| What You Need to Know Before Renting |
| Here are some critical
guidelines to follow to ensure your party or special event is a dazzling
success! |
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| Looking for the "Best Price"?
You may be disappointed. |
| The biggest error you could
make when shopping for a limo rental is searching based on PRICE. In the
limousine industry, there are many variances of quality and price. All too
often, a cheaper price translates into larger risk for you. Most consumers
would not choose a restaurant or hotel based on price, yet people shop for
a limo service this way and expect 5-star quality. If you shop for a
limousine service based on price alone, you will likely be frustrated and
disappointed with your limousine experience.
Old, dirty, poorly maintained
vehicles, shoddy service, unprofessional chauffeurs with poor hygiene,
dangerous vehicles, late service, and under-insured services are all
possible results of a "best price" shopping priority.
There are exceptions--
however, the lower the price, the more risk you will assume with your
transportation plans. |
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| RISKS YOU TAKE WHEN SHOPPING
FOR A LIMOUSINE BASED ON PRICE ALONE. |
Your limousine does not show up. You miss your
concert. Your limousine shows up late. You miss your dinner
engagement and Broadway play.
A 1987 model limousine rusting at the seams arrives
at your door when you were expecting at a 1998 model. Instead of being
lavished in luxury, you are embarrassed.
Your limousine shows up with an unprofessional
chauffeur with poor hygiene.
Your limousine chauffeur exercises poor customer
service with your company's most influential client. You loose the
account.
Your limousine service gets into an accident and does not have proper
insurance to cover the damages involved in your injuries.
Your limousine drops an axle during transport and you are injured. Turns
out your service did not have the limousine safety inspected as state law
mandates.
Your limousine breaks down on the freeway during transport to the Super
Bowl. You and 7 of your friends missed the big game- but you saved $35.00
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Ask About Insurance and Permits. |
| All limousines are required
to carry commercial insurance and proper permits. Unfortunately, the
Yellow Pages and advertising services do not require the same in order to
advertise. To protect yourself from "gypsy companies", ask for these from
your selected company. |
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| "The Limo Broke Down!" |
| Don't be the unfortunate
customer which gets the "The Limo Broke Down" or "We don't have your
reservation" story. Cover yourself by dealing with a reputable company.
Shopping on price alone is dangerous. Some unethical operators do not
hesitate to drop a reservation to pickup a better paying fare. |
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| Charter Limousine Rental
Costs - How it is determined. |
To determine the cost of a
limousine charter, several factors are used in determining price.
Vehicle Rented: Luxury sedans are the least costly, however can only
transport up to 4 passengers. Your cost increases proportionate to vehicle
size.
Hourly Rental Time: Limo services charge on a per hour basis. Charges vary
from $35/hr upward to $150/hr depending on vehicle time.
Travel Distance: If your transportation involves an abnormal amount of
travel time, some services will charge extra. |
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| How Much Does It Cost To Rent
A Limo? |
Limousine rentals run in the
neighborhood of $50 - $120 per hour with a MINIMUM of two or three hours
booked. Many companies require a minimum to 2 or 3 hours to provide
service, with exception to standard airport service. Here are some
hourly rental guidelines
Luxury sedan service = $55 - 75/hr
6-passenger service = $75 - 95/hr
8-passenger service = $85 - 105/hr
10-passenger service = $95 - 115/hr
12-passenger plus = $125 - 200/hr
Excalibur's, Rolls Royce $150/hr and more
Stretched Navigators, Excursions and Hummers = $150-$250/hr or
more
THESE HOURLY RATES DO NOT
INCLUDE GRATUITY (20%) |
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| Do We Have to Pay for the
Limo While we Attend the Concert? |
| In cases where you aren't
using the limousine during your rental (such as bar-hopping, dinner
reservations, concerts, sporting events, etc.) you still have to pay for
the rental time, even if you aren't physically using the vehicle. While
you are at a concert, the vehicle cannot be used elsewhere; even when
there are 2 or 3 hours in between the drop off and pickup. Some companies
sometimes offer a discounted hourly rate when the vehicle is idly waiting
outside a concert or sports venue. In addition, if there are more than 4
hours between and pick-up with minimum travel time, some companies may
offer a "split" - just a rental to-and-from your destination with no
charge for waiting time in between. This is not recommended! |
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| Can I Rent A Limo For 1 Hour? |
| Most companies require a
minimum 3-6 hour booking to rent a limousine. This is due to the large
expense and cost involved in securing and maintaining the vehicles. An
8-passenger limousine can run $60,000-$80,000 brand new! A one-hour rental
is not cost effective because the vehicle is only 'paid-service' for one
hour; however actual vehicle run time may be more than 2 hours. Other
costs which make a 1-hour rental not possible is vehicle prep time and
driver salary.
In addition, during prom
season, minimum hourly booking requirements for a special charter may
increase to 8 to 10 hours due to the overwhelming demand for limousines.
You are more likely to get struck by lightning than getting a limousine
rental for 1 or 2 hours during prom season. |
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| When Do My Rental Charges
Begin? |
| This varies by company and
location. Some companies begin rental charges at your designated pickup
time at your pickup location. If you say, "Pick us up at 6pm at 123 Main
St", then this will be the beginning of your rental charge. Other
companies begin rental charges on portal-to-portal basis and charge
'travel-time'. Specifically, your rental time may begin the moment the
limousine begins its journey to your first pickup location. Ask your
limousine company specifically how they charge. Travel time is usual in
rural areas where the closest limousine service may be miles away. |
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| Can We Drink Alcohol in the
Limo? |
| The policy varies with each
limousine service. Also, some states and countries have laws which outlaw
such use. UNDERAGE drinking is not allowed under any circumstances. |
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| Do We Have to Tip The Driver? |
| Yes. The standard tip is 20%
of the total fare. If you feel your driver has performed in an exceeding
manner, you can tip more. Some companies will AUTOMATICALLY include the
gratuity (tip) in their total price quote. When making reservations,
always ask if GRATUITY is included in the total price. If not, you should
budget an extra twenty percent towards your total bill for driver
gratuity. |
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