Limo Hire

So how did limo hire start off? It began in the early 18th century with the first chauffeur driven vehicles in France. These were actually horse drawn carriages for the rich. Beautifully designed and painted with real gold, they were pulled by only the finest horses. The actual word "limousines" is derived from the French word "limoges" which is the province in France where it all started. The distinguishing feature that made limousines better than other carriages at that time was that the driver was in a separate compartment from his passengers. In 1902 the first motorized limousine was invented. Here too, the driver sat outside of the main seating area under a covered awning, remaining true to the original origins and definition of the word "limousine".

The first stretch limousine was developed over eighty years ago in Arkansas in 1928. These limousines were called “big band buses” because they were used to transport famous big band leaders, as well as their entire orchestras and instruments around the United States. Then in the 1930’s limo hire really started to become popular as limousines were used to transport hotel guests to the airport as well as on general sightseeing tours. It wasn’t long before the movie industry caught the bug and they began to use limousines to carry film crew around movie sets. It was at this time that they became ‘de rigeur’ for the top movie actors and actresses. They just had to be seen arriving in stretch limousines. It created an aura of glitz and glamour around them that is still attributed to stars from that time to this very day.

In recent years the arrival of new technologies has allowed different types of vehicles to be made available in a stretch format. This has led to a phenomenal rise in the “new style” limos. We can now see anything from a stretched Lincoln Town Car or "Baby Bentley" Chrysler 300 limos right through to huge 4x4 limousines such as the Audi Q7 and Hummer limos. Limo hire is ideal for transporting large numbers of people in the most glamorous style to every possible event we can imagine. Weddings, special birthdays and school proms are among the most popular but we can still see plenty of limos on other special occasions such as corporate away days, Royal Ascot and even family Christmas parties. At weekends most cities in the UK have their share of limos running around, filled with party-loving people enjoying stag nights, hen nights or travelling to rock concerts and theatre first nights.

If we're thinking about limo hire for the first time a few tips might help. Firstly, researching the market will give us a better understanding of what is available in our locality. These days we can do everything on the internet so it doesn’t take us long. It's also a lot of fun. We can imagine ourselves in all sorts of great vehicles! If we get different prices and options we'll get a better idea of what we can expect to pay before we actually hire a limo. This will also give us a good sense of what the limo hire market has to offer so we can make an informed decision.

Then we'll need to be sure that the size of our party matches some of the different types of stretch limos available. Some limo hire companies are only licensed to carry a maximum of eight passengers so they are likely to operate the Lincoln Town Car, Chrysler 300 “Baby Bentley” and smaller H3 Hummer limos. Others may have on offer the twelve to sixteen seaters such as the Lincoln Navigator, Ford Expedition and larger H2 Hummer limos. We’d be right to imagine that these will cost us quite a bit more to hire so we either need to stick to eight, or get our numbers up around the twelve and sixteen mark to fill one of the bigger vehicles, thereby spreading the higher cost among more people.

Once we’re ready to choose a limo hire operator we need to establish a few important facts. Firstly we need to make sure that they are properly licensed. This will ensure that they can provide a satisfactory service. In other words their licensing authority will be monitoring their vehicles to see that they are properly serviced, maintained and MOT'd. Their licensing authority will also insist that their drivers are licensed and CRB checked and that their bookings are reliable. Evidence that they are licensed should be clearly displayed on their website, including their limo-operator’s licence number.

Before we actually pay a deposit for our limo hire we need to be very confident about the limo we're hiring. We need to get what we were promised and what we demanded on the company’s website. Good limo hire companies advertise what they actually provide. It is a good idea to check the terms and conditions of the hire, especially the rules regarding damage and over -runs on the hire. A good set of T’s and C’s will be easy to find on a website and should reflect a fair agreement for all parties. That way, the interests of both the consumer and the limo operator are protected, and a few of the most probable eventualities, liabilities and responsibilities are considered and covered.

If we consider exactly what we want from our limo hire and plan things out carefully we can often get great value. First, we have to consider the fact that the major expense in limo hire is in providing a first-rate U.S. stretch limo, along with a chauffeur for that particular day and time. So, if what we need is a journey to the city, it is not going to cost the company much more than what it would for a local ride. That way, if there are eight people in our group, the cost of taking them to a city and dropping back will be included within the rent for the limo. The extra miles would actually come free!

Another brilliant example of getting value for money from our limo hire is weddings. If we hire a limo for the bride and father on her wedding day, then if the journey to the church is a short one we can request a second run for her bridesmaids, and even get the bridegroom and his ushers beforehand to make sure they are arriving first! This provides more wonderful memories for more people on that day by hiring just one limo. Don’t forget, though, they may need a bit of help from friends or relatives in getting to the reception as the limo is normally reserved for the bride and groom after the ceremony.

What should be special and important about a limo hire is that you are provided with a wonderful service that includes a great limo and a friendly and professional chauffeur. Last, but not least, you should get the feeling that your operator really cares about your event and that he's nt not just offering you the cheapest but rather the most fantastic limo hire service at a great price. After all it promises to be a very special day in our lives so it's important to get it right. That way we'll be coming back for more - any excuse will do!