Renting a car while you’re on vacation seems to be the smartest thing to do. You won’t be bogged down by public transportation schedules. You won’t have to waste money on cab rides. You won’t have to find an Uber driver every time you need to go. It will be your own rules and your own schedule. But renting a car involves more than just booking one on the Internet. You need to be smart about your choices.
You don’t want to end up visiting a car crash law firm in Kent because you have been involved in an accident and don’t have insurance. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere because the car that you have rented is a piece of junk. You don’t want to pay higher the price others pay for the same car and the same period just because you’re younger.
Use a Credit Card
Car rentals are going to ask for a security deposit. The fee depends on the company, the brand and model of the car, and even your financial score. They want to make sure that this fee will cover whatever damage that the vehicle may incur while in your care. You certainly don’t want them to hold active funds or the money in your debit card. Use your credit card so that you’re basically letting another company lend them the money. If you return the vehicle in good condition, that money will be credited back to your account without interest.
Don’t Rent at the Airport
It’s so convenient to get off the plane and straight to a waiting rental car, right? Car rentals pay a huge fee to the airport management for using the terminal’s facilities. They pass these fees on to the customers. You are paying more by picking up the car at the airport. All you have to do is to call a cab to take you to the car rental office, which is usually near the airport and hotels anyway.
Check Your Insurance
What’s your insurance situation? If you have a car back home, chances are that your car insurance policy already covers rental cars. Make sure that you have the policy number and emergency telephone number with you. Check the car rental’s invoice. They may be charging you for their own insurance. You don’t need that anymore if you already have one back home.
Go for Independent Car Rentals
In the United States, for example, three companies own 95% of the car rental industry. These are Enterprise, Avis, and Hertz. You don’t always have to go with these companies. They charge more because of their brands. You can go for other local car rentals that charge less for the same car, model, and period. You may suffer a bit in terms of service and convenience, but the difference in prices will convince you to go for the non-household names.
Negotiate the Price
Rental companies charge younger people higher. Haggle and negotiate. Many offices will waive the extra fee because you have raised hell. They charge younger people higher because they are likely to get into an accident more than older adults. That being said, if you’re merely traveling with someone below 25 years old, don’t add them as an additional driver. Don’t name the rental after them so that you won’t have to pay the extra cost.
Renting a car should be approached like science. You should be calculating and meticulous. You should find what you need without having to pay such a huge amount every day. Take time to shop for the best car rentals.
