Rental Lexicon

ABS is an antilock braking system. A computer-controlled system that prevents brakes from locking up and tires from skidding during hard braking.

Additional Driver means any person who is registered and permitted to drive the rental car during the rental period in addition to the renter.

Air Conditioning (AC) is the cooling and dehumidification of a vehicle's cabin air.

Airbag is a cushion that deploys and fills with air when a major impact occurs to reduce a vehicle's occupant chance of coming in contact with the vehicle’s interior surfaces.

Airport Code is a unique three-letter code that identifies an airport (for example Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis is HER).

Blind Spots are areas around a vehicle that are not visible to the driver through mirrors or windows. Blind spots require extra caution while driving and maneuvering.

Body is the outer panels that shroud the mechanical and electrical workings of a vehicle.

Booking Confirmation means the confirmation email and voucher we send you, explaining the details of your reservation.

Booking means you make a reservation for a rental vehicle on our website, whether you pay for it now or later.

Break Down means that something has gone wrong with your rental vehicle and it needs to be repaired. When your vehicle has suffered a break down, you should call your car rental company to let them know so that they can arrange for repairs.

Car Group/Category/Class defines car size, size of car boot, car generation, car body style (3 or 5 doors), power of engine, year of release and type of fuel. Each car group is marked with a single capital letter.

Child Booster Seat is a rear-facing or forward-facing high-backed safety seat suitable for children who weigh 15–36 kg or are aged from about 4 to 11 years.

Childproof Safety Feature(s) are the option(s) to disable a vehicle’s windows, door locks and/or passenger air bag in order to prevent injury to children.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) describes an agreement with our company in which the renter is released from liability for collision damage to the vehicle in exchange for a 500-euro fee, subject to the terms of the rental agreement that exists. It is not insurance but a contractual obligation subject to many restrictions.

Convertible Roof Type is the type of convertible roof tops, including soft tops, hard tops, T-tops, Targa-style tops, and tops that are manual or power operated.

Convertible Vehicle is also known as a soft top or a cabrio. This type of car has a roof that folds down, allowing you to soak up the sun and enjoy a cool breeze as you drive.

Coverage is the extent of protection provided by an insurance policy, including the types of risks or losses covered and the limits of compensation.

Diesel Engine is a vehicle with an engine that uses diesel fuel and compression ignition.

Drive System is the type of drive system: two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Drop-Off means the process at the end of your rental, when you park the vehicle at the prearranged point of service, pay for any additional charges and deliver the key.

Drop-Off Time means the date and (local) time you are due to drop off your car, as stated in your booking confirmation.

Early Return is a situation where the renter returns the rental vehicle before the agreed drop-off time.

Engine Oil is a substance that lubricates and cools the moving parts of the engine and reduces corrosion and the formation of rust.

Engine Oil Level Warning System is a device that automatically brings a low engine oil level to the attention of a driver.

EU (European Union) is a collective of twenty-five nations brought together to further political and economic communication within the boundaries of the world's smallest yet most diverse continent.

Excess is the amount of money for which the renter is held responsible under the terms of the car rental agreement as a result of the loss of or damage to the rental vehicle.

Fair Fuel Policy is when you are only paying for fuel that you use.

Fleet is a collection of the rental vehicles that belong to a supplier.

Free Cancellation is a car rental contract that you can cancel within a given time limit without facing a charge to do so.

Fuel Policy specifies how much fuel must be in the tank of the rental vehicle at the time of pick-up and drop-off.

Fuel System describes the assemblage of parts that stores and delivers fuel to the engine, including the fuel cap, fuel tank, fuel lines and hoses, fuel pump, fuel filter and fuel injectors or carburetor.

Fuel Type is the type of fuel used to power a vehicle: gasoline, ethanol, E85, diesel, bio-diesel, natural gas or electricity.

Full Prepayment is a payment method where the customer pays the entire rental cost at the time of booking.

Gasoline Engine is an internal combustion engine that burns conventional gasoline.

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a navigation system that uses signals from satellites to determine the location of a receiver.

Grace Period is a term used to determine a specific time frame after the scheduled time has passed when customers can pick up or drop off the vehicle without paying extra fees.

Infant Seat is a rear-facing car seat designed for babies up to around 15 months or weighing up to 13 kg.

Instrumentation is a digital and/or analog display used to convey to the driver information such as dynamic engine parameters, operating conditions, RPM, speed and water temperature.

Insurance is the combination of the terms and conditions agreed between the two parties under certain clauses. Each car rental company terms may vary in terms of content, but as a result, it is intended to cover the damages arising from the use of the vehicle and the damage to the other party.

International Driving License (IDL) is a translation booklet that is carried with your government issued driver’s license. It is required if your driving license is not in the Roman alphabet. You may visit the Internation Drivers' Association website to convert your driving license into an international one by following a simple procedure.

Late Return Charge applies if you return the car late. The rental car company may charge this fee to compensate for any costs it incurs to find an alternate vehicle for the next customer for your rental car.

Loading Capacity is the maximum weight of items that a vehicle can safely transport.

Locks is a device or system of devices that prevents a vehicle from being entered without a key or an electronic keyless entry remote control.

Low Fuel Warning Indicator is an alert, usually in the form of a halogen lamp or LED, warning the driver of a low fuel supply.

Luggage Capacity is a measurement of a vehicle’s boot volume with all standard seats in place.

Main Driver means the driver whose details were entered during the booking process (renter).

Model is a specific vehicle brand identified by a name or number (and which is usually further classified by trim or style level).

Model Year for a vehicle model, is the calendar year designation assigned by the manufacturer to the annual version of that model.

Multi-Purpose Vehicle is also known as a people carrier or mini bus, because this type of car can hold lots of people. An MPV can usually hold around 7-9 passengers – so there’s lots of room for luggage too.

Number Plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a vehicle, displaying its official registration mark.

Office Hours are the business hours of a car rental office.

On Board Diagnosis System is a computer-controlled system that identifies malfunctioning or out-of-adjustment components under its control through the display of trouble codes. The presence of trouble codes is usually indicated by an intermittently or constantly lit "check engine " or "service engine soon" light.

On Request denotes a rental car status in the booking system. All rental vehicles, whose availability has not been confirmed by the rental supplier, are considered as on request. Only when the supplier has confirmed the availability of the car, the booking can be made.

One Way Rental is a type of car rental where the renter picks up and drops off the rental car at different locations that belong to the same supplier.

Online Availability means that information about vehicle availability can be requested online via real-time communication therefore availability requests are answered in seconds.

Optional Equipment is the equipment that is not included in the manufacturer’s base configuration of a vehicle.

Out of Hours Charge - Intercars branches tend to operate within standard business hours and if you want or need to return your hired vehicle outside of these hours then it can be catered for, however there will be an additional charge for this.

Partial Prepayment is a two-part payment method where the customer makes an upfront payment when making the booking, which is usually a percentage of the total rental price.

Pay On Pick Up is a payment model that doesn’t require the customer to make an upfront payment when booking the rental vehicle.

Payment Method means the procedure used to pay for a booking, which might be a credit/debit card, or an alternative payment means.

Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) protects the main driver against expenses resulting from accident and injury in your hired car during your car rental.

Pick-Up means the process at the start of the rental, when the renter provides the required ID and other documentation, pays for any additional extras, enters into the Rental Agreement, and collects the vehicle.

Pick-Up Time means the (local) date and time you’re due to pick up your car, as stated in your booking confirmation.

Predictive Maintenance is a maintenance strategy that monitors the vehicle and its components and attempts to predict potential faults or failures before they occur.

Rental Agreement is a contract between the supplier and the renter that specifies all the rules and conditions of the specific rental deal. The rental agreement is signed at the pick-up area when the supplier hands the rental vehicle over to the renter. It is a legally binding document for both the renter and the supplier.

Rental Day is a term which refers to a 24-hour period during which a rented car is available for use by the renter.

Rental means the provision of a car by a car hire provider.

Rental Period defines the car rental period commencing at the time of collection through to the drop off time.

Renter is a person who pays money to rent a vehicle from a car rental supplier for a specific time period.

Repair Kit refers to the tire repair equipment that typically consists of an emergency tire sealant and a means of refilling a flat tire.

Replacement Vehicle is a vehicle that the supplier provides to the renter when the original vehicle becomes unusable due to damage, theft or breakdown.

Roadside Assistance is a service that provides assistance with mechanical problems and breakdowns during the rental period.

Seat Belts are harnesses designed to secure vehicle occupants during a collision.

Seating Capacity refers to the number of people that can be safely seated and restrained in a vehicle, including the driver.

Sedan Vehicle is a larger car, designed to seat five adults comfortably, and it also come with a spacious boot.

Spare Tire is a fifth wheel and tire that is stored on or in a vehicle for use when one of the four tires in use becomes disabled.

Spoiler is an attachment to a vehicle (or component of its body) originally introduced for the purpose of directing airflow over such device (or the entire vehicle) to decrease lift and increase stability at high speeds, but that is sometimes used on consumer vehicles solely for aesthetic reasons.

Supplier is a company that provides rental vehicles. Therefore, this company is the supplier of the vehicles.

Theft Protection limits the financial responsibility of the lead driver for the cost of the vehicle in the event of theft, attempt of theft or vandalism.

Third Party Insurance in car rental, is a type of protection which provides cover for public liability and is subject to the car rental company’s terms and conditions on the rental agreement.

Tire is a rubber covering fitted around the rim of a wheel to provide a cushion between the vehicle and the road. Tires support the vehicle’s weight, provide traction, absorb shocks from the road surface, and allow the vehicle to accelerate, brake, and steer effectively.

Toddler Seat is a rear or forward-facing seat and is suitable for children weighing between 9–18 kg or aged approximately 9 months to 4 years.

Transmission refers to whether the vehicle gear shifting is manual or automatic.

Turn Signals are flashing amber-colored lights that indicate when a vehicles driver intends to make a turn or lane change.

Underside also known as undercarriage or underbody, defines the area of a vehicle that is typically not visible from above and that is exposed to the road.

Unlimited Mileage is a type of mileage policy in which the renter is allowed to drive however many kilometers without being charged extra for it.

Upholstery is either cloth, leather or synthetic material used to cover a vehicle’s seats, door panels, arm rests and headrests.

Vehicle Type is the type of vehicle class, examples of which are large cars, midsize cars, minivans, pickup trucks, small cars, multi- purpose vehicles, sports utility vehicles, convertibles and vans.

Voucher is an electronic document that the supplier issues to the renter which includes information about the rental, such as pick-up time and location, selected car, requested extras, etc.

Windscreen is the front window of a vehicle, designed to protect passengers and the driver from wind, debris, and the elements while maintaining visibility.

Wheel Covers are decorative metal or plastic discs that obscure a vehicle’s stamped steel wheels, lug nuts and/or hubs from view.