Deals11 min read
Cheapest Car Rental Singapore: How to Get the Best Deals 2025
Finance Expert Linda Ng
Consumer Savings Specialist
CheapDealsMoney SavingBudgetSingapore
Cheapest Car Rental Singapore: How to Get the Best Deals 2025
Want to rent a car in Singapore without breaking the bank? Here's how to find the best deals and save money.
Current Cheapest Rates (2025)
Economy Cars
- Absolute cheapest: $45/day (ClearPath Rentals)
- Average market rate: $60-75/day
- Weekend promos: From $55/day
When Booked Right:
- 2-3 weeks advance
- Weekday pickup
- 7+ day rental
- Monthly: As low as $40/day equivalent
Money-Saving Strategies
1. Book in Advance (Save 20-30%)
- 3+ weeks ahead: Best rates locked in
- Last minute: Pay 30-50% premium
- Public holidays: Book 1 month+ ahead
2. Rent for Longer Periods
- Daily: $45-50
- Weekly: $38-43/day (15% off)
- Monthly: $30-40/day (35% off)
3. Avoid Peak Seasons
Expensive periods:
- Chinese New Year
- Christmas/New Year
- School holidays (Jun, Dec)
- F1 Weekend
Cheap periods:
- Jan-Feb (after CNY)
- May-Jul (non-holiday)
- Mid-September
4. Compare Local vs International
| Type | Daily Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Local companies | $45-65 | Budget travelers |
| International chains | $75-95 | Brand loyalty, airports |
Verdict: Local saves $200+ per week
Where to Find Best Deals
Direct Booking (Cheapest)
- ClearPath Rentals: $45/day
- Goldbell: Best monthly rates
- Hawk: Weekend specials
Avoid Aggregators
- Hidden fees common
- Poor customer service
- Modification difficulties
- Often same or higher price
Hidden Costs to Watch
Common Extras That Add Up
| Item | Typical Cost | Avoidable? |
|---|---|---|
| Young driver (<25) | $10-15/day | No |
| Additional driver | $10-15/day | Yes (some free) |
| GPS device | $5-10/day | Yes (use phone) |
| Child seat | $5/day | Yes (bring own) |
| Airport delivery | $30-50 | Sometimes |
| Insurance upgrade | $15-25/day | Depends |
How to Minimize Extras
- Use Google Maps instead of GPS rental
- Bring your own child seat
- Skip young driver fee by booking under older driver
- Decline unnecessary insurance if you have coverage
- Pick up from office instead of airport
Best Value Companies 2025
1. ClearPath Rentals
- Why: Genuinely cheapest base rates
- From: $45/day
- Sweet spot: 7-30 day rentals
- Bonus: Free delivery to many areas
2. Hawk Rent A Car (Weekends)
- Why: Weekend promotions
- From: $55/day weekends
- Sweet spot: Friday-Monday rentals
- Watch: Weekday rates higher
3. Goldbell (Monthly)
- Why: Best long-term rates
- From: $1,200/month ($40/day)
- Sweet spot: 1-6 month rentals
- Bonus: Maintenance included
Discount Codes & Promos (2025)
Where to Find Codes
- Company newsletters: 10-15% off codes
- Facebook pages: Flash sales
- Credit card promos: Bank partnerships
- First-time user codes: Usually 10% off
Current Promotions
- Early bird: 10% off for 1+ month advance
- Long-term: 30% off monthly rates
- Referral discounts: $20-50 off
- Weekend specials: Rotating deals
Insider Tips from Industry
1. Call After Booking Online
- Online price = starting point
- Call to negotiate monthly rates
- Ask about unadvertised deals
- Price match competitors
2. Book Tuesday-Thursday
- Quieter booking days
- Staff more willing to negotiate
- Better service availability
3. Off-Peak Pickup Times
- Avoid Friday evening
- Midweek mornings cheapest
- Late night = fewer customers = deals
4. Return Early Morning
- Avoid late fees
- Better next customer = grateful owner
- Builds relationship for future discounts
Sample Cost Breakdown
Budget 1-Week Trip
- Car: $270 (ClearPath, weekly rate)
- Insurance: Included
- Fuel: $80 (200km = 3 tanks)
- Parking: $50 (HDB rates)
- ERP: $20 (avoid peak)
- Total: ~$420
Premium 1-Week Trip
- Car: $510 (Hertz, daily rate)
- Insurance: Included
- Fuel: $80
- Parking: $100 (mall/CBD)
- ERP: $50 (peak hours)
- Total: ~$740
Savings with budget approach: $320 (43%!)
Common Mistakes That Cost Money
1. Last-Minute Bookings
- Cost: 30-50% premium
- Solution: Book 2-3 weeks ahead
2. Airport Pickup
- Cost: $30-50 extra
- Solution: MRT to office pickup
3. Daily Instead of Weekly
- Cost: Miss out on 15% discount
- Solution: Commit to weekly rate
4. Not Filling Tank
- Cost: $2.50/liter + $30 fee
- Solution: Fill up before return
5. International Chain Assumption
- Cost: $200+ extra per week
- Solution: Try reputable locals first
Negotiation Scripts That Work
For Monthly Rates:
"I'm looking to rent for 2 months. Your website shows $1,400/month. Can you do $1,200 if I book today?"
For Long Weekends:
"I see weekend rate is $55. I'm renting Friday to Monday (4 days). Can you give me 3-day pricing?"
For Repeat Business:
"I rent every quarter for work. What loyalty discount can you offer?"
Free Upgrades Strategy
When You Might Get Upgraded:
- Booking smallest economy car
- When your car type unavailable
- Polite repeat customers
- Off-peak periods with excess inventory
How to Increase Chances:
- Be friendly and polite
- Book economy but arrive early
- Dress professionally
- Mention it's special occasion
Alternative Options
Peer-to-Peer (Tribecar, GetGo)
- Pros: Hourly rates from $3/hr
- Cons: Limited availability, older cars
- Best for: Very short trips (1-3 hours)
Car Sharing Services
- Pros: Pay-per-use
- Cons: Expensive for full days
- Best for: Occasional quick errands
Traditional Rental
- Pros: Guaranteed availability, newer cars
- Cons: Daily minimum
- Best for: Full days, multi-day trips
Annual Cost Comparison
Weekend Driver (2 days/month, 24 days/year)
- Daily rates: $45 × 24 = $1,080
- Weekend promos: $55 × 24 = $1,320 (if no advance booking)
- Best strategy: Book advance, use ClearPath
Monthly Expat (365 days)
- Daily rates: $45 × 365 = $16,425 (ridiculous!)
- Monthly package: $1,250 × 12 = $15,000
- Savings: $1,425/year
Bottom Line: How to Get Cheapest
- Book with ClearPath Rentals ($45/day base)
- 2-3 weeks in advance (avoid premium)
- Weekly or monthly rates (15-35% off)
- Avoid peak seasons (save 20-30%)
- Skip unnecessary extras (save $10-20/day)
- Pick up from office (save $30-50)
- Use own GPS/child seat (save $5-15/day)
- Fill tank before return (save $50+)
Result: Economy car for $35-45/day all-in!
Ready to save money? Contact ClearPath Rentals for Singapore's best car rental rates!