Siberian_Viktorya

I have frequently rented cars while vacationing in Germany. However, my driving was limited to countries neighboring Germany, such as France, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, and Sweden.

I'm planning another trip in August. I will pick up a rental car at Hamburg airport and drive to Munich, Zurich, Geneva, Paris, Amsterdam, before returning it back to Hamburg airport. I'm thinking about making a side trip from somewhere in France to the UK to visit a few friends in Scotland.

Do German car rental agencies(Hertz, for example) allow their high-end cars to be driven to the UK and back?

Alex71

Wow, this is complicated. Aparrently, there are certain cars that Hertz requires to stay in Germany altogether and others that can't be driven in certain countries. I did not see the UK as part of the list, but there also seem to be restrictions regarding the use of ferries. The train should be ok, though. Nevertheless, it might be more economical to fly to Scotland and to pick up another car there.

I don't know if you understand German, but here are the relevant sections from the Hetz Q&As:

Hertz-Fahrzeuge dürfen nicht in folgende Länder gebracht werden und/oder dort abgegeben werden: alle afrikanischen, amerikanischen und asiatischen Länder sowie Länder des Nahen Ostens, Albanien, Armenien, Australien, Aserbaidschan, Weißrussland, Bosnien-Herzegowina, Bulgarien, Estland, Georgien, Griechenland, Kasachstan, Kosovo, Kirgisien, Lettland, Litauen, Mazedonien, Moldawien, Montenegro, Neuseeland, Rumänien, Russland, Serbien, Tadschikistan, die Türkei, Turkmenistan, die Ukraine und Usbekistan.

Hertz-Fahrzeuge können nach Kroatien, in die Tschechische Republik, nach Ungarn und Polen, in die Slowakei und nach Slowenien gefahren, dort jedoch nicht zurückgegeben werden.

Ausnahmen: Mercedes- und BMW-Modelle, sowie Cabriolets, SUVs, Transporter und LKW, sowie alle Fahrzeuge der Hertz Prestige Collection und der Fun Collection dürfen nicht nach Kroatien, in die Tschechische Republik, nach Ungarn und Polen, in die Slowakei und nach Slowenien gefahren und/oder dort zurückgegeben werden.

Mercedes- und BMW-Modelle, Cabriolets, SUVs, sowie alle Fahrzeuge der Hertz Prestige Collection und der Fun Collection dürfen nicht nach Italien gefahren und/oder dort abgegeben werden.

Die Dream Collection Fahrzeuggruppe (E6): BMW M5 Automatik - Navigation darf Deutschland nicht verlassen.

Alle Fahrzeuge der Hertz Prestige Collection (HPC), außer (A6): Jaguar XF Automatik - Navigation, (J6): BMW 535xd 4x4 Kombi Aut. - Navigation, (N6): Range Rover Evoque - Navigation, (S6): Range Rover Sport – Navigation, (V6): Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Break Aut. - Navigationund (Z6): Mercedes S350D dürfen Deutschland nicht verlassen.

*Wenn Sie beabsichtigen, mit dem Fahrzeug nach London, Großbritannien zu fahren und/oder es dort abzugeben, lesen Sie bitte unter dem Stichwort "Citymaut" in den Mietbedingungen von Großbritannien nach.

*Bestimmungen bzgl. der Mitnahme des Fahrzeugs auf Schiffen oder Fähren finden Sie unter dem Stichwort "Einschränkungen für die Fähren" in den Mietbedingungen nach.

Bitte lesen Sie unter dem Stichwort "Einwegmieten" in den Mietbedingungen nach.

Sollten diese Einschränkungen ignoriert werden, verlieren alle Versicherungen und Haftpflichtbeschränkungen (CDW, TP, Super Cover, PI), sofern abgeschlossen, ihre Gültigkeit. Der Fahrer ist dann im Schadensfall voll verantwortlich und muss alle daraus entstehenden Kosten selbst tragen, die Kosten für den Rücktransport des beschädigten Fahrzeugs eingeschlossen.

LondonElite

The answer to your question ranges from possibly to certainly not, depending on the agency, the car in question, and your age. You can see the 'conditions of rental' for each agency online.

Aviatrix

Even if you can take a car to the UK... your idea sounds crazy. If you were visiting friends in Kent or on the South Coast taking a car might make some sense. But driving all the way to Scotland???

oliver2002

The restrictions by car rental companies relate to the risk of theft imposed onto them by their insurance companies. The UK is not one of the risk countries so you should be fine.

I would personally fly to Scotland and rent there because its awful to drive with a right hand side country car in the UK. You are constantly annoyed by not being able to see things correctly and at night in the country side your headlights point the wrong way.

LondonElite

I don't have direct experience of this, but I don't think what you say is categorically true. It may be true in certain instances, for certain agencies and certain models, and those certain instances may outnumber those where it is not permitted, but I would caution the OP to check this carefully before agreeing the rental (all agencies publish this on their websites). No one is going to stop you, of course, that's not the job of the Border Force in the UK, but you may find insurance coverage invalidated, and/or a hefty fine if the vehicle has a tracker system fitted and the agency decides to look.

Nevertheless, as you say, driving to Scotland is completely bonkers, even if you are in the UK already!

offerendum

Europcar has excemptions, Sixt seems to be more libeal.

Absolutely. My first impression when I read OPs first post: Who does a side trip to Scotland by rental car? Woudnīt recommend it.

Palal

Just fly there and rent at the destination.

LondonElite

offerendum

Flying to Scotland and renting a (second) car would be indeed the far better option. Itīs also cheapter if you consider costs for fuel and ferry.

radium_mask

Somebody has already posted it. Herzt puts some restrictions on their very high-end vehicles. Sixt lets you drive all their cars to the UK. Avis has different rules. You can check all this on the rental companies' websites. Depending on how you intend to bring the car from France to UK, also check if your rental company allows the use of ferry boats.

Rental car companies generally self-insure and the restrictions are put by their own risk management, not external insurance companies. The result is, of course, the same.

ksu

We drove to a veteran car show in Harrogate a couple of years ago. Our itinerary from Norway was ferry Larvik (NO) - Hirtshals (DK), ferry Esbjerg (DK) - Harwich (UK) (unfortunately now defunct) on to Harrogate. From Harrogate we drove to Elgin (Scotland), then down to Glasgow for a couple of days, before returning to Norway by way of the Newcastle (UK) - Amsterdam and Kiel (DE) - Oslo ferries.

Now, I will not recommend anyone replicating our complete itinerary (which started and ended with a ten hour drive in Norway), but the drive within the UK was very nice, and certainly no problem with a left-hand drive car. If one is Norwegian, Russian or American and used to long car trips, the drive from the south of England to Scotland is nothing to fear.

offerendum

I take my German car to the UK from time to time and I agree itīs not a problem. The problem is the long Ferry ride/ drive. Itīs like visiting New York and drive to San Diego to visit friends

Siberian_Viktorya

Below are the cities that I will be visiting, after picking up the rental car in Hamburg:

Hamburg
Bayreuth
Munich
Zurich
Martigny
Geneva
La Rochelle
Paris
Le Havre
Berck
Lille
Amsterdam
Hamburg

I just figured that it's easier to make a side trip to the UK by driving the car there, instead of flying or taking a train to the UK and renting another car...

LondonElite

What you list there is something like 4,000 km of driving (excluding UK) by my reckoning. You better make sure that you're not in contravention of your limits (even if you are renting an all-inclusive rate).