There are a number of car hire businesses in and around Australia. Car hire or car rental agencies are businesses that rent cars to customers for short periods of time. These businesses can be found in almost every major city, town and airport. They primarily serve people who are temporarily away from their own vehicles or their vehicles are out of service. Customers reasons may include a trip vacation, for business, or other uses. There are number of car models available to customers depending on the transmission needed by the customer, whether automatic transmission or manual transmission. Depending on the needs of the customer, car rental agencies may rent vehicles from cars to SUVs, vans to trucks, to customers.
Car rentals are subject to conditions set by the business. Conditions may include, but are not limited to:

• The vehicle must be returned in good condition.
• The vehicle must not exceed the maximum driven distance.
• Some companies set a minimum age requirement for the driver.
• A valid and current driver's license is required to rent a car.
• A valid credit card for the rental payment and other incurred charges.

Car hire or car rental is different from a car lease which is commonly offered by car dealers as a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a car used by businesses or private individuals without the usual need for cash outlay. Car lease is an alternative that customers may choose for a fixed period of time (usually2, 3 or 4 years) and returned to the leasing company after the primary term for disposal.
In a car lease, the lease payments will be lower than the payments on a car loan and the qualification is easier. It allows you to choose a new model of car once the lease expires, allowing you to drive a new vehicle every few years without having to sell the old car. However, car lease contracts will cost you more if you wish to break your lease before the term expires. However, some companies may allow you to transfer your lease to someone else.

Car hire or car rental tips

• Choose an appropriate vehicle for your needs. Consider who you are with, where you will use the car, and for how long will you use the vehicle.
• When booking a car for long durations, consider a local business for better rates. However, when using a car for short periods of time, a major car rental company is recommended.
• When booking online, read the fine print and understand the conditions of the car rental very carefully as these may help get out of trouble if there is one. Always get the confirmation number for every transaction and take note of every important detail.
• Familiarize yourself with the workings of the car to avoid any damages that can happen when using it.
• Before returning the vehicle, make sure that you have removed all personal items. Also fill the tank yourself before returning so that you will only pay for the amount of gas you actually used.