Top 10 Tips for Car Rental
- By Anthony N
- Travel Tips
- 01.05.2016
Most people don't give much thought to car rentals and just accept whatever rates the closest car rental agency to the airport is offering. There are in fact ways in which you can save money as well as get higher quality vehicles. Below are the top 10 tips to consider when renting a car.
Hidden Fees
Make sure you do your research and read the paperwork you are signing. Car rental agencies will often try to hide fees.
Avoid Airport Agencies
If you can find a car rental place that is not located near the airport chances are the pricing will be much more affordable.
Avoid Insurance
Most car rental agencies pressure you to buy insurance. This however is most of the time unnecessary as most peoples credit card providers provide collision insurance if you pay for the rental with their card.
Reserve A Car
If you reserve the cheapest car before you travel you are guaranteed that price and often you receive a much nicer car if they are out of the model you reserved.
Rent For A Week
If you can get a weekly rate for the car you are renting the price per day will be drastically lower. In some cases this however is not practical.
Avoid Name Brands
The well known car rental agencies will be much more expensive and will often times not have as nice of vehicles either.
Prepay
In addition to reserving your car you can prepay for it at many car rental agencies for a discount. Some agencies offer up to 20% in discounts.
Negotiate a Price
At car rental agencies negotiating a price is an acceptable practice. Don't be afraid to walk away and go to another car rental agency if you feel the price is unfair.
Look for Coupons
Many websites offer coupons to rental car agencies. Just a quick search can help you to save some money when you are renting a car.
Third Party Websites
There are now some third party websites which can get you deals from car rental agencies based off of cancellations. Utilizing one of these websites poses more risk you may not get the car you want, but it will almost always save you money.