Rights and insurance
After you have packed your suitcase when going abroad, be sure to check if your driver's license is in place. Thanks to the International Convention on Road Traffic, adopted in 1968, Russian drivers have the opportunity to get into their own car in Moscow and head towards Paris or London, Helsinki or Berlin, with the most ordinary Russian rights in their pocket. In some countries, the so-called International Law (MP), duplicating the Russian equivalent, can serve as an addition to this document. Many drivers who often travel abroad prefer to have an MP at their disposal for a number of reasons, one of which is the requirements of individual car rental companies, which we will discuss below.
However, a Russian-style driver's license loses its relevance if its holder has been in the territory of a country party to the Convention for more than one year. Russia has been negotiating for a long time to make this inconvenient point a thing of the past. But for now, the reality is that those who are constantly abroad have to think about passing the driving test in the host country.
Interestingly, some countries, such as Italy, provide Russians with exam tests in Russian. However, this understanding is not observed everywhere. For example, in Spain there is nothing to think about taking exams in Russian – all the tests are in Spanish. In any case, among Russians who have settled abroad, there is also such a forced practice – to leave the country only so that the validity period of the Russian driver's license is automatically "updated".
Insurance does not present any difficulties either. The "green card", the European equivalent of CTP, can be purchased without problems without leaving Russia. It guarantees unhindered entry into the territory of any European state, and in the event of an accident, it will be used to compensate for damage caused to other road users.
Buy a car abroad
Although you can drive from Moscow to anywhere in Europe by car, for those who purchase their home in Europe, buying their own foreign car is the most preferable option.
Europeans are big fans of comparing prices. Finland boasts the lowest prices for new cars among all EU countries. In Germany, on the contrary, new cars are the most expensive. According to Eurostat, Germany is distinguished by high prices for new cars. The difference is determined by the tax system adopted in a particular state. A new car can be bought cheaper in Eastern European countries that have recently joined the European Union. No wonder many Europeans go for cars "from the assembly line" to Poland, Hungary or the Czech Republic or look for expensive foreign cars with low mileage there.
When choosing a new car, it does not hurt to visit several car dealerships, take a closer look and evaluate the level of service. As for the procedure for buying a new car, it is almost standard in European countries. A mandatory set of documents includes a transport card allowing movement, a certificate of inspection, a complete operating manual, a warranty and an invoice signed by both the buyer and the seller. The seller is obliged to inform the customer about how to arrange insurance, as well as about local municipal transportation fees. As a rule, reputable car companies take the bulk of the paperwork on themselves, allowing the buyer to fully enjoy the purchase.
Those who buy a used car should be more attentive. There are two main points to pay attention to here. First, the technical condition of the car. Its "history" must be confirmed by a special document indicating the results of mandatory and unscheduled technical audits of the vehicle. The second necessary point is the legal "biography" of the car. The seller must provide information about how many owners the car had when it first received the license plate, whether the former owner has any fines or non-payments. Similar information can also be requested from the local traffic police department.
Parking test
Far–sighted buyers of foreign real estate should definitely ask themselves - where will they store their foreign car? It's no secret that large European cities and resort regions can be a real challenge for someone who has not taken care of parking in advance. Leaving a car on the street is quite safe and widely practiced, although in any city there are areas where it is not recommended to do this. But parking quickly and easily in densely populated neighborhoods can be a difficult task.
If we are talking about buying a villa, then you need to make sure that there is a sufficiently spacious garage. If apartments are purchased, then residential complexes with their own underground garage look more preferable. The set "apartments plus parking space" has another advantage – it is more liquid for further resale. And a place in a shared underground garage can be sold separately if it is not needed at all. Note that garage prices usually rise at a rate similar to the rise in housing prices.
Wheels for rent
Renting a car is also a good opportunity for home owners abroad to gain freedom of movement. It is especially worth recommending it to those who expect to spend not so much time in their foreign residence, but at the same time travel a lot. Large car rental companies have their representative offices in almost all airports of the world, at railway and bus stations.
Usually, when renting a car, there is a certain age limit. The driver must be at least 20-23 years old and no older than 65-75. Another unshakable requirement is that the customer has a credit card. The data on the customer's bank account guarantees the car company payments in case of any expenses that are not included in the insurance. Also, a prerequisite for renting a car is the purchase of an insurance policy.
Naturally, the client must also present a driver's license. To protect yourself from unnecessary questions, it is advisable to have international–standard rights in addition to Russian ones - there are firms that trust exclusively this document. If you are the owner of a license issued by one of the European countries, any misunderstandings are excluded in principle.
The cost of standard insurance is usually automatically included in the rental rate declared by the company. In the event of an accident, the insurance company will cover the costs of damage caused by the driver of the car to a third party. The damage suffered by the rented car as a result of the accident will be reimbursed by the driver himself. If you want to insure your rented car against damage and theft, then the cost of additional insurance will not be great – from 10 to 15 euros per day. In any case, all these details must be discussed with the company in advance.
Before signing a car rental agreement, you need to make sure that the documents correctly describe the condition of the car. For any scratch or dent that is not specified in the papers, feel free to point out to the company's agent. You can even take a picture of the car before you get behind the wheel.
Another important detail: when concluding a contract, pay attention to the blank boxes. Cross out the empty space so that no one can enter anything there that does not correspond to reality.
From the Internet to the highway
The contract must specify the mileage of the car at the beginning of the lease agreement and information about fuel consumption. Usually the car is transferred with a full tank of gasoline and it is stipulated how much fuel should be in it at the time of returning the car to the company. It makes sense to ask about the price per liter of fuel, especially if you know in advance that you will not have time to refuel the car before returning it. As a rule, the company renting the car fixes the price of gasoline slightly higher than the market price. Please also specify whether the excess of the pre-agreed mileage will be paid.
The rental price depends on many factors. This is both the brand of the car and the period for which it will be rented. In addition, it is possible to become a participant in any promotional campaign and get a car at your disposal at a low price. In order to study the offer of rental companies, you can simply "walk" through the websites of the largest car rental companies. Today, the largest car rental companies in Europe are companies such as Avis, Hertz and Europcar.
Those who want to take a break not only from the Russian reality, but also from driving, can always request a car with a personal driver. The price range for personal chauffeur services ranges from 30 euros per hour to 3,000 euros per month.
And finally, let's go back to where we started. You can always put parking, gas stations and traffic rules out of your mind – just say the phrase: "Hello, taxi?". You will be understood wherever you are and taken whereverwhatever you wish.
