Renting a car makes life easier in a lot of situations, but it can get expensive if you are not careful. Individuals and families rent cars for a variety of reasons, including to get around for business, to enjoy a road trip, or to simply get around town when no other transportation is available. One of the advantages of renting cars is that they are often new and always well-maintained. Fortunately, there are many locations to rent cars, but it is a good idea to avoid renting a car at the airport if possible because that is always more expensive. There can also be hidden charges, especially at airports, that can make your bargain price not such a bargain. Read the fine print, avoid the airport, and plan ahead to get the best deal on car rentals. The best car rental companies at present are Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis. Read on to learn what you need to know about getting a good deal on car rentals.
Enterprise has 4,600 offices in the United States alone, and also operates in Europe. They also have cheap daily rates, but maybe not the best weekly rates. With so many offices, they are easy to find and often convenient to work with.
Renting from a non-airport facility is about half the price in many cases. Sometimes with a one-way rental, you can pick up the car downtown and then drop it off at the airport when you return the car. Taking a taxi or bus from the airport could save a lot of money.
Hertz has one of the best rewards programs, and you may transfer your reward points. You get points for every dollar spent, and you can earn other discounts like fuel purchases and navigation systems. There are very few restrictions on when points may be used, and you can get a free day's rental with points.
Avis is another major player and offers some of the best weekly rates out there. You can also get good rates for trips longer than a week. Their daily rates are not the best, but for a long trip, they could be the best. Avis also has a lot of locations.
If you have complete coverage on your own car, you are likely covered. Check with your insurance agent as to whether you are covered for glass damage as some rental companies try to sell that as well. If you do not have insurance, you may be better off purchasing the insurance.
You get a few options, and the best one is to get a full tank when you pick the car up and then refill it when you return it. Keep your gas receipt. If you let them top it off when you return it, you will pay a very high price per gallon.
All three on our list will pick you up if you reserve the car in advance. Enterprise started this practice and others have followed. They will pick you up at home or at your hotel, and take you to the office to finalize the rental. If you are traveling this is one way to avoid renting a car at the airport.
Many big cities have cashless electronic tollways, and if you are driving there it may be a good idea. If you happen to go through one, you could have to pay a big fine. If you are close to one of these at all it might be a good idea to pay the $5 a day less fee.
A child seat for one. Bringing your own will save a lot of money. Navigation is another if you have a smartphone or can bring your own portable GPS along.