Frequently Asked Questions

• How far ahead do I need to book?
• How is insurance for my hire arranged?
• What driver criteria is used to arrange insurance?
• Can I spread the cost of my hire or Classic Car Break over the time leading up to it?
• I have a full driving licence but I have a disability or health problem - am I ok to drive?
• What about accommodation for our Classic Car Break?
• How do I book a car or inclusive Classic Car Break?
• I would like to arrange this as a surprise hire - how does that work exactly?
• I would like to arrange the hire as a special gift but its hard for me to confirm dates without 'giving the game away'. Is there anything we can do about this?
• I would like to give a hire as a gift but I am unsure which car they would prefer. What is the best thing to do?
• Can you suggest some routes or attractions to visit during our hire?
• Where can we use the car? Is there a mileage limit or restriction?
• What happens to a Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire vehicle prior to our receiving it?
• What is the hire cautionary deposit? Why is it there?
• How accessible is your premises?
• What type of fuel do the cars use? Does the car come with a full tank?
• Can I make a provisional booking and then confirm it all later?
• How is the hire duration worked out?
• Do we get shown the controls of our car? What do we do if we have a question about the car whilst it is out on hire with us?
• What happens if the car breaks down whilst it is out on hire?
• Can you supply any 'extras' for the hire? How about a Cornish hamper, flowers or chocolates?
• Can we leave our everyday car with you?
• Can we carry pets in the cars?
• Can you deliver our car to us?
• Can you supply chauffeur hire?
• Do you have plans to extend the Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire range?
• Are the pictures on the web-site the actual cars on offer or just similar examples?

Can't find the answer to your question? - click here to ask

How far ahead do I need to book?

We get asked this question quite often, and to be honest with you it is rather tricky to answer!

Please note: We have just the one example per type of car advertised on this website. That said they aren't out on hire every day!

Some clients prefer to book quite a long time in advance in order to guarantee that they get the 'right' car for that special occasion/birthday!

However it is always well worth enquiring as it seems that people are leaving reservations later and later these days....

Overall we would advise that it is better to book earlier rather than later to avoid disappointment, since throughout the year we can generally arrange accommodation, classic hire-cars tend to be somewhat rarer! Early bookers can also consider opting for our Early Bookers Instalment Plan (see below for details) which helps spread the cost in the lead up to your hire or Classic Car Break.

Whenever you come across our website, we will of course always do our very best to accommodate you! Please give us a ring, book on line or send us a contact us form.

How is insurance for my hire arranged?

Included in the hire premium is fully comprehensive motor insurance which is provided to clients by our business insurer.

Drivers just have to fit the necessary insurance criteria to be covered for the hire duration.

What driver criteria is used to arrange insurance?

Basically, drivers should be aged 25 to 70 years, be in good health, not have had more than one fault accident in the last 3 years and no more than 6 points on their driver's licence in the last 5 years.

They should normally have held a full British (or E.U) driver's licence for at least 5 years athough we do welcome and cater for overseas hirers. (Please e-mail or call for details).

Should any slight anomalies exist, on an individual basis, Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire may, at their discretion, approach their insurer to discuss an extension of cover.

If you have in the past received any serious motoring convictions you should always discuss this at the point of booking in case this should have a bearing on insurance cover being approved.

Can I spread the cost of my hire or Classic Car Break over the time leading up to it?

Yes....We are pleased to offer you an Early Bookers Instalment Plan, which if you are able to book early, could help spread the cost.

Our standard booking procedure requires a 35% deposit with the balance due 28 days before the hire or Classic Car Break.

With our Early Bookers Instalment Plan, if you book three months or more in advance we will take a 20% deposit and then divide the remaining balance over the months leading up to your hire or holiday. We can either agree a schedule of debit/credit card transactions with you or receive a series of post-dated cheques. The last instalment remains due 28 days before the hire or holiday takes place.

If you would like to take advantage of this arrangement please make this known to us when booking.

I have a full driving licence but I have a disability or health problem - am I ok to drive?

Providing you (or your chosen driver) has a full licence, any disabilities or health issues have been fully disclosed to the DVLA, (your doctor has passed you as fit to drive), and your licence remains valid and un-endorsed, then yes, we are delighted to make arrangements for you.

If you require particular assistance in the planning of your hire please don't hesitate to discuss this when booking. We are flexible.

Also should you, your partner or one of your party have particular access needs we have an arrangement with a fully accessible local hotel to make use of their facilities for handovers/returns.

What about accommodation for our Classic Car Break?

We have handpicked a select group of accommodation partners to bring together an exclusive range of Classic Car Break holidays. Each venue has been selected by us based on strict criteria regarding high levels of service, location and charm.

To ensure a wonderful short break in the Westcountry take up one of our inclusive Classic Car Break holidays available to book direct with ourselves.

If however you prefer to arrange your own accommodation, naturally this is also absolutely fine by us.

How do I book a car or inclusive Classic Car Break?

Just give Rob or Martin a call on 0845 458 1108 and we can chat through all the necessary arrangements or simply book on line. In either case this is then confirmed by the sending out and returning of a signed hire application form or holiday booking form, as appropriate.

In order to hold a car/dates or an inclusive Classic Car Break a deposit is required of 35% of the total hire premium/holiday cost - normally payable over the phone or on line with a debit or credit card.

Please note we are also pleased to offer an Early Bookers Instalment Plan, which if you are able to book early, could help spread the cost.

Our standard booking procedure requires a 35% deposit with the balance due 28 days before the hire or Classic Car Break.

If you book three months or more in advance we will take a 20% deposit and then divide the remaining balance over the months leading up to your hire or holiday. We can either agree a schedule of debit/credit card transactions with you or receive a series of post-dated cheques. The last instalment remains due 28 days before the hire or holiday takes place.

If you would like to take advantage of this arrangement please make this known to us when booking.

I would like to arrange this as a surprise hire - how does that work exactly?

Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire has a lot of experience in undertaking 'surprise' hires. Here's how it works...

The person who books the hire becomes our client and we work together with you to ensure that the surprise is maintained until the right moment and that all the insurance criteria is met.

The key thing to remember is that you will need to photocopy the relevant driver's licence beforehand (and send this back with the hire application form) and that we will need to have sight of the original driver's licence on the day (in the case of 'new' photo-card licences please send photocopies, and bring, both the photo-card and paper sheet which covers driver endorsements). Providing you can arrange this, they need know nothing!

NB: All correspondence from Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire comes in a plain envelope so there should be no concerns about envelope-branding giving the game away!

I would like to arrange the hire as a special gift but its hard for me to confirm dates without 'giving the game away'. Is there anything we can do about this?

Yes indeed. We can draft what we refer to as a 'gift-letter' which confirms that a hire has been booked for the lucky recipient.

This allows for them to open a gift on their birthday or anniversary etc. and then you can both look forward and plan everything together.

Gift letters are drafted and then sent to you unsealed so that you can check that the text is okay before sealing it down and giving it to the recipient of the hire. Any special message can of course be accommodated.

Along with our brochure there will be a mounted photograph of the car in question for the lucky person to pour over in the period leading up to the hire...

Gift letters are available as either car hire only or for inclusive Classic Car Breaks.

(Please note that for this type of booking the full hire premium is taken as at the point of arranging the gift. Due to business predictability this is necessarily a non-refundable transaction. Gift Letters are valid for a period of 18 months after issue unless otherwise stated).

I would like to give a hire as a gift but I am unsure which car they would prefer. What is the best thing to do?

Under this scenario there are two options for you to consider.

If you would like to give gift vouchers up to a certain sum then we can make up your gift in £25 & £50 denominations.

Alternatively, we can adapt the 'gift letter' to state that the choice of vehicle from our range is entirely up to them and therefore 'hide' the amount you have spent on treating them to a hire.

(Please note gift vouchers are valid for a period of 18 months after issue)

Can you suggest some routes or attractions to visit during our hire?

Yes, all clients receive an informative touring guide which is packed full of useful local information, touring routes and suggested attractions you may wish to visit.

Where can we use the car? Is there a mileage limit or restriction?

Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire as our trading name suggests operates within Devon & Cornwall (UK) and we require that the cars are only used within this area.

However, no mileage restriction applies so unlike many other firms there is no need to keep an ongoing check on the milometer as to how big a mileage surcharge you might be running up.

We ask clients to look after and respect our cars but we really don't want to inhibit the fun of exploring this beautiful area by setting daily mileage limits of any kind...

What happens to a Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire vehicle prior to our receiving it?

For each and every hire, your vehicle will receive pre-hire technical checks, road-test and hand-wash and polish to ensure it gleams...

This hire preparation is in addition to our ongoing maintenance and improvement/upkeep schedule in line, or where desirable, in advance of the original manufacturers service guidelines.

What is the hire cautionary deposit? Why is it there?

The hire cautionary deposit is held as a pre-authorisation against a credit card usually to the value of £500. (£750 E type Convertible, £1,000 Aston Martin DB 6).

The cautionary deposit is based upon the fact that if one was to analyse 100% of potential hirers, just one or two might need an extra incentive to look after and respect the cars appropriately.

The overwhelming majority of Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire clients are greatly sympathetic to the cars we offer; it's just a shame that we have to set our policies for the worst case!

In addition to the above scenario our insurance policy runs with a large excess and so were a claim to result the cautionary deposit would be utilised to help discharge this cost.

Damage caused by clients to our cars, (save normal wear and tear and unavoidable stone-chips etc. that simply cannot be helped), which does not result in a claim, would under this circumstance be rectified from this sum and the balance refunded to the client.

This eventuality is extraordinarily rare and really shouldn't be of any great concern to you as we accept that the cars are there to be used and enjoyed and that we should allow for upkeep and improvements to be paid for out of our annual maintenance budget. However, were an unexplained dent, for instance, to occur we would need to protect ourselves from the resulting repair costs.

In addition were clients to receive either parking or speeding penalties during the use of the car and Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire be pursued for this, a proportion of the cautionary deposit might again then be used.

How accessible is your premises?

We aim to cater for the needs of all our clients and their travelling companions so the following information may be useful.

Lanhydrock Hotel and Golf Course just off the A30/A38 cross-over at Bodmin kindly make their facilities available to us for handovers & returns.

Lanhydrock Hotel is a fully acessible hotel and has a large tarmac parking area, downstairs bedrooms, restaurant and disabled toilet facilities. Lifts are also available to the upstairs areas of the hotel making it a very accessible handover and accommodation venue. Please see www.lanhydrockhotel.com for details and/or consider booking a Classic Car Break through us there.

If you require further information please do not hesitate to ask.

What type of fuel do the cars use? Does the car come with a full tank?

All Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire vehicles can run or have been converted to run on standard unleaded fuel so there is no need to hunt for 4 star or LRP. The usual green pump will be fine.

Yes, the cars are always provided full of fuel and we require that they are returned in the same condition as our hire prices do not allow for fuel useage.

Can I make a provisional booking and then confirm it all later?

Unfortunately, no, as sadly some people have abused this option and never come back to us.

We will however, hold a car/dates for a day or so, just for you to check dates with your partner etc. and would then telephone you during this period should another client express an interest in the car for that time.

How is the hire duration worked out?

Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire works on the basis of 24 hour time blocks, so a 10.00 am start would mean a 10.00 am completion the next day.

However, the hire start time can be set to fit in with your specific plans for the car so 12 Noon to 12 Noon etc. is also fine.

On longer hires the same principle applies i.e. 48 hrs (2 days), 72 hrs (3 days), 96 hrs(4 days) working its way up to a weeks hire duration starting at a given hour and completing at the same time on the final day.

In this way we try to be as flexible as we reasonably can to accommodate client's wishes.

Please note that hires of greater than 24 hrs qualify for improving rates on the subsequent days. Please see the tariff table for further information.

Do we get shown the controls of our car? What do we do if we have a question about the car whilst it is out on hire with us?

Yes - we give all clients a full induction to driving their chosen classic. This involves a 10 minute induction talk sat in the cock-pit where all the controls are discussed and the general type of drive the car offers.

If clients would like a short 'driving lesson' then we are very happy to oblige though we prefer to let clients make up their own mind on this rather than impose it upon them;(it could be a little over-bearing for some to have the owner sat there next to them on their first outing!)

If you should have any questions or queries about your car whilst it is out on hire please feel free to call Rob or Martin on their mobile, the number to which you will receive at the hire commencement. We will then talk you through whatever you need to know. You are therefore never on your own with a car without advise/support.

What happens if the car breaks down whilst it is out on hire?

In the rare event of a breakdown we are fully covered by the A.A. but prefer wherever possible to maintain good customer service by attending the breakdown scene ourselves.

We spend a considerable amount of time and money maintaining our cars to the best possible mechanical standards but due to the nature of our product one has to accept that from time to time 30 to 40 year old vehicles will play up.

Under this event we will endeavour to get you back up and running as quickly and as painlessly as possible and should this not be possible replace the car with another acceptable vehicle.

Can you supply any 'extras' for the hire? How about a Cornish hamper, flowers or chocolates?

Yes, indeed we can supply a choice of sumptuous Cornish hampers, flowers and chocolates - all sourced locally to your requirements.

This may be just the way to round off a suitably nostalgic/romantic hire with that special someone...

Can we leave our everyday car with you?

Yes, free parking is available at our handover venue Lanhydrock Hotel which is near the A30/A38 cross-over at Bodmin. CCTV is in operation on site and the hotel has ample car parking available.

(Please note, parking is strictly at the owner's risk and in the unlikely event of an incident taking place neither Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire nor Lanhydrock Hotel & Golf Course may be held responsible for any damage or theft occurring at or from this venue).

Can we carry pets in the cars?

Sorry, sadly no.

Due to safety reasons and in deference to other clients (e.g. allergies, possible 'unexpected' pets on board, well loved animals); not to mention our leatherwork, we are unable to accommodate animals in the cars.

Can you deliver our car to us?

Most clients tend to collect their car from our conveniently situated handover venue at Lanhydrock Hotel in the heart of the South West; just off the A30/A38 cross-over near Bodmin in mid-Cornwall. (You may like to consider staying here. Please see the Classic Car Breaks section of our website or visit www.lanhydrockhotel.com)

However complimentary delivery is available for hires of two days or greater to Bodmin Parkway Railway Station or Newquay Airport. Trains run regularly from London Paddington whilst flights are available from both London Gatwick and London Stanstead airports.

We also offer preferential delivery rates to Plymouth Railway Station, Plymouth Airport, Exeter St. Davids Railway Station and Exeter Airport, for clients arriving in Devon.

For other locations and on an individual basis (subject to driver availability) we are pleased to quote for delivery/collection throughout Devon & Cornwall. Bearing in mind that for most people the key consideration in hiring relates to the enjoyment of driving their chosen classic, we would ask whether this would really be good use of your money? Being paid to drive our own cars is great, but you may actually prefer to do this yourself!

Please note that the delivery and use of our cars is not available outside of the Devon & Cornwall region. Perhaps if you were originally thinking of taking a car further a field you might choose to enjoy one of our inclusive Classic Car Breaks since touring Devon & Cornwall's beautiful coast and countryside is ideal for getting the most our of your hire!

Can you supply chauffeur hire?

At this time, the answer is no, not at the moment, as our cars are offered and insured for self-drive hire activity only. However, for weddings we do recommend the services of a highly respected local chauffeur who operates a delightful 1934 Sunbeam. Please see the wedding section of our website for further details.

Do you have plans to extend the Cornwall & Devon Classic Car Hire range?

Yes, indeed we do. We have already added several new models and hold plans to source further vehicles in due course. As soon as there is definitive news to report we will ensure that the web-site is fully updated to show our latest additions to the hire range.

If there is a specific car that you would particularly like to drive do drop us an e-mail so that we may consider that vehicle under 'future developments' to our range.

Are the pictures on the web-site the actual cars on offer or just similar examples?

All the pictures on our web-site are of the actual vehicles you can drive or can treat someone with!