I've seen people spend hours upon hours trying to save $20 on their
airline ticket or hotel room for an upcoming trip only to lose that
much, if not more, on their car rental.
Don't let your guard down and be like those people. Here are some
tips and preparations on getting a great car rental deal.
First, check your car insurance policy with your agent. Are you
covered for car rentals without purchasing additional insurance?
Also, check with your credit card companies to see if they provide
complimentary rental car insurance if you use their card for the
rental. Many do but do not advertise the fact heavily.
Check for package deals with whomever you booked your airline
tickets or hotel through. Be careful, package deals are not always
cheaper. You should always price all elements of your deal
separately to ensure you are getting a deal over booking them
separately.
Before reserving a car, you will want to know if your pickup and
dropoff will be at the same location. Some companies charge more
for rentals at the airport as well. Consider hopping a shuttle or
taxi to rent from an off-site car rental company. But, make sure
you can easily get back to the airport if you need to depart from
there.
Are there any discount programs that you qualify for? Examples
might be AAA or AARP. Affinity programs from organizations you
belong to as well as deals from credit card companies, frequent
flyer clubs, or possibly even your employer. Sometimes, corporate
discounts carry over even on leisure travel.
Always consider the cost of your insurance waiver (if needed) and
mileage in the total cost of your car rental. Taxes and fees can
also quickly turn an excellent car rental deal into an expensive
lesson in the meaning of "out the door" pricing.
Refuel the car to where it was before returning it. If you think
gas prices are normally high wait until you have to pay the "rental
car company" rate to refuel.
When picking up a car you must inspect the car for damage and note
it with an employee in writing before leaving the lot. You do not
want to be liable for unnoticed damage that occurs before you
picked up the car.
Another rule of thumb is that business-oriented car rental
locations have better weekend rates generally while
leisure-oriented locations have cheaper weekday rates.
Book the smallest car you will need and hope (and ask) for a free
size upgrade. They are often available. But, do not count on an
upgrade and undersize your reservation.
Use coupons liberally but read the exceptions closely to ensure you
meet the qualifications.
If your trip is going to last 5 days or longer consider a weekly
rate rather than a daily rate. Often, day 6 and 7 of a weekly rate
end up being free when priced at the weekly rate. Some car
companies are wising up to this trick and charging penalties if you
bring the car back early so check ahead of any restrictions.
Finally, know the "going rate" for your car rental and don't be
afraid to pull the trigger when you find the right deal.
