Even without owning it, a rented tractor is your workplace for the next year and the source of your fuel costs. Ten minutes at handover are worth more than any conversation afterwards.
You won’t have to ask twice for an inspection before signing — we insist on it. You can come on any working day; the depot address and opening hours are at the foot of Rent a tractor.
Documents and history
The service book and the maintenance history: what was done, when, and at what mileage. What you want is a legible history, not a perfect one — regular servicing with no gaps beats one recent major repair.
Check that the mileage matches the records, and check the date of the last technical inspection.
The ten-minute checklist
| What | What to look at | Why it costs money |
|---|---|---|
| Service history | complete records, last inspection | a gap means an unknown condition |
| Mileage | matches the service book | a mismatch is a reason to keep asking |
| Tyres | tread left, matched across the axle, winter set | wear replacement is in the rate, seasonal is not |
| Retarder | fitted or not | brake pads, and your safety on descents |
| Night heater | works, consumption | in a northern winter it decides the run |
| Cab | bunk, fridge, sockets, air conditioning | you live in it as long as you drive it |
| Bodywork and lights | chips, dents, bulbs | what is not on the report comes off the deposit |
What to look at on the truck
Tyres. Tread remaining, whether the tyres match across the axles, whether there is a winter set. Replacement for wear is in the rate — a seasonal changeover is not on the price list, so ask about it at the inspection itself. And you are the one who will drive in to have them changed, so it is better to know in advance when that will be.
Retarder. On mountain and northern routes it is not an option — it is your brake pads and your safety.
Auxiliary night heater. Essential in winter in the north, and highly desirable anywhere you sleep in the cab.
The cab. Bunk, fridge, sockets, working air conditioning. You live in it as long as you drive it.
Everything you find goes on the report
A chip, a dent, a scuff, a bulb that doesn’t work — note all of it. The deposit comes back within 30 days of the vehicle being returned, less any damage beyond normal wear, and the handover report is the only document separating your damage from someone else’s.
Check the numbers too, not just the truck
The deposit equals one month's rent, and the rent is not the same across the fleet. For tractors it is 2 200 € to 2 550 € a month; a Krone Profi Liner trailer is 850 €. Before you sign, have the figure for the vehicle you are taking in front of you: the whole price list is on Rent a tractor, and what the rate covers is set out in What the rental rate covers.
Which route it’s for
Standard specification is enough for western legs. For Scandinavia you want winter preparation and an auxiliary night heater. Asking for “the newest one” is a poor strategy: an older truck with the right specification may suit your route much better. How the two directions differ in money is worked through in Scandinavia versus the west.
