However, by following these tips you should guarantee yourself a rental that is much cheaper than what you're quoted the first time.
Firstly, you can usually get a much better price by renting well in advance of your trip. This works the same way as with an airline rental. Companies want to know their equipment will be used, and as such, frequently offer high percentage discounts just to ensure that cars aren't sitting on the lot earning no income.
Call and ask if they offer advance car rental discounts and even pursue their websites. This is especially true if you are reserving in a low traffic season, but intend to travel in a high traffic one.
Airfare sites often have very good deals on rental cars, allowing you to make package deals and save costs on both. Once again, check the web. Price comparison sites are common and can often offer deep discounts.
You should always rent the smallest car that meets your needs. This is something most people don't realize, but the price differences between even a small and midsize car can be huge. Sometimes as well, you'll end up with a free upgrade due to shortages, but you'll always save on the price
For some reason a full week is often cheaper than five days. This makes no logical sense, but is something you should check into.
Always be careful to coordinate pick-up and return times so you won't be charged for an extra day. The same applies to your gas level. Make sure you return it with the same amount you left with. It's cheaper to accidentally throw a few extra gallons in than pay the ridiculous surcharges for returning it under-filled.
Lastly, make sure you call every company you can find. It's often easy to take the lazy way out, and book with the first company that offers you a reasonable rate.
This is the biggest mistake you can make however, as once you have a cheap quote, it can be easier to weasel better rates of the competitors even if you don't like to do this type of things it can save you a lot of money and it's pretty easy to do. Good luck and happy driving!
Car hire services, like any other business, are looking to gouge consumers where they can so they can make a better profit. They have expenses just like any other business, and this is just how they survive in a dog-eat-dog world. But to avoid unnecessary costs that they throw to the consumer, there are certain tips to keep in mind.
Tax is something that is applied to virtually everything. If a consumer is gullible enough to believe that the rate that car hire services advertise is the actual rate they will pay, they are in for a rude awakening. Taxes from state or federal governments are in effect just like any other sale of service or product. Don't be surprised if you see a big price increase just to please one's government.
Before obtaining an insurance plan from a car hire service, check with one's own insurance company to see if they will cover the costs of the rental car. This can save the consumer a lot, considering that the car hire service offers insurance at much higher prices- often $25 dollars a day and up depending on the make and model of the car. After all, we wouldn't want to pay insurance when we already have it!
Gas is something that consumers have to worry about at the pump, but also at car hire services as well. Most car hire services will require that the gas tank be filled to the top before returning it. If the car is returned under the full mark, expect a hefty charge in result. Some services don't demand this if they offer gas expense clauses in the contract, but this is rare.
For those who are 18-25, expect a very hefty surcharge for an underage car hire customer. The younger ones may pay up to $100 or more in charges each day, depending on their records and the model and make of the car requested. Obviously the only way to get around this is to be 26 or older, but this isn't something that can happen at the drop of a hat.
If one wants to drop off their car at a different location than where they obtained it, expect to pay a high-priced fee. Some car hire services will each charge into the thousand-dollar range if it is dropped off in another country completely. Thus, avoid the extra charge by simply dropping the vehicle off at the designated spot agreed upon on arrival.
Closing Comments
The unnecessary fees that car hire agencies charge don't have to be suffered through. Indeed, many of the charges can be fixed simply by filling up a gas tank or putting a car back where one found it. Regardless, a consumer should consult a travel agent for more information on advice and tips in getting the best rate.
Both John Layton & Chris Channing are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
John Layton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recipes, Quit Smoking and Recipes. John Layton is the author of this article and can provide additional tips and advise at his website