With the plethora of web applications on the Internet, it's not difficult to locate car hire comparison sites that allow you to compare prices before placing your booking. To rent cheap, it is always wise to compare prices at car rental comparison websites. When comparing price at car comparison websites, be sure to read the reviews as well. But first, before rushing in to book a car, let's check out some qualification requirements.
To qualify for a hired car, you must meet qualification requirements. That usually means you should be at least 21 and have a clean driving record. Also, to enjoy better rates, you must have a clean driving record, and ideally, you should also be a frequent customer of the car rental company.
If budget is a concern, then choose the cheapest you can find. Otherwise, choose a car type that is most appropriate for you and your trip. Choosing the right brand and model when hiring a car means knowing in advance what you intend to do on your trip.
Are you going to travel long distances? If so, pick something that is more fuel efficient to save on petrol. Sometimes, knowing what car you need is not enough. To execute a travel plan, it's wise to book for the car that you need as early as you can, so as to avoid any unwanted surprises.
If safety is your number one concern, choose a car with a stronger exterior as well as one with full airbags. The audio system in a car provides a most pleasant and memorable experience. So be sure to remind your car rental agency that you do not want a car with a faulty audio system. Service is very important for every car rental company. That's because you want someone to respond quickly to you just in case your car run into problems. If you are one who is not good at remembering roads, you can depend on GPS systems to help you get to your destination without getting lost. In addition, sometimes, it may be impossible to predict the weather. So to ensure that the trip is stress free, pick a conventional car that is covered and comes with heating and air conditioning.
Additional services such as drivers on demand, special toddler seats, or additional insurance are not uncommon. But you need to request for them. So make sure you submit your requests together with your booking.
When you have seriously considered most, if not all, of the above, you are ready to place your booking. But wait! We haven't touched on pricing yet! There are several other ways to drive the rental fees down besides just grabbing pricing information from car rental comparison sites.
For example, the car rental company that you rent from often have different business strategies, which means they will offer different schemes to attract customers. If you are renting from Alamo for leisure, you get to enjoy special rates. If you are renting from Alamo for business, you get an even better deal: guaranteed discounted rates for the whole year.
Avis boasts of weekly discount rates for its members. The discounted rates are exclusive for members only.
Budget has a logical and attractive rebate system that rewards a customer depending on how frequent they rent. The more they rent, the more discounts they get. Discounts are reflected in monthly car rental statements.
If you happen to be a member of an organization who is also a partner with Hertz, chances are you may get to enjoy all year round discounts.
Finally, know that active promotional campaigns are not uncommon on car hiring websites. Do take advantage of these offers if you can. Make time to confirm your car rental bookings early, to avoid future problems.
Road trips are great fun and a cheap car rental allows you and a bunch of friends to experience everything that South Africa had to offer. With the price of petrol finally falling and salaries on the rise, organising a holiday road trip is the perfect antidote to a year of hard work. Whatever your budget is, you can benefit from the holiday experience of a lifetime.
The first step is hopping online and check out the latest deals from cheaper car rental companies. Online is the only way to go, as there will most likely be internet-only savings which anyone looking to save a bit of cash can benefit from. Also, the longer you rent your vehicle the cheaper it will be overall. This principle can also be applied to weekends, where the rates literally drop to half their original prices.
Do not blindly accept all the insurance which car rental agencies suggest you should take. The standard policies cover all damage to the vehicle and any loss to the rental company. Yet many rental agencies will try to load you with many policies which are often quite similar. Read the fine print and conditions before signing away more money than is deemed essential.
Many car rental companies have members only club such as Thrifty, Dollar and Avis. Joining these exclusive clubs [which usually cost a small yearly fee] will unlock many benefits for you such as free car rentals, free miles and more. For the everyday renter, this option is best and equals the cheapest car rentals. Another hidden car hire cost are child seats. Some car rental companies charge as much R100 per seat per day! So bringing along your own child seat for the little ones on a family trip is the perfect solution to cut down on costs. Believe it or not, a car hire from the airport can cost on average 10% more than your usual rental fee. Renting directly from the agency lot will save you on airport taxes and other needless fees.
Be wary when car rental companies offer you a free upgrade to a large vehicle. Sure, the extra space and chance to drive a faster, meaner vehicle may sound enticing, but everyone knows that bigger cars burn more fuel and before you know it, your ?free? upgrade would have cost you double the cost in fuel that a modest rental option could have provided you.
My last tip is a perhaps the most useful of them all. Regardless of how low petrol drops, never accept a pre-filled tank from the car rental dealership unless you plan to use every last drop in that tank. Various rental agencies will offer you two choices: to either pay for refuelling yourself or to drive away with a full tank. Paying ahead for a full tank is an added convenience but not on your wallet. From a purely financial point of view paying for a full tank of fuel is considered a waste of money, unless you plan to use it all up.
After reading these tips, I think it's time to hit the road! If you don't know where you are going, and love planning ahead then an optional GPS unit rental will suit your needs perfectly. All GPS units are now fully capable of reading the layout of our native land. Of course, the spirit of adventure is lost, but the comfort of knowing exactly where you are going is gained. Drive safe, stick to the speed limits and most of all, have fun. Your holiday can be fun and cheap. Car rental means that it's your holiday, and the road is waiting for you.
Both Gen Wright & Robert Thomson 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.