faqs

I am under 25. Can I rent one of your cars?
What if I’m under 21?
I don’t have a credit card. Can I still rent a car?
I want to bring my surfboard. Can I?
How do I know I won’t be charged for damage I didn’t do?
What about damage from animals or hail storms?
How can I save money on a rental car?
What happens if I have an accident?
Am I covered if the car breaks down?
We are traveling with small kids. Do you rent baby seats?
Do I have to pay for fines I get during the rental?
My own car is off the road and I’m teaching my son to drive. Can you help?
I don’t have a credit card, but my husband will let me use his. Is this OK?
I want to drive to Sydney and leave the car there. Can I do that?
I’m flying into Ballina tomorrow at 8 am. Can I get a car?
Why do you ask for my credit card details to confirm a booking? Are you going to bill me?
I’m a non smoker. Do you have a non smoking car?
I need a people mover for my large family. Can you help?
I’m just going to Byron with my girlfriend. I want your cheapest car.
All rental cars have a huge insurance premium. How big is yours?
I want a copy of your contract. Where can I get one?
Surely I can drive anywhere I like - there's nothing to stop me.
How can I guarantee a specific vehicle?
I am bringing along my CD collection. Do all your cars have CD players?
I only have a license to drive an automatic. Will I have any trouble?
My wife is always locking the keys in our own car. What do I do if she does it while on our holiday?
Are there any tricks to driving your cars?
How do I return my rental car?
I have another question that you haven’t listed. What do I do?

I am under 25. Can I rent one of your cars?

Yes. As long as you are over 21 (and under 75) with two years driving experience (and no endorsements to your driving license) you can rent one of our reliable cars. If you have an overseas license we will ask to see your passport as well.

What if I’m under 21?

Sorry. We can’t rent you a car. Our insurance company doesn’t permit us to rent our cars to under 21s. However, if you have friends or family over 21 with a car who are prepared to lend it to you; they can rent one of ours.

I don’t have a credit card. Can I still rent a car?

Yes. But renting a car is much faster, cheaper and less hassle for everyone when you use a credit card. We require a cash deposit equivalent to the renter’s liability you select (ie $1895, $895 or $695) and up front payment of the rental and other known charges. PLUS 100 points of ID (driver’s license, passport, utilities bill, bank statement, showing current address). There is a lot more administrative effort with cash and debit cards and the risk for us and our staff is higher. That’s why so few rental car companies will accept cash or debit cards. It’s also why we charge a cash administration fee for each rental paid for by cash or debit card. That fee is a factor of our labour costs and risks associated with dealing with cash in a risky business. The admin fee is generally about $50, but it does change as a result of our experiences. We don’t like it, but we have no choice. If you’ve read all this then you should be able to see why it’s easier and cheaper to pay with a credit card …

Your deposit will be refunded (less any amount deducted to cover additional items, like topping up fuel, damage, or kilometers over the daily free allowance) within 5 working days, by cheque or direct deposit if you have given us your BSB and account details. If you want the deposit refunded direct to your account please be extra careful to give us the CORRECT details. To protect your interests we ask for this info in writing.

I want to bring my surfboard. Can I?

No worries. We have lots of surfers who rent our cars. We rent board racks, or you might want the security of transporting boards inside a wagon. We only ask that you ensure your board is in a protective cover and to take care with the car’s interior. Board wax is difficult to clean off upholstery, and most of our cars have tinted windows - surfboard fins can easily rip holes in tinting and it is not cheap to replace. If you transport boards on top of the car without a board cover this will result in wax dripping onto the car's roof. We have to pay for staff to clean this off and we have no option but to pass on the cost to the renter.

We recommend you check with your airline about baggage allowance and their policies on carrying surf boards. You cannot automatically assume that they will all accept boards. Even flights with larger jets can be a problem for boards over 2 metres. Check the airline policies before you book your flight.

How do I know I won’t be charged for damage I didn’t do?

An excellent question. We take high resolution digital photographs of all our vehicles, after each and every rental, so we always know the condition of all cars, and we know when that condition changes. We maintain written condition reports on all vehicles which we ask customers to check and sign before driving the cars away. We request every customer to closely examine the condition report for their rental car and to advise our staff IMMEDIATELY if they find any discrepancies.

You should be aware that even if damage did not occur while a customer is driving, or present with the vehicle (eg while the car is parked while shopping or overnight at a motel) it is still the renter’s responsibility. For peace of mind we always recommend comparing the condition of the vehicle when returned with the condition report. You can also take before and after photos if you like – we won’t mind.

If we find new damage on a vehicle after a rental we will advise you ASAP and let you know the procedure, and the estimated cost when this is known. If you find damage on the car that wasn't there before please let us know too - that helps us to book quote/repairs as soon as the car returns, so the car can be fixed faster. This saves you money because the car is out of action less time.

If you are involved in an accident please advise us as soon as you can and ensure you accurately record what happened. If you have witnesses and photos of the scene, this will help identify who was at fault and ensure that they pay for losses, not you. There is an accident report from in the glove box to help you get the information you will need at the time and that our insurance company will require to process a claim.

What about damage from animals or hail storms?

Ask yourself who pays when you hit a kangaroo when driving your own car or a hailstorm clobbers you while at work. The situation is much the same with our cars.

We get lots of sudden storms in this area, especially during summer months. We recommend parking under cover whenever you can and taking the reduced liability to minimise the hurt if this happens to you. One of ours friends operates a rental car company in Lismore – when the hailstorms hit Lismore in 2007 he wrote off quite a few of his brand new cars. You can imagine how much that cost. And he wasn’t the only one who had to pay...

The Ballina Byron area is really just one great big nature reserve – plenty of whales and dolphins in the sea, and plenty of kangaroos and other land animals in the bush. When driving in the area remember that you are on a country road and expect the unexpected, especially at night. Once again, we would recommend taking the reduced liability to reduce your exposure. We also recommend trying to avoid taking the back roads at night, where the chance of encountering wildlife is higher.

How can I save money on a rental car?

Here’s our advice for saving the most on your Ballina Byron car rental experience:

1. Book Online and Book Early. Often our best deals are offered online because this saves labour in processing telephone enquiries, fills up our booking sheet and allows us to allocate staff more efficiently. Our system adjusts pricing as bookings occur, so those that are made early will often have better deals than those closer to the date a customer arrives and requires a rental car. It is usually much more expensive to book your car when you arrive. If you wait until you arrive at Ballina Byron airport it may be too late to get one of our cars and you may have to take your chances with a more expensive operator.

2. Book With Ballina Byron Rental Cars. We would say that wouldn’t we? But honestly, we guarantee to be your best deal on a rental car in Ballina Byron. We monitor the prices of other operators in the area and our ‘all up’ prices can be up to 50% lower than others. Don’t take our word for it – here are the links to check market prices for yourself.

Just remember that the first price you get may NOT always include all the charges – check that GST, ‘insurance’, premium location, registration recovery, stamp duty and after hours charges are included; then compare our prices. For some operators, cars will be priced on as few as 50 km free/rental day, and the price will sky rocket upwards as kms increase. This is obvious to us, but not so obvious if you only rent a car every blue moon – so watch out that you are actually comparing apples with apples:

Avis – when you fill in the airport code it is BNK
Budget – select Ballina Airport – NSW from drop down list
Central - also at the airport
Earth – at Byron Bay, so not that convenient if you’re flying in – watch out for drop off fees, extra kms and charges to reduce liability.
Europcar – select Ballina Airport from drop down list
Hertz – insert Ballina Airport in Rental City at Step 1
Thrifty – select Ballina Byron Bay Airport from drop down list

3. Book the higher category of car. Lots of people arrive in Ballina Byron thinking that they can see everything worth seeing just a short drive from their motel, so they choose the smallest vehicle they can get. That’s fine if they are only doing short trips or if perhaps there’s only a couple involved.

But, be aware that this area is really spread out – a trip out to Nimbin is well over an hour each way (click here to see indicative distances). A full day trip in a tiny 2 door buzz box is not for the feint hearted. So if you are going to explore you are going to do some real kms. And you may as well do so in comfort.

At Ballina Byron Rental Cars our pricing structure recognises that we want customers to get a lot more than a dollar’s value for each additional dollar they spend. For instance, our local runabout car with 75 kms free/day will usually cost about $5/day less than a basic economy car. But the basic economy car gives customers an extra 75 km free/day (worth $0.20/km = $15), plus a level of comfort above. Our top of the line, the modern economy, gives customers up to 200 km free/day for $5/day more than our basic economy price (but at $10/day more value). The modern economy offers almost all the features and comfort you would expect of a brand new car, but at a fraction of the price.

4. Consider your maximum likely driving requirement. If you think our standard free km/day allowance is enough for your visit then stick with it. You’ll save by doing nothing. If, however, you’re planning to buy the family a 3 day pass to the theme parks, or taking in a show in Brisbane you might need to consider getting an unlimited km option. For $10/day that can get you unlimited kms driving within the area of use in our basic or modern economy vehicles – saving you a bundle in the process.

5. Assess your driving risk and the size of your wallet. Only you know how confidently you drive and how you will respond to emergencies on the road. What is more difficult to calculate, is the risk of ‘natural’ events, like hail storms, and impact with animals on our local roads. All we can say is that these things can and do happen. We also know that there is a proportion of uninsured and sometimes unregistered drivers in this area, and you could encounter them. Most customers can reduce their liability from such events to $695, which will be similar to their insurance excess for their own car insurance policy. At less than $10/day for your peace of mind, we always recommend it.

6. How much gear are you traveling with? If you’re a family surfer, like us, you’ll have a board or two, your bag, your partner’s, plus the makeup, the kids’ toys, the kids’ clothes for all seasons, stroller and who knows what else. Sure we’ll rent you a sedan, and so will the other operators at Ballina Byron. However, don’t you really want a wagon, with racks to get your boards out of the way, and plenty of luggage space for the family? For about the same price as renting soft racks we can put you in a full sized wagon, with Rolla racks at no extra charge. You’ll have the benefit of storage space galore and while you’re getting wet in the surf, your kids can go to the park. The wagon will make the job of moving about all the kids’ gear much easier than a sedan. The wagon supplement is tiny compared with the extra convenience – just bring your tie downs.

What happens if I have an accident?

Hopefully you won’t ever have to deal with this one. Once again, this is almost the same as if an accident occurred while you were driving your own car.

1. Ensure everyone involved is uninjured. Render assistance if required. Call 000 to seek emergency services and request police/ambulance attendance, as required. NB. In NSW the police must be called to attend if anyone is injured, if either vehicle needs to be towed away from the scene, if either party refuses to exchange their details or if drugs or alcohol are involved in the accident.

2. Turn on vehicle hazard lights and try to ensure that the scene is not a danger to other road users.

3. You will be required to exchange information with other parties to the accident. There is an accident report form in the vehicle glove box which should help you gather all relevant information. While you are expected to co-operate and be honest with the police and other parties, you must NOT admit liability. This may void the vehicle's insurance policy and leave you liable for damage to our vehicle and any other involved.

4. CALL US on 02 6687 4009 and we will help step you through the process. If the vehicle requires towing it is normally cheaper if we arrange it.

5. To help protect yourself from liability claims please ensure you get details of any witnesses who can verify what happened. If you have a camera with you take photos of the accident scene and any damage to all vehicles involved ASAP (before anything is moved). If you do not have a camera, but have a camera facility in a mobile phone, please use it.

6. After the accident we will seek an estimate for the repairs to the vehicle and for the time the vehicle is expected to be available for rental. The customer pays the amount of liability agreed at the start of the rental. (If the customer has paid the rental by credit card they will have authorised payment of the liability when signing the rental agreement.) The standard liability can be reduced substantially for a small daily charge.

If the other party is responsible we will seek to recover losses from them, or their insurance company, and reimburse the customer if and when they pay.

If our customer is responsible they are provided access to our insurance provider to meet the losses of the other party. See the contract for details.

Our best advice is to drive defensively, in accordance with the law and within the legal speed limit. Some of the back roads on the North Coast are challenging. In wet weather please exercise extra care, slow down and leave the lights on, and expect the unexpected.

A word of warning about floods. This area is lovely and green for a reason – sometimes we get heavy downpours and local flash flooding can occur. Be conscious of warnings of water over roads and road closures. Attempting to cross a flooded road is dangerous and there is NO insurance cover if damage occurs.

A car accident is one of the worst experiences – we want you to stay safe and enjoy your time in the area.

Am I covered if the car breaks down?

Yes you are. However, our vehicles are regularly serviced and inspected before each rental to ensure that the risk of a breakdown is minimised. But, anything made by human beings can fail, even if it has had the best of care.

All our vehicles are covered 24/7 by the extensive professional support services of the NRMA in NSW and the RACQ in Queensland. Membership details are in the vehicle’s glove box. The NRMA membership number is 0008704B.

Ring the NRMA on 1300 369 349 if you are in NSW, or if you are in QLD call the RACQ on 131 111.

We are traveling with small kids. Do you rent baby seats?

Yes and all the seats we have meet the appropriate Australian standard.

Most of our vehicles have at least one fitting for a baby seat, but we are happy to fit more if required. We will place the seat in the car, but we will ask you to fit and adjust it to ensure that your precious cargo is carried to your safety needs.

Please tell us what you need in advance so we can avoid last minute hitches. It is really important to tell us whether your child uses a forward or rear facing seat, and if the child is a new born – these generally take a while to set up and you don’t want this to be done in a rush at night.

Do I have to pay for fines I get during the rental?

Unfortunately, yes, although mostly you won’t know about them for a month or so later There are plenty of speed cameras in the area, and lots nearby on the Gold Coast. If you are caught speeding, or receive a ticket for a parking offence, the infringement notice will eventually catch up with you. Most rental car companies charge up to $60 on top of the fine imposed because of the sheer amount of administrative effort involved in sorting it out (including finding a JP and submitting a statutory declaration to the issuing authority). We charge $40, but honestly, we would prefer not to see any fines at all.

To avoid unpleasant souvenirs from your trip please do not exceed the legal speed limit and take note of signs when parking the car. Some specific warnings below:

If you park in Byron Bay please pay special attention to parking times and ticketing. Also be careful when returning or collecting friends from the Ballina Byron airport.
Beware of the speed camera at Ewingsdale, on the Pacific Highway, just south of Byron Bay. This section of road is a 60km/hr zone, with the camera at the top of the hill. If you must drive to Byron Bay this way we recommend being especially vigilant with your speed. Since the camera was installed we have received dozens of fines that we have to pass on to our customers. Some customers have received more than one fine in one visit (the record is three – and all from this one camera!). Unless you really need to use this section of road we strongly recommend driving between Byron Bay and Lennox Head/Ballina on the Coast Road. The scenery is better and there are no fixed speed cameras.

My own car is off the road and I’m teaching my son to drive. Can you help?

We can help you with a car while yours is being repaired, but our insurance policy does not allow learner drivers of any age. Only licensed drivers over 21, with more than two years driving experience, can drive our vehicles.

I don’t have a credit card, but my husband will let me use his. Is this OK?

Yes, but if he is not coming with you to collect the car we will need to have his written authority first. Let us know well in advance if this is your situation. We will need copies of both sides of his credit card, clearly showing his signature, PLUS his written authority for you to use it in accordance with our rental car contract. The full terms and conditions of the agreement are available from our web site. He needs to read the contract and understand and agree to it.

I want to drive to Sydney and leave the car there. Can I do that?

Sorry we are not able to provide one way rentals. We can provide details of other companies that provide this service.

If you want to drive around the Ballina Byron area, or go as far afield as Coffs Harbour or the Sunshine Coast we can provide you with a reliable and affordable vehicle. However, all our vehicles need to be returned to our base at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. If you want to leave the car elsewhere ask us first.

Surely I can drive anywhere I like - there's nothing to stop me.

Most rental car operators limit their vehicles going to places that will increase risk of damage or where inadequate support exists to cover their customers. We are a local rental car operator and we are committed to supporting our customers in the local area, or those who visit here. So, while our vehicles are mechanically sound and we are confident they can drive to Melbourne and back no worries, we do not believe they should. Customers select our cars for local transport. We are happy to recommend other operators if long distance driving is your aim.

There is certainly nothing to stop our vehicles being driven outside the defined area of use. However, additional charges of $50/day will apply when we find out (there are plenty of speed cameras and parking inspectors to send us souvenirs from far flung travels). And if customers select the unlimited kilometer option and leave the area of use it will be cancelled. Travel beyond the daily free allowance will then be charged at our standard rate of $0.20/kilometer.

I’m flying into Ballina tomorrow at 8 am. Can I get a car?

Yes. But please book it first so we know to meet your flight. If you need a car within 48 hours it’s wise to book by phone.

Why do you ask for my credit card details to confirm a booking? Are you going to bill me?

Credit card confirmations helps avoid ‘no shows’. We won’t bill you till you arrive and sign your contract or it is clear that it is a ‘no show’ situation.

We do have a cancellation policy – 24 hours notice is required to cancel a booking, otherwise we require payment equivalent to a one day rental for the booked class of vehicle. Don’t worry, though. If your flight has been delayed, cancelled or goes to another destination we accept that it is not your fault. If you know there is a problem with the flight let us know, although mostly we will already know – if a flight is cancelled you won’t be the only one inconvenienced.

I’m a non smoker. Do you have a non smoking car?

We are also non smokers. Our vehicles are designated NON SMOKING areas. We can look after your needs.

Smokers can use our cars, but we ask them to respect the non smokers by smoking outside. A hefty cleaning/deodorizing fee applies if they forget.

I need a people mover for my large family. Can you help?

We can help by giving you two economical vehicles that together could move up to 10 people at a time. If you need to ferry the whole team in one vehicle we will happily refer you to one of our local colleagues. There are lots of such vehicles, although they are in high demand during holidays.

I’m just going to Byron with my girlfriend. I want your cheapest car.

No worries. If you are only doing local driving with just one passenger our local runabout class is hard to beat. They are very fuel efficient and fine for buzzing around Byron and the local beaches. It’s a great alternative to a taxi or shuttle bus to Byron and for around the same price. However, you also have the convenience of your own wheels when you get to your accommodation and it could easily save you heaps on taxis over the period of your stay.

If you are thinking of doing more sight seeing though, you might consider a vehicle from our basic economy class. They are a bit larger, more comfortable and have a lot more free kilometers per rental day.

All rental cars have a huge insurance premium. How big is yours?

Our cars have insurance included in the rental price. The liability for the renter, in the event of most accidents or claims, is the first $1895.

You can reduce this to $695 if you are over 25, or to $895 if you are younger. The daily charge for this reduction is less than $10.00. We think this is a small price for the extra peace of mind.

I want a copy of your contract. Where can I get one?

You can download one from our web page. What you’ll get is our standard terms and conditions which are similar to contracts used by most car rental companies.

The rest of the contract is your personal details, intended area of use, liability level and the pricing and particulars for the vehicle you are renting.
Please click here to Download our full Terms & Conditions

How can I guarantee a specific vehicle?

Like most companies, we book our customers into a class of vehicle, not a specific car. If you request a specific vehicle we will do our best, but we can’t make any promises. Sometimes cars do not return on time, or return requiring more TLC than we expect. When that happens we have no option but to allocate another car.

I am bringing along my CD collection. Do all your cars have CD players?

All vehicles in our modern economy class are equipped with CD players. Let us know when you are flying in.

I only have a license to drive an automatic. Will I have any trouble?

Almost all our vehicles have auto transmissions, so you should have no trouble at all.

We have sometimes had manual drivers experience problems, though. We’ve found that ‘problems’ like the car won’t start (in Drive or Reverse) can usually be ‘fixed’ by moving the gear selector to Park or Neutral and trying again. Don’t laugh – it has happened.

My wife is always locking the keys in our own car. What do I do if she does it while on our holiday?

Don’t be too hard on her. None of us is perfect. Ring the NRMA on 1300 369 349 if you are in NSW or the RACQ on 131 111 if you are in trouble in QLD. They will open the car and retrieve the keys. Our NRMA membership number is 0008704B.

Are there any tricks to driving your cars?

Our cars are popular models on Australian roads. Most are late model Toyotas, Mitsubishis and Holdens which are no more quirky than any other car.
Most of our cars have electronic remote access keys that can sometimes trip up people who aren't used to them. Our advice is to ALWAYS use the remote to lock and unlock the car, if it has one.

Some of the Camrys will immobilize the car if the motor is switched off and the key is left in the ignition for too long. This is apparently a security feature to help stop the car from being stolen. Pressing the button on the key should reboot the system and convince the car that you are not a thief. We don't know why, but it should now allow you to start the car normally.

Our newest Camry doesn't have a hand brake. Where the clutch would be on a manual car there is a parking brake pedal instead. A warning light is displayed on the dash when the parking brake is engaged. There's no trick to it, but it does seem a bit strange the first time you drive it.

Many of our cars are fitted with low water/oil pressure alarms to help reduce the risk of costly engine repairs and to save our customers from inconvenience. These alarms sound when the sensors detect that the coolant in the radiator or engine oil pressure have fallen below the safe level. They also sound briefly when the car is being started. This should last for no more than second or two. If the alarm is triggered while driving you will notice the same sound straight away. Please pull over at the next safe place and call the NRMA for assistance. Please do NOT try to remove the radiator cap, as the coolant may be under high pressure and the radiator very hot.
We don't have any 4WD vehicles and none of our cars are designed to be driven off road or across floodwaters.

How do I return my rental car?

• Refuel the car on the way to the airport (there is a petrol station on the corner of the Pacific Highway and Southern Cross Drive on the way back to the airport). Please avoid refueling the car in Byron Bay (we don’t mind, but you will need to top it up again closer to the airport) because the fuel gauge will show under full when you get to the airport.
• Bring your car back to the airport and proceed to the Rental Car car park. Find a vacant spot in the Ballina Byron section of the car park. Our reserved spaces are in the 3rd row back and they are all clearly marked. We have paid for more spaces than we think we will ever need, so you should always find at least one available spot. Under no circumstances should you park in the public car park - the car will be fined and we will have to pass the fine and our admin expenses back to you.
• Check that you have all your personal items (including your copy of the rental car agreement – if you paid by credit card your card details will be on it - please keep that information safe).
• Lock the car and consider taking photos of its condition on return. Then insert the car keys into the key drop beside the blue phone at our desk in the arrivals terminal.
• Pick up one of our business cards to use for your next trip or to give to friends at home.
• Have a safe flight home and thanks for using a Ballina Byron Rental Car.

The terminal will be open for all scheduled flights. If you are intending to return the car after the terminal has closed please let us know when you collect your car. We will advise you the procedure at that time.

Often returns will occur when we are not at our airport desk. That’s OK. The car park has 24 hour security cameras, plenty of lighting and regular patrols. The car will be safe until we inspect it and return it to the rental fleet. If you want us to know you have returned the car just pick up our blue courtesy phone at our desk and wait for us to answer. If we are already on the phone you can leave a message – we will get it when we are free.

I have another question that you haven’t listed. What do I do?

Send us an email, or if it’s urgent, give us a call. If you are ringing from WA or outside Australia, please consider the time difference – after 6pm the phone diverts to a messaging service. Leave a message and we will return your call the next day.

For any information please feel free to contact us.

Toyota Camry