Car Hire - need tips and advice.

We will be hiring a car in Benidorm and driving up to Huescar via Benamaurel in a few weeks. Can anyone advise us of the following?

• Any recommendations for company?
  
• I presume a compact mini type car would get us up to Huescar? (Estate agent driving us around from there)
  
• Any routes to avoid? roadworks, road conditions etc.
  
• Should we pay more for extras, half excess, what I think is fully comprehensive etc? Difference is £65-£110 for 2 days hire
  
• Tips on cheapest petrol in the area?
  
• Hire online before we go? or on the ground?
  
• Anything I haven't thought of?
  

Avoid
DOYOUSPAIN
INTERRENT
GOLD CAR
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Have a look at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. Have used them at Murcia for the last few years and so far no problems. Often cheaper to book direct with them than through an aggregator.

I can't speak for anybody else obviously.

I first used DoYouSpain about 5 years ago and took out their additional insurance, which I did not realise was a deposit reclaim insurance, however it was clearly explained in the small print that was the case and I would have to leave a credit card block deposit of around 1,000 euro.

Since then I always take out an annual deposit reclaim insurance that costs me £ 30.00 a year for as many trips as I like, I have claimed 3 times now on this and always been resolved within 4 to 5 weeks, no issues.

As for DoYouSpain, they are generally significantly cheaper and provide what I need, I have never had an issue with their service, I don't use them every time as I do shop around a fair bit but my next 3 bookings are with them at the moment.

Each to their own choices I guess.