Ask anyone that uses the search term ‘Cheap Limo Hire‘ and in all likelihood they will tell you that they don’t really want cheap. What they want is a good deal from a reliable company offering a decent stretched limousine. They may also tell you that it is difficult to differentiate between the good, the bad and the ugly. Maybe that it is nigh on impossible to compare offers because no two organisations are the same and they would be right. This article uses a fictitious character, Mandy and two fictitious companies to investigate how these differences arise, and how Mandy might compare each aspect of the offer from the limo company, including the actual limousine, the type of business, any additional services and the ‘pedigree’ of the organisation.
There is no intention of coming to a definitive conclusion, because Mandy, like everyone else is an individual and when hiring a limousine, it is very much a case of horses for courses, there is no right, nor wrong. But knowing how to compare the different offers may be useful to others that fact the same challenge. Many is looking to hire for herself and seven friends, this makes it a large responsibility, because if she and her friends have a bad experience, you can be certain, that they will forget the the ‘cheap price’ long before they forget a cheap experience. Therefore, Mandy’s responsibility, like many other real life characters is a potentially daunting one.
Mandy has decided that she wants to go to the NIA in Birmingham to see her favourite band, with a group of her friends and, has been charged with the hire a limousine to take them to and from the event. Mandy searches the internet, completes some online forms and receives two replies, one limo company is cheaper than the other, so Mandy calls both companies.
Limo Company One
Is asking £325 for the two journeys. The company is licensed for private hire, the vehicles are licensed as private hire vehicles and all of the chauffeurs are licensed to drive private hire vehicles, meaning the chauffeur’s have had to pass a medical and criminal records bureau check. Limo Company One, is offering a 3 month old, silver Chrysler 300 stretched limousine for the journey. They have also offered to include a bottle of Champagne. Limo Company One has confirmed that their vehicles are subjected to bi-annual checks by local authority authorised test centres. These are much stricter than a normal vehicle test, even checking that all of the lights and other electrical items inside the limousine are working. Limo Company One, is a full-time operator, VAT registered and has been trading for over 5 years. They operate from commercial premises and have invited Mandy to view the limousine at their premises or if she is too busy, they will point her to the high resolution pictures on their website.
Limo Company Two
Is asking £250 for the two journeys. The company has not yet licensed their company for private hire, therefore, they have no need to licence their limousines or drivers. They are offering a 2001 Lincoln Stretched limousine in white, which has covered 168,000, but is in “excellent condition”. The vehicle has recently passed a normal MOT test. Mandy can only view the limousine in the evening, as long it is not on hire, because Limo Company Two only operates on a part-time basis, from their home and their partner is not keen on too many late night visitors! Because Limo Company Two is a “part-time limo company”, there is no need for the business to be VAT registered and they have “only been trading for 6 months”. Limo Company Two can’t show any pictures of the actual limousine, because their website is under construction, but it does includes generic pictures of the same type of limousine. Limo Company Two has offered to throw in a bottle of “Bubbly” for Mandy and her friends.
So which company is the cheapest? Obviously Limo Company Two. But is it a fair comparison, one price is lower than the other, but it is not a like for like comparison? One company is offering a brand new limousine, the other, one that is nearly 7 years old. One company has taken the time, trouble and expense to licence their business, limousines and chauffeurs, the other has not. One company operates full-time, from commercial premises and has been established for over 5 years, the other has confirmed that they are part-time, work from home and new to the business.
Limo Company One has invited Mandy to view the limousine at their premises, or indicated that high resolution images of the actual limousine are on their website, Limo Company Two has also invited Mandy to view the limousine, but is not keen on personal visitors at their home address and is unable to show images of the actual limousine, but Mandy can see the “type of limo it is” from the generic images on Limo Company Two’s website. Finally, Limo Company One are offering Champagne, whilst Limo Company Two is providing Bubbly. So which company is the cheapest?
The difference in price between the two limousine companies works out at just over £9 per head. If Mandy and her friends just want a cheap form of transport to get to and from the event and she is not bothered about niceties such as licensing, (which after all is the responsibility of the limo company), plus she admits that she and her friends can’t tell the difference between Bubbly and Champagne, then the chances are, she would be better off going with Limo Company Two. Or, perhaps consider another form of low cost transport, such as a minibus.
However, if Mandy believes that the journey to and from the event should be part of the whole experience and, she firmly believes that companies that invest in their business, vehicles and staff are likely to offer a positive and enjoyable experience, then she would be better off going to Limo Company One. After all, the difference is only £9 per head, they have not cut corners by offering cheap Bubbly and Mandy may well believe that trying to save a few pounds on a bottle of alcohol may be symptomatic of other short cuts that she and her friends can’t see.
So which company is the cheapest?
This article cannot answer that question, nor does it seek to, because Mandy is an individual. The purpose of this article is to highlight the differences between the two companies by comparing aspects other than the headline price. It will be clear to many, that if Mandy were squeeze a little more money from her friends, then she could get much better value for money by going for Limo Company One, but if price is critical and she is prepared to take a larger gamble, perhaps she should place her business with Limo Company Two and then she will have achieved her objective of getting a cheap limo. If truth be told, no-one that hires a limo really wants a cheap limo, what they want is to understand the differences and achieve the best value.
Cars for Stars do not offer cheap limo hire. They are an award winning company providing late model, high value chauffeur driven cars and stretched limousines, with a service to match. Cars for Stars offer limousines and chauffeur cars through a network of franchised offices. All of which accept and operate to the same exacting standards, providing a quality service, with first class limousines at a fair and representative price. If you are not looking for cheap limo hire, but you want service, reliability and a choice of quality limousines representing real value for money, then call your local Cars for Stars branch.
All Cars for Stars branches are licensed for private hire by the relevant local authority, in London this is the Public Carriage Office (PCO). This means that all Cars for Stars franchisees are registered for private hire, the limousines are licensed as private hire vehicles and the chauffeurs are licensed to drive the cars and limousines.
If you are looking for limousine hire or chauffeur car hire companies based in the UK, then you could try the following internet resources. Chauffeur Cars Directory, Chauffeur Cars & Limousine Directory, as other general web directories with large limousine sections.
Limo Company One and Limo Company Two are ficticious names used for the purpose of producing this article. Any similarlity to any companies or businesses past or present is purely coincidental. Oh yes, Mandy is also a ficticious character!
