Sometimes, just driving around a country, almost at random and to no fixed itinerary, is a great way to spend time and to really see the country concerned. Car hire rentals may be able to help make this dream a reality for you, however, you may need to be thinking about economy at the same time.

Here are a few thoughts that you may find useful relating to cheap car hire and car hire rentals in general:

• car hire companies typically offer a wide range of vehicles including small, economical and environmentally friendly models – selecting small models may prove to be more cost-attractive although keep in mind that if you are touring over long distances, you may appreciate the extra space that a larger vehicle may be able to provide you with;

• in the some parts of the world, once you are in-resort, you may find that you have only a relatively limited choice of car hire companies and that may reduce your ability to shop around and take advantage of competition between providers – your negotiating power may be more substantial if you arrange your car hire rentals on the internet prior to your departure;

• in some countries, such as France, motorway use brings with it tolls and over lengthier distances and few days, these may mount up – however, typically such countries also have excellent free A roads that may enable you to save money, even if it costs you a little bit of extra time;

• although advertisements for cheap car hire may be both commonplace and instinctively attractive, try to critically evaluate what is on offer before presuming that a low ticket price equates to the best possible option for you – what is cheap for one driver may not prove to be cheap in your case, if it does not meet your requirements (e.g. an apparently low cost rental option which also contains strict and severe mileage limitations);

• if you are renting in a hotter climate, some models may have built-in air conditioning or climate control – this may make a huge difference to the comfort of your driving around and it may be worth considering paying a little extra for models that contain this feature;

• some car hire rentals, even when containing elements of insurance in the rentals price, may still leave you a little financially exposed through things such as a high excess on their insurance cover and/or exclusions or limitations in the cover provided – if you decide to take out optional additional insurance to cover the potential costs, it may be advisable to look at doing so prior to departure, as this may work out to be more cost-effective.