Frequently Asked Questions
Rental Terms and Conditions
Q. What terms and condition should I be aware of when I hire?
A. When you are picking up a vehicle from us you will notice that the front and rear of the rental agreement has all the terms and conditions listed. A copy of this can be found by following the link below:
Q. What do I need to bring with me to rent a vehicle?
A. All drivers of the vehicle will need to be present and provide a valid, full unrestricted drivers licence. A credit card is required for the security bond. Both credit card and the credit card holder must be present at the time of renting.
Q. Can I rent a car with an international driver’s license?
A. If you have a valid international driver’s licence or a licence which is in English then you are able to drive under our laws in Australia. Any driver’s licence that is not in English or does not have a certified English translation will not be accepted. If using an international driver’s license it must also include a photo of yourself and you will also be required to present your passport and your original license with your international drivers license.
Q. What is the minimum age I have to be to rent a vehicle?
A. Most rental companies require drivers to be over the age of 25 however Discount has a lower minimum age requirement of 23 years. Drivers between the ages of 23 - 25 will be required to pay an underage driver fee of $5.00 per day.
Q. Is there a maximum age that will restrict me to rent a vehicle?
A. Unfortunately we are unable to hire vehicles to people over the age of 75 years.
Q. Is there a security bond I am required to pay? How does a security bond work?
A. Yes. A security bond is required for insurance purposes as well as being used as a form of protection by Discount whilst you are renting a vehicle. This bond is a pre-authorisation to your credit card that is required prior to collecting your vehicle and will be cancelled upon return if there are no additional charges or damages applying to your vehicle. Please note that at some Discount branches the security bond will be charged to the credit card and refunded on return of the vehicle provided that there are no additional charges or damages sustained. This refund can take between 1-7 days depending on your credit card provider.
Q. Can I pay cash or use a debit card for my security bond?
A. Unfortunately we do not accept cash as payment for a security bond. We only accept a valid credit card. If you posses a debit visa card or an electronic use debit card please check with your branch that it is an accepted form of payment prior to picking up your vehicle.
Q. Can I return the vehicle after hours?
A. If you plan to return your vehicle after a branch is closed you must ensure that they have this option available. If so they will provide instructions on where to leave the vehicle and where to place the keys. Please note that the vehicle will remain your responsibility until check-in time of the next business day.
Q. What about fuel when I return the car?
A. When you are returning the vehicle we ask that you refuel it back to the level at which you received. If this is not completed for any reason you will be charged for the shortage as well as a service component. Please check with your branch as to the price of fuel as these rates do change from day to day.
Rates, Fees and Surcharges
Q. Will Discount charge extra incomprehensible fees like most of the other car hire companies?
A. WE HAVE NO HIDDEN FEES! Everything you need to know about what and how we charge is as clear as possible on this website; and we always talk customers through all the details at the counter to ensure that everything is clear. We do not charge any vehicle registration recovery fees, premium location fees, airport concession fees or registration recovery fees. We do not charge an airport concession fee because we are not in the Airport due to the very high costs involved in operating a car hire there. We would rather provide great service from our convenient location just 400 metres from the airport and pass the savings on to you. Be aware that unlike Discount, many other rental companies have vague quotations that make it hard to see whether or not some or all of the above fees are included. In some cases you will not be told about this until you arrive at their counter.
Q. What does my quoted rate include?
A. Your rental rate will include GST and all applicable taxes as well as a FREE kilometre package of 100kms or 250kms per day for passenger vehicles, depending on your choice of vehicle, and 100kms per day for commercial vehicles.
Q. How do I extend my rental and will it change my rate?
A. To extend your rental you must contact the branch where the vehicle was first picked up. Any changes that you make to your rental may change the rate as we have set rate tiers depending on the length of hire.
Q. If I want to pick up a car at one location and drop it off at another, does it cost more?
A. Yes. If you would like to pick-up and drop-off a vehicle at a different branch within Sydney there is a $100.00 flat fee. Customers interested in a one-way rental should specifically ask their branch if there are any eligible locations for a drop-off and the associated fees or charges for additional mileage.
Q. What happens if I need to cancel my booking?
A. If you need to cancel or change the time/date of your booking you must notify your Discount branch within 48 hours of your pickup date otherwise you will be charged a $50.00 cancellation fee. This fee will also apply to hirers who do not show up on the date and time of pickup.
Q. What do we need to know about toll roads and paying tolls? What are E-Tags?
A. There are many toll roads in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland situated mostly in the major cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These tolls range from $1.50 to around $7.00 and can be paid by cash, E-Tag or E-Pass depending on the toll road travelled. An E-Tag is an electronic 'tag' that attaches to the wind screen on the interior of the vehicle and automatically records the car’s passing, allowing you travel without having to stop and pay making it the most convenient way of travelling. An E-Pass is similar to an E-Tag however is only temporary and can be purchased for travel from some toll providers. Some toll roads are not able to accept cash and will only accept E-Tags or E-Passes meaning that if you travel without one of these passes you will be unable to pay for this toll at the time of travel. Thus, you must contact the relevant toll provider to follow up payment to avoid us charging you an administration fee. This can generally be done by credit card over the phone or on the internet within 48 hours after passing the toll. If you do not pay for your toll Discount will receive an infringement letter in which you will be named as the person responsible and have the toll re-issued to your address. The time and effort taken to administer the handling of toll infringements is quite large and thus we charge a handling fee of $30.00 for each toll notice processed.
Methods of Payments
Q. Why do rental car companies ask for a credit card?
A. A valid credit card is required from our customers for security and insurance purposes. Without a valid credit card a vehicle is not covered under our insurance policy. A credit card also provides Discount with a security bond to minimise payment issues. This is a standard practice among rental companies as we need to know that our renters are credit-worthy to minimise vehicle damage and losses.
Q. What credit card can I use for payment?
A. Most branches will accept a valid Visa, Mastercard or American Express card as payment for your security bond and/or rental charges. If you posses a Diner card, debit visa card or an electronic use debit card please check with your branch that it is an accepted form of payment.
Q. Can I use a credit card for the security bond and then pay for the rental with cash or eftpos card?
A. Yes you can use your credit card for the security bond and pay the rental charge by cash or your eftpos card whilst picking up the car.
Collision Liability Reductions and Assistance Covers
Q. Does the rental vehicles come with any type of insurance or damage cover?
A. Discount does NOT offer insurance. The standard collision damage liabilities for cars and mini buses are $2750.00 for each single-vehicle incident and $2750.00 for each multi-vehicle collision. These may be reduced to $2750.00 for each single-vehicle incident and $550.00 for each multi-vehicle incident by paying an additional $16.00 per day. This collision liability reduction (CLR) is optional. Hirers are reminded that overhead, interior, underbody, reversing, third party property, windscreen and tyre damage howsoever caused is always at the hirer’s risk. There is no cover unless our contract terms and conditions are met and the hire car is driven on sealed maintained roads.
For the Commercial Vehicles (Trucks, Vans and Utes) the standard collision damage liabilities are $5500 for each single-vehicle incident and $5500 for each multi-vehicle collision. These may be reduced to $2750 for each single-vehicle incident and $550 for each multi-vehicle incident for (Trucks and Utes) and $1650 (Vans) by paying an additional $16.00 per day. This collision liability (CLR) is optional. Hirers are reminded that there is no cover for overhead, pantec, interior, underbody, reversing, third party property damage howsoever caused is always at the hirer's risk.
Q. What if I decline Collision Liability Reduction?
A. If you choose not to purchase Collision Liability Reduction then you will be liable for the full cost of the excess that is applicable on your rental agreement.
Q. Won't my credit card cover it?
A. Some credit card companies offer protection if you present their card at the time of rental and use the same card to pay for your rental. Renters should examine closely the terms of this coverage as the protection is often supplemental and certain limitations or restrictions may apply. Check with your credit card provider for more information.
Q. What should I do if I have an accident?
A. If you are in an accident you must exchange driving license details with the other party or parties involved in the accident. We require our clientelle to get the other party or parties insurer details. Then contact the police to complete an accident report (it’s the law) and immediately contact the branch the vehicle was rented from and our staff will guide you through the accident procedures. You must also obtain all the relevant accident information.
Fleet Information
Q. How will I be assured of the vehicles condition?
A. On arrival, Discount fleet management ensures that all vehicles are subject to a full detail and safety check prior to its next rental. As re-assurance to our clients and part of our ongoing commitment to quality control, a visual inspection is jointly completed with the hirer present upon collection. All customers receive a copy of a vehicle summary report on commencement of hire and agree to the vehicles condition.
Q. What if I break down? Do you provide 24 hour roadside assistance?
A. All our vehicles are covered by 24 hour roadside assistance with NRMA who can be contacted on 1300 369 349. When contacting NRMA you will need to quote our membership number, located on the car key-tag, along with the vehicle’s registration number. If any information cannot be found please contact the branch where you rented the vehicle from. Please note that a callout deemed to be as a result of human error will incur a $75.00 service fee. This will include reasoning such as keys being locked in a vehicle, the vehicle being out of fuel or lights being left on and batteries becoming flat.
Additional Extras
Q. I’m hiring a truck to move houses. Do you have any accessories to help me with my move?
A. Yes. Discount has a wide range of moving accessories such as fridge trolleys and hydraulic lifters available for hire at a low cost. Other accessories such as packing blankets, boxes, ropes and tape can be purchased at some locations. Please contact your nearest branch for availability and costing.
Q. Do you provide baby seats?
A. Yes. Baby capsules, child seats and booster seats are available to hire at only $5.00 per day. You can book these online or when making a telephone reservation.
Q. Do you have any GPS that I can hire for my rental?
A. Yes. GPS are available to hire at only $5.00 per day. You can book these online or when making a telephone reservation.