

Another little know fact, but nonetheless, very relevant if your are seeking to hire an American stretched limousine, is the question of the private hire plate. All private hire cars are required by law to have a private hire plate fixed back and front. If you are seeking to impress, then a yellow plate fixed to the back of your limousine is going to look a little out of place, however, the news is not all bad. Some suppliers of American stretched limousines have succeeded in gaining an exemption, meaning that they do not have to display the private hire plate. If this is important to you, then it is worth checking with your limo company first.

Standards are important and within the limousine industry, these will vary widely, depending entirely on the type of service the operator actually offers and the level of control over the delivery of this service. For example the ability to deal direct with the limousine company has to be first prize, because you will want to be certain that they completely understand your requirements, you will want to know exactly which limousine is being offered and no doubt, you will also want to be able to speak to someone that knows the limo.

The rise of the limo agent and limo broker in the UK follows the introduction of similar organisations in the USA. However, one of the most respected and arguably the largest dedicated limo site in the world has published a warning on their website. These warnings have been reproduced or linked to from many other industry websites. It is not difficult to identify a limousine agent or broker because they tend to overuse fanciful claims such as, “cheap limo hire”, insisting that they can secure better prices than the public, even though there appears to be no tangible proof that this is the case. The risks however, are far more evident, for example the removal of that essential personal interaction needed when you are looking to hire a limousine for a special occasion.

Therefore the jury is still very much out as to whether these agents or brokers add any real value, or save money. Another issue relating to third party companies promising to save you money is the fact that they tend to give the impression that they have more control over the hire than they actually do. It is inconceivable that an agent or broker can exercise as much control over the hire as the actual limousine company that will be completing the hire. Some also use the questionable tactic of creating generic ‘local’ websites to provide the impression that you are dealing with a local company, rather than a third party agent or broker, based hundreds of miles away! This has given rise to one or two complaints about poor service. These types of complaints appear to be a consequence of poor communication or interpretation, rather than any bad faith or intent. But, if you task a third party with the very simple task of securing your limousine, adding a further unnecessary layer to the process, then it is almost inevitable there will be more mistakes and misunderstandings.

Cars for Stars Limited is a well established and experienced, award winning company providing chauffeur cars and limousines through an extensive branch network. Cars for Stars in London is licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) for private hire. Other Cars for Stars branches are franchised and therefore licensed through their respective local authorities. All Cars for Stars offices are obliged to adhere to the high standards and service as the Group. The local authority licensing regime means that the businesses are subject to regular assessments and scrutiny to ensure that they comply with all of the regulations and standards, the vehicles are also subjected to bi-annual tests, in order that they can retain their private hire vehicle licence. In addition,  the chauffeurs must be licensed to drive these vehicles. For a chauffeur to obtain and maintain their licence they must be subjected to and pass a medical and will also be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check.

Cars for Stars offer a full complement of chauffeur driven cars and American limousines for hire and all of their vehicles are exempted from the requirement to affix a private hire plate to the vehicle. As a full service chauffeur cars company, Cars for Stars offer a range of services, which include business and leisure travel, tours, wedding cars, transfers to and from airports, long-term hires, tours, European travel via the Eurotunnel other forms of event transportation. The range of cars is extensive, but includes a choice of entry level chauffeur driven cars such as the Chrysler 300 and Mercedes E Class, executive, long wheel base cars including the Jaguar XJ, Mercedes S Class and BMW 7 Series as well as the pre-requisite smattering of top marques which include the Bentley Arnage, Rolls Royce Phantom and Maybach 62. Limousines come in different shapes, sizes and colours including vanilla white, black, silver, metallic blue and candy apple red. As a licensed provider, the maximum number of passengers that can be carried, irrespective of size is eight.

If you are not convinced, or would preferr to have a wider choice of potential limousine companies, then please feel free to use the Chauffeur Cars & Limousine Hire Directory.

If you have decided that your preferred vehicle for your wedding day is an American Stretched Limousine, then here are a few tips to help you along your way.

There are a number of different types of limousines available, the more popular one’s available in the UK include the Lincoln Stretched Limousine, the Chrysler 300 stretched limousine, The Hummer H2 and H3 and The Ford Excursion. There are of course others, but these 5 models are the principle American limousines available in the UK. The vehicle most people will be familiar with is, the Lincoln Stretched Limousine (see left), although there are however, depending on the age, up to 4 variants available in the UK and it is important that you establish which one you want.

Having established the type of limousine, then you will want to decide on the colour. Whilst most people opt for white or vanilla white, there are a number of other colours available, depending on your chosen limo company, but these could include, black, silver, metallic blue, candy apple red, gold, pink, vanilla white and a few limousines with a two-tone finish. With most limousines, regardless of their size, the maximum number of passengers that can be carried is 8. Once you have decided on the type, model and colour of the limousine, you will want to consider the colour of the ribbons and bows. If you don’t ask, most limousine companies will provide white, but they can normally provide a selection of other colours on request, or you can supply your own.

Cleary the condition of the limousine is critical, a poorly maintained limousine could prove unreliable and, an untidy one will fail to impress anyone. So if you can, it is always a good idea to view the limousine before you confirm the booking. Most limousine companies will be happy to allow you to do this, but it would normally have to be arranged by appointment. If you cannot view the limousine in person, then ask for some good quality, high resolution images of the actual limousine you are being offered. Never allow yourself to be palmed off with generic images. If you are booking a wedding limousine, you are best advised to deal direct with the limousine operator, using third party brokers or agents will almost certainly not be any cheaper and adding a further layer to the process of organising wedding transport is never a good idea. Remember, if you are booking your limousine a long way ahead, then it is important to establish with the limousine company whether or not the vehicle you have been promised will still be on their fleet, or if they change it, you will want some form of guarantee that the replacement will be equal to, or better than the one offered at the outset.

It is also a good idea to ask about the chauffeur. Remember, that whilst limousine companies that exclusively supply their vehicles for weddings do not need to be licensed, all other operators do. This means that the chauffeur will also have to be licensed, which entails a medical and criminal records bureau check, which is no bad thing of course. You may also want to enquire as to what the chauffeur will be wearing, typically this will be a dark suit, white shirt and a ‘conservative’ tie. But because this is your wedding day, you may want to be certain! In addition, most people do not want their Chauffeur to wear a cap, but if you do want your chauffeur to wear one, make sure you let your limousine company know in advance and have it included on your contract or booking form.

Timing is a critical aspect of providing wedding transportation and this responsibility should be considered a joint one. The wedding car provider has a responsibility to arrive on time, but equally the organisers should ensure that there is a margin for error, perhaps 30 minutes or so, built into the plans. Brides are often late and wedding car providers, even though they will build in their own margin, can get caught up in traffic or an unanticipated vehicle problem. It is also worth knowing, that invariably, when wedding cars are booked, too much time is allowed for photographs after the ceremony and too little at the beginning. If the bride can see her limousine waiting for her 30 minutes before she is due to depart, it can certainly reduce the stress of the day.

Price, whilst not the most critical aspect of arranging wedding transport, remains an important factor. Most limousine companies provide a ‘wedding package’, whilst this can vary, it would normally include, at the very least, the limousine, ribbons and bows, Champagne and up to 3 hours hire. If you are seeking to maximise the value, consider, where practicable, using the limousine for other wedding guests, or the bridesmaids, if the church is local, this can normally be completed quite easily and most limousine companies will not charge extra for the additional journey. Also, allow maybe 30 minutes margin at the beginning of the hire, in fact, if it makes you feel more comfortable, make it an hour. Remember, even if you have booked for 3 hours, few limousine companies will end the hire the minute the 3 hours are up, if you are still taking photographs. Another thing worth knowing, is that most wedding cars are sent home early, so why not just bring the hire forward? If you want any extras in your limousine ask before you book and remember to have it included in the paperwork. Extras may include a particular Champagne, your own music or DVD, chocolates, fresh flowers, balloons etc.

Don’t assume your limousine company only offers stretched limousines. If you are going to need additional chauffeur driven cars, or people carriers, then ask your limo company if they can provide them. Most will provide a discount if you book more than one vehicle through them, of course they may not volunteer this information, but it costs nothing to ask. Some companies may even have matching cars and limousines, once again, if this is your preference, it is worth asking, conversely, they may be able to recommend an alternative local company for other wedding transport. Tipping is always appreciated, but should only be offered for impeccable service.

It is also worth remembering that the chauffeur is not a taxi driver and therefore, may not have an intimate knowledge of the area. There is also the possibility that the chauffeur may be subject to a last minute change, so it is always a good idea to provide directions to the limousine company and if you wish, provide a detailed itinerary or notes for your chauffeur. 99% of weddings transport will be provided without any problems, but if you end up being the 1% on your special day, percentages will mean absolutely nothing. A refund will not make things betters, so make sure that your limousine company knows precisely what is expected of them, build in some margin on timings and have everything written down and confirmed.

So, confirm everything, ensure that the details are correctly included on your contract or booking form and provide any additional information that you consider relevant, such as directions etc. A week or so prior to the hire, call the limousine company and confirm everything, including any additional instructions you may have given them. Test their understanding and be resolute. Remember, no-one can promise 100% satisfaction, the purpose here is to ensure you do not become a 1% statistic!

Remember that the busiest time of the year for weddings is the summer, and as a consequence, limousine companies, or at least the best, get booked up very early. It is also worth bearing in mind that if your wedding is on a Saturday and finishes late afternoon, or early evening, you will probably pay a premium, because the company will be less likely to be able to use the limousine for any long Saturday night hires. Another sensible precaution is to pay your deposit on your credit card, provided it is over £100, this will aid you, in most cases, to recover your deposit if the wedding car company ceases to trade for any reason. Unlikely perhaps, but if these things never happened, we would not need insurance companies. And, on the subject of insurance companies, it is always worth considering taking out wedding insurance.

Cars for Stars is an award winning company offering a wide range of chauffeur driven wedding cars, chauffeur cars and limousines. Cars for Stars is a franchised business, with offices in major locations throughout the UK and, all Cars for Stars businesses are licensed for private hire by the relevant local authority. Cars for Stars offer standard and enhanced wedding packages. If having read this article you would prefer vintage or classic cars, there are various directories that list companies providing this service listed under wedding cars.

Now that the dates for Royal Ascot have been announced as the 17th June 2008 through to the 21st June (Ladies Day is the 19th June), then it is probably time to think about booking your stretched limousine. Every year, limousine companies will provide the same advice, which is, if you want to have the best choice of limousines, from the more established operators, then you need to book early. This year, however, the advice is even more relevant.

In the past, it has not been necessary for limousine companies to be Licensed by the Traffic Commissioners or their local District Council, but from the 1st January 2008, this has been changed as a consequence of an amendment to the Road Traffic Act 2006. As a result, from the 1st January 2008 all companies offering limousines for ‘hire or reward’ will have to be licensed either as a Private Hire Vehicle Operator or a Bus Operator, similarly, every limousine offered for hire will have to be registered with the relevant Licensing authority and, of course, all chauffeur will have to be Licensed.

To register the limousines, they will have to pass an SVA (previously this was not a pre-requisite), or have been registered as a private minibus, or have a Certificate of Initial Fitness. These obligations will be a significant burden on many limousine companies and as a direct consequence, it is highly likely that there will be less limousines available in 2008, than there were is 2007. In addition, many part-time limousine operators have already decided that they do not wish to go through the process and expense of Licensing and, in the past, it has been these operators that have provided much of the additional capacity required for Royal Ascot.

Because Royal Ascot also coincides with many school proms, demand during Royal Ascot week is the highest of the year for all limousine companies, therefore with the the added complication of some limousine companies having to License their business, vehicles and chauffeurs, a shortage is virtually assured.

Cars for Stars in London is licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) for private hire and other Cars for Stars branches are licensed through their local authority. Therefore, the businesses are subject to regular assessments to ensure that they comply with all of the regulations, the vehicles must be subjected to regular and very stringent tests, in order that they can retain their private hire vehicle licence and of course the chauffeurs must also be licensed to drive these vehicles. For a chauffeur to obtain and maintain their licence they must be subjected to and pass a medical and will also be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check. Cars for Stars offer a full complement of chauffeur driven cars and American limousines for hire at Royal Ascot.

If you are travelling to or from London City Airport for business or leisure, may have considered or even discounted the use of a chauffeur driven car. The reality is, transfers in luxury chauffeur driven cars are very competitively priced and considerably more comfortable than most taxis!

It is possible to use a chauffeur driven car for your transfer to and from London City airport on a budget, or in style, the choice is yours. Similarly, there is a wide choice of companies providing chauffeur cars. One such company is Cars for Stars, an award winning company offering a wide range of chauffeur driven cars, as well as luxury people carriers and American stretched limousines. Cars for Stars is Licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) on behalf of Transport for London, providing the comfort of knowing that the company and vehicles must conform to strict standards and regular checks in order that it can maintain its PCO Licence. Similarly, Cars for Stars experienced chauffeurs must pass a medical and, a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before they can drive any of Cars for Stars chauffeur cars.

The Cars for Stars chauffeur cars fleet is extensive and includes the highly competitive, yet stylish Chrysler 300 saloon, the all new Jaguar XJ, long wheel based saloon, Mercedes S Class or if you are moving more passengers, a luxurious Mercedes Viano people carrier, or perhaps a stretched limousine. In addition, Cars for Stars also offer luxury marques such as the Bentley Arnage, Rolls Royce Phantom and Maybach 62. You can find Cars for Stars branches in the SlackAlice Business Directory.

If you are travelling to or from London Gatwick Airport for business or leisure, may have considered or even discounted the use of a chauffeur driven car. The reality is, transfers in luxury chauffeur driven cars are very competitively priced and considerably more comfortable than most taxis!

It is possible to use a chauffeur driven car for your transfer to and from London Gatwick airport on a budget, or in style, the choice is yours. Similarly, there is a wide choice of companies providing chauffeur cars. One such company is Cars for Stars, an award winning company offering a wide range of chauffeur driven cars, as well as luxury people carriers and American stretched limousines. Cars for Stars is Licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) on behalf of Transport for London, providing the comfort of knowing that the company and vehicles must conform to strict standards and regular checks in order that it can maintain its PCO Licence. Similarly, Cars for Stars experienced chauffeurs must pass a medical and, a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before they can drive any of Cars for Stars chauffeur cars.

The Cars for Stars chauffeur cars fleet is extensive and includes the highly competitive, yet stylish Chrysler 300 saloon, the all new Jaguar XJ, long wheel based saloon, Mercedes S Class or if you are moving more passengers, a luxurious Mercedes Viano people carrier, or perhaps a stretched limousine. In addition, Cars for Stars also offer luxury marques such as the Bentley Arnage, Rolls Royce Phantom and Maybach 62. You can find Cars for Stars branches in the SlackAlice Business Directory.