The big question to ask yourself if you're about to go on a road trip

Hiring a vehicle ready to take on the ups and downs of road tripping can save you headaches, and many holiday makers are leaving their own cars at home and renting vehicles tailored to their holiday needs as they take to the open roads.

Allianz Travel Insurance says a rental car is far less likely to give you trouble on the road and if misfortune strikes there is always 24-Hour Hotline Assistance for help.

It also saves wear and tear on your car and clocking up the kilometres, which reduces resale value of the asset.

"You can save money by booking a rental car that has better petrol mileage, more space and safety features compared to your own car," the company says.

Grey nomad Sam McAnally of Yarrawonga rented a motor home for two months to see if he liked it rather than take his own car on a long road trip and is glad he did.

"It saved me money in the long run and I knew if something went wrong I had backup - it's also a good way to try before you buy. I wanted to be sure we liked it before we bought our own," he says.

Road trippers are also thinking outside the box with newspaper ads and social media call-outs to rent cars or motor homes normally parked in garages and backyards.

Read more from The Senior

Stephanie Yip, travel expert at Finder, an online price-comparison website, suggests trying a peer-to-peer rental through companies such as Car Next Door or Drive My Car.

"While not available in all locations, they're a nice option because you are paying a local person to borrow their car for a road trip," she says, adding many car rental companies offer loyalty or membership programs - it's usually free to join and the benefits can include discounts on the base rate, priority service and free upgrades.

"If you're a frequent flyer member you can earn points on car hire from partner companies, which add up on longer road trips," she says.

Gallivanting Oz, a motor home and caravan hire company says one-way motorhome hires, which involve a pick up from one location and a drop off in another, are also popular as the road-tripping trend accelerates.

If you are considering conventional car hire, it pays to book ahead given the shortage of hire cars and a surge in rental costs, particularly at peak times. Over the Christmas break, for instance, it's up to a staggering $3000 for 10 days in Tasmania.

Hertz APAC vice president Eoin Macneill says the shortage in the availability of new cars is due to an accumulation of factors including slower-than-normal manufacturing rates and delayed delivery. "Hire car bookings during peak holiday periods, such as Christmas, have traditionally always experienced a surge in demand and we have measures in place to help alleviate the situation," he says.

To save money on a vehicle rental, Finder's Yiip says where possible say no to extras such as a GPS and a booster seat, and use your phone and bring your own booster seat instead, if space allows.

"And buy your own car-rental insurance online before you pick up the car - it's much cheaper," she says.