Are you planning on a vacation and need to rent a car? There are hundreds of car rental agencies to choose from, but you need to know what to look for to get the best deal.
The number of car rental agencies to choose from, the different rental rates, and the types of cars to choose might overwhelm you. By reading car rentals reviews of customers that have shared their experiences, feedback, insight and tips on their car rentals, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on the best car rental company for your pocket and your needs.
Tip #1: Use a Credit Card
When you use your credit card to book and pay for your car rental, they will place a hold on the amount allowed and charged by the agreement – and large excess amount for potential damages and added charges. If you are paying with your debit card, they will add even more charges to the hold, and this may affect your cash flow position while on holiday. When booking your rental car, ask about the different costs and fees associated with credit and debit cards.
Tip #2: One Nominated Driver
The more drivers you add to the rental agreement’s admin and the rental car, the more they will charge you over the rental period and you will also be charged extra in terms of insurance. For drivers under 25 years of age, they will also charge a premium. Rather nominate one driver to carry out all driving duties with a rental car to avoid an increase in rental costs.
Tip #3: Don’t Rent a Car at the Airport
So many people will tell this to you: don’t rent a car at the airport. Rather, rent a car from nearby the airport or in the local area. Why? Prices are sure to be 10-15 percent lower on average. It will be far cheaper to take a taxi to the car rental company to collect your car for use on vacation. Rental car companies situated at the airport usually pay a hefty premium for their office space and parking spaces, but the ones located away from the airport aren’t straddled by such costs.
Tip #4: Full-to-Full
This is a common policy with car rental agencies. This means that the rental car agency provides you with a full tank of fuel and you need to return it with a full fuel tank too. Check the level of the fuel on the car’s instrument panel to verify that the fuel tank is indeed full. If not, make a note to the car rental company. Upon returning the rental car, find a fuel station closest to their office to top up the fuel. If you cannot do so, they are likely to charge you additional fees as a penalty on top of the cost of the fuel to refill the tank. To debate these matters once you’ve returned the car will prove difficult as they will be more likely to add costs to your account than reduce them.