Need Your Prado for Longer? How to Plan a Rental Extension

If work runs over, guests change their flights or you'd like another night away, ask the rental team about extending your Prado hire before the agreed return time. Give them a specific new return plan while there's still time to arrange an alternative.

The car may already have another booking, an inspection or a collection scheduled. Availability matters as much as the price of the extra time.

Check your current return commitment

Find the date, time and place in your booking confirmation. "Until Monday" won't tell you whether Monday evening is covered. Write down the existing return and the one you'd like instead. Include the time zone if you're abroad or coordinating with someone elsewhere.

Be specific about how long you need the same vehicle. A two-hour meeting overrun needs a different answer from an extra city day or another week of travel.

EliteMotion's rental terms require a written extension request, advance payment and approval. Outside Nairobi, the request and payment must arrive at least the driving time back to Nairobi before the original return deadline. Allow for that lead time. Sending a request, making a payment or receiving an automated acknowledgement doesn't on its own confirm approval.

Send a complete change request

Replace the blanks in this message with your booking details:

"Please check an extension for booking ___. My current return is ___ at ___, at ___. I would like to return on ___ at ___, at ___. The car is currently at ___. During the extra time, the proposed route/use is ___. The drivers and passengers will remain ___ / change as follows: ___. Please confirm availability, the additional amount, any revised conditions and the payment process."

Say if your plans are uncertain. A shorter confirmed extension may be possible while you decide on the rest. Ask for an open-ended arrangement only if you need one and are ready to discuss how it would work.

If you can't find your booking contact, use the verified details on the EliteMotion contact page.

Read the approval carefully

Before continuing beyond the original booking, confirm:

• The revised return date, time and place
• The extra amount and when payment is due
• Whether you can keep the original vehicle
• Approval for the intended route and any new destinations
• Changes to drivers, mileage or chauffeur arrangements
• Any required inspection, maintenance or vehicle exchange

Ask for the revised total. The original daily rate may not apply to a different duration, and a longer booking doesn't automatically qualify for a discount. Save the written answer with your original confirmation.

Check the exact end time too. Approval "until tomorrow morning" doesn't cover tomorrow evening, even if both parties have been discussing an extra day.

Match the request to what's changed

A meeting is running late

Contact the team as soon as a delay looks likely. Give an honest estimate and ask how to handle the return, while there's still time to coordinate collection or the next booking.

If you can't predict when the meeting will end, ask whether returning the car first and arranging other transport afterwards would be more practical.

You want another night away

Include the accommodation and proposed route in the request. An extension of time and a change of itinerary both need to be addressed. Wait until the whole revised plan is accepted before taking the car on that extra journey.

Your flight has changed

Explain what the change means for the vehicle. Do you need another overnight rental, a later airport collection or a different return point? State the requirement even if you've already told the team about the flight.

Keep time for the agreed handover, including returning fuel, keys and supplied items as arranged.

You need several more weeks

Request a revised longer-term proposal that covers any planned vehicle checks. Ask how later changes would be handled. Repeated vague daily extensions can make the invoices and return arrangements hard to follow.

While you're waiting for an answer

Continue preparing for the existing return. Use the agreed contact channel, explain how soon you need an answer and ask for explicit confirmation.

Silence doesn't extend the booking. If the original return is becoming impossible, promptly tell the team where the car is and ask for instructions. An unresolved return problem needs their attention even if they can't approve an extension.

Don't speed, drive exhausted or attempt an unsafe journey to make up for a missed deadline.

Check the alternatives if you can't keep the car

Ask what the team can confirm. Options may include returning earlier and using separate transport, changing to another approved vehicle or revising collection arrangements.

Don't rely on an immediate replacement. If an exchange is offered, check where it would happen, who needs to travel there, whether the luggage fits and when the new arrangement begins.

Save a final written summary once a solution is agreed, and tell everyone in your group who is planning around the car. Set a reminder early enough to refuel, repack and finish the handover on time.