Most rent-a-car disputes are settled in the first 5 minutes, before you start the engine. Picking the car up looks like a formality, but this is exactly where it is decided whether you get your deposit back without discussion or end up paying for a scratch you did not make.
The good news: you need nothing special, just your phone and a little attention. Here is what to check at pickup and what to do at return, so it all stays clean.
At pickup: take photos, check everything
Before you drive off, walk around the car with your phone and take photos or a short video:
- All four sides, plus front and rear, in good light.
- The rims and tyres — scratched rims are a classic source of disputes.
- The windscreen (cracks, stone chips) and the mirrors.
- The interior: dashboard, seats, any stains or marks.
- The fuel level and the odometer, as shown on the dash.
Note every existing scratch or dent on the handover sheet and make sure it appears in the document. If damage is already there and it is on paper, it cannot be put on you at the end. Date-stamped photos are your proof.
Understand what is included and how big the deposit is
Before you sign, settle three things:
- What the insurance covers. At driveXplore, full insurance is included — a real advantage, because it cuts down a lot of what you might otherwise pay after an incident.
- How big the deposit is and when it is released. Here it is simple: a single 50€ deposit, not large sums blocked on your card.
- The fuel policy. The fairest is "full to full": you take the car full and bring it back full. Note the level at pickup so you know what to return it with.
While you are at it, check you have your documents on you: driving licence, ID card or passport, and the card for the deposit. Without them, the handover stalls.
On the road: small things that count
Once you are moving, a few reflexes save you time and money:
- If a warning light comes on, call the company before you carry on, not after.
- Keep the fuel receipts from the end of the trip, if you are on a "full to full" policy.
- Unlimited mileage means you are not counting kilometres — but check the contract anyway, so you know from the start.
At return: be there for the check
The common mistake is to drop the car and leave. Ideally, be present for the return inspection:
- Bring the car back on time and with the agreed fuel level.
- Do the photo walk-around again, especially if you have driven on gravel roads.
- Ask for confirmation that the car was returned in order and that the deposit is being released.
- Keep the pickup and return photos until you see the money back on your card.
With a fair company and these steps done, the return takes a few minutes and ends without any discussion.
In short
- At pickup, photograph everything: sides, rims, windscreen, interior, dashboard.
- Record any existing damage on the handover sheet — if it is on paper, it is not yours.
- Settle the insurance (full insurance included), the deposit (50€) and the fuel policy.
- Have your licence, ID and card with you.
- At return, be there for the check and ask for confirmation that the deposit is released.
- Keep the photos until the deposit is back.
With us these steps are simple precisely because the rules are clear from the start: full insurance included, unlimited mileage and a single 50€ deposit, with no large sums blocked. See our fleet and book in a few minutes. And if you need a car for a few months, a long-term rental spares you this ritual every other week.
