Paradise Lost? Not With GPS Rental From SA Car Hire!

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” This well-known and oft-repeated quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson is undeniably profound, but not, it has to be said, especially relevant if you’re on holiday and trying to find your way to Slangkopafgekapspruit before it gets dark. Old Ralph was born in 1803, so what did he know about cars anyway? The truth is, when you’re driving and you need to find the hotel you’ve booked, life is ALL about destination. And finding that destination is what GPS rental is all about.

GPS rental is the easy, hassle-free way to find where you need to go these holidays. It’s true that you could use the map app on your smartphone. However, if you’re visiting South Africa from another country, data roaming charges get very big very quickly. And if you’re travelling to some of our more remote locations, cell phone signal and 3G can be unreliable at best.

What Are The Benefits Of GPS Rental?

GPS rental really is the smart way to get where you’re going these holidays. Because your GPS unit receives its data from no fewer than 24 satellites, it doesn’t rely on cell phone coverage. The satellite data combines with mapping technology, so you can successfully navigate all South Africa’s major, primary and secondary roads. Your GPS has mapping details of over one thousand South African cities and towns, 759 rural villages and nearly 300 000km of road data. You get unrivalled coverage and it’s extremely user-friendly.

The units are multi-lingual, which means you can programme them to display and speak in the language of your choice. So, there’s no need to worry about having to try and read signposts in a language you may not understand. And if you do accidentally take a wrong turn, you won’t have to stop on the side of the road to spread out a map on the bonnet of your car! Your unit simply recalculates your route without you having to do a thing! Except, of course, to follow the new directions it’s given you!

You can customise your GPS to give you information in a format you’re used to. For example, you can choose to receive your route guidance information in either metric or imperial format (yards and miles or metres and kilometres). GPS’s work using a touch screen mechanism, so are quick and easy to operate, and you don’t have to worry about running out of battery. They plug directly into either the cigarette lighter point of your vehicle, or into a USB port, so they charge while you’re driving. Once parked, to can remove them and take them with you to use while walking.

Other Points To Consider

Depending on the car hire package you choose, you may have only a limited number of kilometres per day included in your package. After that, there is a per-kilometre rate to pay. On top of that, you have fuel costs to consider. Using a GPS system means you can choose the shortest route to your destination. This not only saves you money, it also means you have more time to enjoy your destination once you arrive.

Your GPS unit is portable, and is easy to remove from your vehicle. This means you can take it with you when you go walking or hiking, for example. Or, if you’re exploring a town or city on foot, it can help you find your way to the places you want to visit. It’ll even tell you how to find that little coffee shop the tourist guide recommended!

Even if you’re a local tourist and feel as though you know your intended route well, a GPS unit can still be invaluable for a number of reasons. For example, a GPS lets you know of any hazards along your intended route, such as roadworks or traffic accidents. It can then recommend alternate routes. This could save you hours of frustration in a traffic jam. A GPS also warns you if you’re travelling over the speed limit for the area you’re in. This could save a fortune in speeding fines, which means more money to spend on holiday!

A GPS also lets you know how long your journey should take, and gives you an estimated time of arrival. This is particularly useful if you’re on your way to catch a flight or if you need check in to your hotel before a certain time.

How Do I Add GPS Rental To My Car Hire?

It’s as easy as requesting a unit at the same time as you book your car hire! If you only decide later that want to add GPS rental to your car hire, no problem! A simple phone call should be enough to take care of this. Try not to leave it  later than 48 hours beforehand, so that unit availability can be guaranteed.

Here are a few points to remember when collecting your GPS device:

• Make sure all accessories are included with the unit.
• Check that the GPS works, and is charged and ready for use before you leave the car hire office.
• Keep all the paperwork relating to your GPS rental in a safe place.
• If you plan to take the unit out of South Africa into a neighbouring country, make sure you have permission from the car hire company to do so.

 SA Car Hire offers GPS rental at competitive rates when you hire a car with us. Call us now to chat about pricing options and availability.