Tips You Should Know Before You Rent a Car

Do you need a car for your next trip? Renting a car can prove to be a good thing because you will have the flexibility and freedom when you are traveling, and there are some parts of the world where this is the only way you can get around. But there is also a small chance that it can add some complications to your trip and this can be when it comes to finding the best deal and the insurance options you have.

Below are some great tips that will help you save money, avoid problems with the car rental. and understand the rental agreement.

Choosing a Vehicle

 

 

You should first think about the right type of vehicle you will need. If you are travelling with kids or a lot of gear, then you should consider an SUV or sedan. If you want to save money on petrol and rate, then you should go with the smallest model available.

Size is not the only factor. There are people who are looking for environmentally friendly options. Many of the rentals have started offering hybrid vehicles. If you don't know how to drive a stick shift, ask for a car that has an automatic transmission (There are countries where a manual car is a norm, making it important to ask). You should also find out whether the car rental offers extras you might need such as car seat, ski rack, or GPS system.

Booking Your Car

There are many car rental agencies that operate all over the world. But depending on the place you are travelling to, local car rentals could offer lower rates; before you can book, make sure you have gone through the reviews so as to ensure the company you are about to pick is up to the standard.

Do not go with the first option you come across, shop around. Go to the booking engines and aggregator sites so you can have a rough idea of the rates, but you should also go the websites of the car rental companies because they often offer discounts.

Asking for a discount is a good idea to get lower rates, and you can also do this by asking national organizations, credit card programs, and frequent fliers programs that you belong to. There are many who offer deals. There are even rental companies that can give you a negotiated rate when you are employed by a company that rents cars frequently.

If possible, pick the car downtown instead of at the airport

This is because the rates at the airport tend to be higher than those a little far from the airport. Look at the rates for pick-up spots close to your hotel or even the city centre. Comparing the rates with those from the airport is a good idea but there will be times when the difference is legible or even the airport being cheaper. Remember you will still need to arrange your transportation from the airport to the pick-up location.

Check the weekly rate even if you are going to use it for a couple of days

There are some people who have ended paying less when they rented for longer. The reasoning behind this is that people who rent for a couple of days are usually business travellers who don't stress about the costs because the company will be paying for it or it was an urgent trip. People who book for a week are usually people trying to save because most of them are leisure travellers. Because of this, the weekly rate can be lower than that of three to four days. Make sure you do a comparison and see which option is cheaper.

Skip the extras

There are some features you don't need and can save you a lot of money when you don't have them. There are some things you can easily do using your smartphone. Some of the things include satellite radio, GPS navigation, speakerphone, etc. This will add up and make it more expensive.

Returning the Car

You should be careful when it comes to prepaid gasoline plans. Do the filling yourself before you can return the car. This will mean paying only for the fuel that you used. You should try avoiding the gas stations that are close to the airport where you are dropping off the car because the prices tend to be high. Fill it up miles away.

As crazy as it seems, returning the car early can cost you. There is an early return fee to pay, and it can also affect your rate structure, forcing you to pay for the difference. Rate return is also expensive, and many of the rental companies will give you a grace period of thirty minutes before starting to charge you. Check the vehicle before you leave it so you don't end up leaving your personal belongings.