It’s never nice to be tied down by a bus timetable when you go away. Vacations are about shirking responsibility and leaving your watch out of sight. Unless, of course, you rely on buses to get around. Then, you’ll slip into the habit of wearing your watch and needing to be in set places. Before you know, your usual anxieties could start creeping into your well-deserved break.

The best way around this would be to do away with the need for buses altogether. You can do just that by hiring a car rental the moment you land in your destination. That way, you’ll be free to reach locations at any time. And, there won’t be any rush to leave.

Of course, even a car rental could stress you out if you stumble into trouble with your chosen company. Most rental firms take a deposit. And, your vacation will soon come crashing down if you don’t get it back. To make sure that doesn’t happen, consider the following ways to stay on the right side of your rental firm.

Rest your engine

You’re probably visiting a country with a hot climate. If you don’t take that into account, your car engine could overheat. That could lead to both a lost deposit and a sizeable bill on your doorstep. Not to mention a risk of injury. Extreme heat can do untold damage to a car engine. It can even cause fires. To cover yourself, rest your car at least every half an hour on hot days. That way, you’ll know that heat-related malfunctions are nothing to do with you. If you receive an injury from a fire on an engine you’ve rested adequately, you may even be in a position to seek burn injury claims help when you get home. But, that will never be an option if you cause the fire in the first place.

Keep things clean

Whether you’re heading on a road trip or just spending a few hours in the car, things can get messy. Vacations are about eating snacks and having fun. But, if you aren’t careful, your car could fall foul to all manner of junk and stains. What’s worse, many of us assume that a little bit of mess won’t matter. The car needs cleaning before it goes out next anyway, right? In reality, though, any extreme cleaning bills will come out of your deposit. So, make sure to take your trash with you.

Avoid those tight parking spaces

If you’re visiting top tourist destinations, parking may be a bit of a squeeze. If you’re in a rental, though, it’s essential you don’t try and fit into tiny parking spaces. If you so much as scratch the paint on that rental, you can kiss goodbye to your deposit and more. Your best bet, then, is to visit your busiest destinations outside of prime times. That way, you’ll have a whole car park to choose from, and a deposit back in your pocket before you know.