How to rent a car in Madeira without hidden costs
Four checks that stop a cheap online deal from turning expensive at the pick-up desk.
Renting a car is the best way to see Madeira. But many of our customers tell us about online deals that looked cheap and became expensive at the airport desk.
Some platforms advertise cars for as little as €3 a day. At pick-up, the customer hears that the price did not include full insurance or VAT, and the final bill is several times the price they booked.
Four checks before you pay
- Read the small print. Check what the price includes: VAT, insurance, delivery fees and any regional fees.
- Get your questions answered before you pay. Above all, know which insurance cover you have.
- The cheapest deal is not always the cheapest rental. The lower the headline price, the bigger the surprise can be.
- Ask about full cover (SCDW). It reduces your excess, ideally to zero, so a scratch on a narrow mountain road does not become a large bill.
How we price our cars
At Express Car Rental the price shown at checkout is the price you pay. Mandatory items such as basic insurance (CDW) and Madeira's regional usage fee for combustion-engine cars are listed before you confirm. Optional extras, such as full cover (SCDW) or an extra driver, are your choice.
We service and clean our cars regularly, and we do not block a security deposit on your card.