Renting a car for your road trip is another important part of your trip planning process. From determining the service you’ll use to deciding which car to rent, there are a lot of factors that go into renting. But with transportation being a big part of your travel plans, it’s important to be as knowledgeable as possible. Read on to learn some important tips for renting a car like an expert.
1. Do Your Homework From researching which company will give you the best price to what car and handle your travel needs, it’s important to understand all of the options available for you. Just picking the first company that comes to mind and the first car available could live you with an uncomfortable, pricey trip.
2. Avoid Airport Surcharges While it is convenient to get off a plane and be able to immediately pick up your car, there is a definite upcharge for this convenience. Operating a business in an airport can be expensive and to offset this some airports will charge up to 30% on taxes for your rental. Be sure to cross check your rental prices at the airport to a different location in the city. It might be cheaper to just take an Uber to the other location.
3. Refuel Yourself When returning a rental car it’s required that it comes back with a full tank of gas. Either you refuel yourself or the company will charge you for having to refuel it for you. And while it is cheaper just to refuel it yourself, it’s highly recommended you keep the receipt so you don’t get charged with this fee.
4. Stick to One Driver On long distance trips you can benefit from having a second driver, but if your trip is short then it’ll be cheaper in the long run to stick to one driver and avoid the additional driver fees.
5. Inspect Before You Go Sometimes there can be damage to a rental whether while parked at the office or by a previous driver. It’s important to thoroughly inspect the car with the rental agent and even take photos. If the damage has not been noted by the company you don’t want to get charged for a problem you didn’t cause.
6. Be Over 25 While a lot of companies don’t rent to drivers under 25 there are a few who do, but do know you will be charged a fee for your age. In long run it might be cheaper just to pay for an Uber when necessary.
Keeping these tips in mind when renting a car and make the rental process a breeze and your trip even better.