Once you and your prom pals have decided what style of prom car you want to hire, you need to check a few things before you to commit to paying for it. It’s a lot of money to hire a prom car so you want to make sure you get the best deal possible.
We’ve rounded up the key questions to ask and things you need to consider when it comes to hiring your prom car.
What Type of Prom Car Do I Need?
You might be thinking of hiring a luxury stretch Hummer for your prom but check that it’s suitable for your party – do you have enough people to make it justifiable in terms of cost? If you have a small party travelling together for prom, you may need to opt for a smaller, more affordable car.
Also, if you live somewhere like a narrow cul-de-sac, can a stretch car easily access your house and get out again? Chat to the car hire company about things like this before you book – you don’t want to book a car and pay for it, before finding out it can’t actually reach the house you’re leaving from.
Can You Do Multiple Pick-Ups?
Some people like to congregate in a group at one house for the pick-up, whilst others prefer to get ready at their own homes and be collected along the way. Figure out amongst the group what works best and then check that this works with your chosen prom car hire company.
When Do I Need to Book My Prom Car?
It makes sense to look at a few different options before you commit to booking your prom transport. You want to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal – the coolest prom car at the best possible price, so shop around and compare your options.
Check with each provider when their cars are most likely to be booked up by – you want to book it in advance so you know your car is secured but not so far in advance that you might see something better and regret rushing in.
How Many Will the Car Seat?
Make sure you’re totally clear on the number of people the car will seat. Make sure you’re getting the number without the driver included so you don’t slip up and invite an extra person into your prom arrival squad. It’s also important to be clear to your driver that this is for prom – factor in the fact you’ll be wearing fancy outfits that probably cost a decent amount of money. You don’t want to be squashed and crushed in the back of the car, before stepping out in a crumpled and creased outfit.
What Time Will the Prom Car Arrive?
Explain what time your prom starts and what time you’d like to arrive and see what the prom hire company suggest as an arrival time. They’ll have to factor in how long it takes to get to your house, time for photos outside your house with your friends (if you want that) and the journey to the prom venue – if it’s nearby you might want to go a longer way to make the most of the journey.
What is the Cancellation Policy?
You might think you’ll have no need to cancel your prom car, but who knows what could happen in the run up to your prom. Check before you book what the cancellation policy is – if for any reason you need to cancel or change your booking will you lose any money and if so how much? Factors like this might make it helpful to make a choice between two different providers if you’re having a hard time making a final decision.
Is There Any Way to Save Some Money?
Proms are a pricey business so you might be looking for a way to save some money. It’s always worth asking if there’s anything you can do to reduce the cost a bit – some companies may include decorations or a bottle of something (non-alcoholic if the passengers are under 18) in the price. If these get taken out of the deal you might be able to reduce the cost.
Is There a Minimum Hire Time?
Some car companies will only hire cars out for a special event for a minimum of three hours. This is fine if you live some distance away from the venue and want to make the most of your time posing for photos and enjoying the journey, however if you only need the car for an hour or so, this is something to consider ahead of booking.
Can Someone Else Drive the Car?
It might be that one of the dads fancies driving the classic car to prom. Check to see if this is an option – many classic hire cars come with a driver so see if that’s mandatory and check what insurance would be needed before anyone gets their hopes up.
What Insurance Do You Have?
This question will most likely be of more interest to the parents than the prom-attendees as children are pretty precious cargo! Prom car drivers must be licensed by their local authority and have full private hire and reward insurance to cover themselves and their passengers in case of any accidents.
Cars that can seat more than nine people (such as limos) that are being hired out must be covered by public service vehicle operator licences. You can check if the company you’re considering using has a PSVO licence here: www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-operators.
It is also prudent to check that all the drivers are subject to CRB checks.
Can We Bring Our Own Music?
Before you make the perfect prom playlist for your journey, check that the driver will be happy for you to play it and has the technology for you to do so – most modern cars will have this, but it may not be the case if you opt for a vintage prom car.
Once you know exactly what to ask your hire company, why not browse our feature on different styles of prom car for more ideas?