What exactly is a limousine? For many people, the word "limousine" conjures up the image of an incredibly long car with lots of dark-tinted windows. Actually, a limousine can be as simple as a nice Lincoln Town Car. There's no standard limousine make or model -- instead, the word refers to a vehicle that has a larger compartment in the back half of the car than your average automobile. To call a car a limousine, you really just need a nice car that has a lot of leg room in the rear compartment. It also helps if you have a driver, or chauffeur, driving the car for you while you relax in the back.

Limousines are available in many styles, sizes and uses.

Luxury Sedan - One of the most popular Luxury Sedan is the Lincoln Town car series. They accommodate up to 4 passengers and is a great vehicle for business service and airport transfers.

Stretch limousine - Stretch Limousines are the ultimate in style and elegance. These limousine typically accommodate up to 12 passengers and include wet bars and trendy neon lighting. You can expect plush leather seating and elegant interiors.

Super-Stretch limousine - Super Stretch Limousines are the extreme in chauffeured transportation. They can accommodate up to 14 passengers and include such features as privacy dividers and panels, fiber optic lighting moon roof and much more. This is the vehicle to rent to travel in comfort and style.

There are a lot of limousine hire companies out there and it can be hard to know which ones are trustworthy and which ones shouldn’t even be in business.

1. When first thinking of booking a limousine for your next special occasion try not to go on price alone. Low prices do not mean better service.

2. Wherever possible, view the limo at the premises of the company you will be hiring from. The last thing you want is your day to be ruined because a limousine hire company sends you an old rusty limousine.

3. Do not take the first quote offered. It is worth considering looking at several companies before committing a deposit to hire.

4. Ask friends, etc to see if they can recommend a limousine hire company which they have used and know the service is good. The best recommendation is word of mouth.

5. Read carefully all the terms and conditions of each companies contracts and ensure you are totally satisfied.

6. Ask what additional extras are supplied with the limousine hire i.e. drinks, snacks, interior decorations (birthdays, etc). Especially for Weddings.

7. Ask the company about how much time you have the limousine for, are there any added extras and are there any conditions that may apply but are not in print. Some companies charge extra for photos to be taken.

It can also be very time consuming trying to tell the good from the bad so I hope above mentioned short checklist can help you cull the list of limousine hire companies to find the right one for you.