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Consider your Needs Ahead

About the only time no planning is need in renting a limo when you’re stranded in an airport and your booked limo didn’t get there or arrived too late to catch it. Then you have little choice but to look for the most convenient limo rentals at the arrival hall. Otherwise, a good plan can even help you in situations like this, like when you what alternative transport options you can have when you arrive. That means learning more about your destination which is part of planning when going overseas.

With today’s online limo rentals, all you have are pictures and words to describe a promise of good rental service. Online commerce has given a new level of convenience to shopping but some are best done the traditional way. Unless you know or have been referred to by a colleague, it’s always a good a idea to actually see the limo you are renting and for that, you may need to visit their nearest rental station so you can have a first hand look of their facilities and the condition of their vehicles for rent.

If you prefer to play it safe, always go for an established reputable rental firm. There are basically tow indicators for one – size of the fleet and years in the business. Some of the most reputable limo rentals have at least 15 different limo models. That indicates some level of maintenance capability to ensure that the fleet are serviceable and in top condition inside and out at all times.

Having at least 5 years in the business indicates a good service experience and a reasonably clientele to ensure enough revenue streams to keep them afloat. These, however, do not preclude newly established rental firms that have been spun-off as separate business from a larger firm or even upstarts whose owners have had some years of experience. A referral from your colleague can be a good start.

Also make sure they have the PSV/PCD operator license if you plan to take one of those super stretch American limos. They are sure to charge more as these limos are not only heftier and carry more than passengers, but they could easily run afoul of the law. Bear in mind that limos with more than 8 passengers need to have a COIF (Certificate of Initial Fitness) and its operators duly licensed with a PCV (Passenger Carriage Vehicle) to legally operate them.

The recent mandate might have converted most of them to the COIF standards and thus command a heftier price than before when they were being operated illegally.

Some Tips to Get the Best Limo Service

Getting the best value doesn’t equate to being cheap. Bear in mind that just like in any commercial purchases, you get what you pay for. There will always be cheap limo rentals out there but don’t expect a well-maintained vehicle or a courteous well-dressed or uniformed chauffeur. A limo is something you want to be proud of getting in or out, not something to be embarrassed with.

For special occasions like weddings, prom nights or simple out-of-town sojourns, a package deal can yield the best value compared with getting charged on an hourly basis. Packaged limo deals offer a fixed set of hours for the limo of our choice and are often inclusive of chauffeur tip and other freebies or amenities that you want to go with the limo, like drinks, champagne or a movie.

Companies get the best deal from bulk rates for a fleet of limos for use by their executives or guests during special corporate events.

Sometimes a shared limo ride can offer the best value especially if it’s just for purposes of bringing you to a single point of destination, like a horse race, a soccer match, a prom or party, a concert or a gala premiere and you don’t mind taking a cab after.

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The Prom

The most common occasion is the prom night. This is what partying is about for kids in their budding years, a time to strut their stuff and show off what they are made of or what they’d like others to think of them. When you have to look your best, it’s a no brainer that a limo has the ability to punctuate your presence. And you often need one right at start. You don’t just arrive at the party; you make an entrance, a dramatic entrance. A stretch limo has the flamboyant air about it that never fails to turn heads, on the road or at the party gates. And you can have a head turning limo for just under ₤300 on prom night. Is it worth it? That’s for the teenager to answer. If you can afford it, why not? Prom nights don’t happen everyday anyway.

Painting the Town

Hen nights, prom night, stags, you name it. Kids can always come out with a good enough excuse to ask the parents to consider limo rentals, especially for once-in-a-while events or occasions like Birthdays, passing the exams or just celebrating a holiday like valentines, Halloween, Christmas, New Year or St Patrick’s. Stretch limos that can seat 8 at the most are quite common and quite affordable for kids taking the night out with their closest friends.

But more often than not, 8 is not enough. Having the more luxurious and roomier super stretch SUVs and Hummers can be more suitable to accommodate 20 or more friends in a mobile get-together party. But that can be more expensive and risky. If cost is no object, the law can be a killjoy. Just be sure the stretch Humvee is legally licensed as the local laws have made limos seating more than 8 of any size open to being impounded when spotted on the road to be seating more than 8 persons. You and your friends could end up walking back home or stranded on a deserted highway.

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And unless you’re holding one in a hotel or resort packaged to include a chapel ceremony, the banquet reception and your honeymoon all in one place, you’d need the best transportation as well. Not everyone has a decent full sized luxury car set aside in a garage reserved specially for special occasions. And even those who do often prefer to avail of limo rentals that can get them the best vehicle that fits the occasion.

Limo Choices

Limousines are the obvious choice for weddings. They can be your stock luxury sedans from Benz, Volvo or Rover and it is not uncommon to find the large SUVs like BMW X5 or those American SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigators festooned with the typical wedding decors you expect in bridal cars. But stretch limousines are often preferred to give the bride more room to accommodate some of the most elaborate wedding gowns and a few wedding gifts gathered from guests.

There’s no need to rent those humongous American super stretch limos, SUVs and Hummer unless you are looking at having 20 or more wedding guests ride with the newly weds. But that’s your choice.

Check out the internet and there are specialty limo companies that offer bridal cars bedecked for the occasion typically advertised at no extra charge, though that is often inclusive of the rental charges. But it’s still a safe bet to go for a rental company with some reputation behind it. Bridal cars are often just one of the services they provide.

For the more adventurous couples, going nostalgic with period themes for their wedding can add a touch of unique color and pageantry to the occasion. A vintage classic limousine circa the 1930s up to the 50s can be just as good a choice as any. There are limo rentals that offer vintage cars and limos for the more discerning couples and can include famous automotive landmarks like the Bugatti Royale, early Rolls Royce Silver Shadows and Duisenberg Phaetons.

They are quite rare and expensive but most other vintage limousines from Mercedes Benz and Renault as well as American vintage limos are just as affordable. Open top convertibles of the 60s are also a popular option like the Cadillac Eldorado.

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Airport Hotel Transfers

It’s always ideal to book your hotel and limo rentals in advance when going abroad. Booking on hotels that provide ancillary airport-hotel transfers can save you money but it’s still best to shop around to have an idea of the rates. Some hotels provide the service only to their high-yield guests while others charge the usual rental fees.

Here are some tips to consider:

• If you forgot or failed to book in advance, it is common practice to avail yourself of car and limo stands at or near the arrival gates pf airports. They may have schedules to depart for the city or other metro points every hour or on a schedule. There are also rental firms with telephone booths or service counters where you can pre-pay your rentals. Choices are quite limited and you may have to settle for the rates they charge. Operators may take advantage of the fact the tired travelers disembarking often just want nothing more than to get to their hotels without delay and charge opportunistic rates. That is why, nothing beats getting a limo waiting for you at the designated arrival area that had been prebooked before your flight.
• Limos to and from the airport may not save you money compared with taking a cab, but if you are traveling with a large family, typically four or more, a large SUV or sedan can be worth it. Luxury sedans like the Volvo S40 can provide the advantage of privacy and comfort and may cost just as much as using cabs on long distances. Cabs are metered and will cost more with greater distance while renting a car or limo can have a fixed rate between predefined destinations regardless of how many would be riding.
• If privacy is not a concern, you can go for a shared ride limo service where you share the limo with a stranger or two. This means that there would be multiple passenger pick-ups and drop-of points along the way but you get reduced rates. These limo rentals are often available as vans or mini-vans and are the most affordable options.

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Don’t forget that the last thing you want is for your limo to be stopped by a police on your way to an event and be forced to walk back home or be stranded on the road.

Other Things to Consider

Once you have the legal stuff out of the way, there are generally two important things to consider in your choice. First, you will want to be sure you get the limo you want at the price you are willing to pay.

Not all limousine rentals charge the same way as the business is unregulated. That means any merchant can charge as he pleases within the confines of what the market can afford. There are those that charge on a fixed rate per type of limo or by the hour and this can also vary depending on the age of the car.

As a rule, the more recent the model, the higher the rent. And the larger the vehicle’s seating capacity or engine displacement, the higher the rent. But even within the same model year or type, different charge can apply.

Some will charge you a fixed rate from the limousine station to your home or office and be charge by the hour or distance to your destination and back. And other will charge on a package rate depending on your destination or type of occasion.

If it’s a wedding, you could be charged extra for decking the limo for the occasion. A package deal can sometimes be the most cost effective solution but the important thing to remember is to ask how much will the limo rentals charge be in excess of the package you’re getting into. You don’t want to get the surprise of your life when you go beyond 12 midnight and the limo starts to charge an arm and a leg.

The second other important thing to consider is the company’s reputation. You don’t want a shabby dirty limo arriving to pick you up and become more of an embarrassment for you. Or to be late without calling you or even missing the appointed time.

You certainly don’t want discourteous and arrogant chauffeurs behind the wheel. Some of the better limo rentals out there have at least 5 years of operation behind them, signifying they have some loyal clientele. In addition, check out their fleet. Those with at least 15 cars in the fleet can be indicative they have the means to maintain them.

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Then there are the standard SUVs and luxury sedans like standard Mercedes Benz and Volvo Sedans. If you need the roomier stretch limos, there are many standard stretch limos from Cadillac, Benzes and Lincolns, Just make sure they are not your super stretch Cadillacs and Lincolns or 4×4 SUVs and Hummers.

Legalities to Consider

Otherwise, if you simply must have a stretch 4×4 that almost always can seat more than 16 people, you need to check out some things from your prospective limousine operator. The most important of all is their license to operate under a valid PSV or Passenger Service Vehicle operator’s license.

This is now known as the PCV license or Passenger Carrying Vehicle license. About 50% of all limousines exceed the maximum 8-person seating capacity are being illegally operated as a PSV/PCV after getting registered with the DVLA without type approval as they could never pass the stringent COIF requirements.

In addition, getting them type-approved may be hindered by the fact that all these American limos are left-hand drives that are out of synch with the UK driving.

The problem lies in the COIF which require safety provisions to be incorporated in vehicles that can seat more than 8 person like the installation of alternative fire exit points, fire extinguishers and other passenger and road safety features that are estimated to cost limousine operations roughly ₤12,000 per limo. Unless, limo rentals comply, the law effectively pushes them out of business or run the risk of being impounded when used.

With the new mandate empowering the police and VOSA enforcers to impound limousines found violating the law, not a few limo rentals are forced to comply with the COIF requirements by providing conversions to their imported American stretch limos. The business is plainly quite promising as more people are finding these super stretch limos an excellent recreational and ego-boosting road presence.

There may in fact be some Hummers that already comply. With after-market conversion kits and specialty conversion shops that do limousine stretching; it shouldn’t be a problem retrofitting them for COIF type-approvals and thus provide the necessary PSV/PCV licenses for their operators.

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They are the preferred vehicles for just about any occasion or just on a frivolous whim among those who can afford either to own or rent. For just around ₤200-₤250 a night offered by limo rentals, you can have a stretch Hummer for night clubbers on the roll or just a fun trip around the urban nightlife. They have become the rage among teenagers to turn heads on the road or arrive in style with celebrity airs around them on prom nights.

Unfortunately, these super stretch road behemoths also turn heads of your local police and VOSA enforcers. The worst that can happen is your limo gets stopped on its tracks and you and your friends could be forced out and get a cab or walk to your destination. With your party clothes all drenched in sweat arriving at the party, that could be a head turner as well.

Legal Limits

The UK is no America. While you can import those overstretched vehicles paying all the import duties and taxes, they can’t be operated legally for more than eight passengers, regardless how large they get. Right now, limousines that can seat 8 or less passengers are granted a license to operate as a taxi. But over the last decade, there are now more stretch limos that can seat 16 to 30 passengers. It may shock you to note that nearly half of all the limousines for rent are nor properly licensed and are in violation of the law.

Just about All those American limos imported into the country lately carry up to 30 passengers for those super stretch SUVs. Any vehicle with more than 8 seating capacity is required by law to get a COIF (Certificate of Initial Fitness) from the VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.) and be operated under the Passenger Service Vehicle license.

That renders all those over-stretched American limousines and 4×4 stretch Navigators, Escalades and Hummers which can seat up to 30 passengers illegal. This has effectively driven many limousine operators to raise a howl of protest before parliament especially with the new mandate giving special powers to the VOSA to impound limousines illegally operated.

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