Rental Car Tips

Most people who can drive wind up having to rent a vehicle at some point in their lives. But before you actually go to pick up your rental car, keep a few things in the back of your mind to get a good price. People rent cars for a variety of reasons, but there is no reason anyone should have to pay a huge fee for a car when so many deals are out there for your taking.

Airline and train agents offer discount car rental packages in conjunction with travel ticket sales. Hotels and motels will also offer discount pricing for car rentals at the time of check in. When comparing travel prices a person can learn how much will be added for the car rental. With that information a person can compare the price with those offered by car rental agencies.

Car rental agency websites show the various specials and discounts available during specific time-frames for renting. In most cases, these specials are not included when buying a travel package. If you fall into a certain age group or are a member of a certain organization, you will likely enjoy special discounts as well. This may include being a government employee, being in the military, being an American retired club member, or even being a student in college. Long-term rentals also tend to cost less. In addition, renters must make sure they aren't getting charged to rent a car by the mile. If you are taking a long road trip in the mountains, your rental bill will exorbitant if you have to pay per mile.

Many agency websites will help you out by offering tips on what kind of car you should get. This is based on the number of individuals you will be traveling with, if you will have a lot of luggage with you, and if there are any specials available. This information will be included on a worksheet to give you the overall price you would owe so that you can compare it with other prices at different agencies.

When you reserve a rental car online, make sure you get some sort of copy of the reservation so that there will be no dispute about how much it costs you. In some cases, if you go to get your rental and it's not available at that particular time, you might have the option of upgrading to a larger vehicle or one that has more features.

You should always go pick up your rental car at the agency instead of having them deliver it to you since this will cost extra. Plus the agency will have to get a copy of your driver's license. Contact your personal car insurance company to see if they will cover you when renting a car because you don't want to buy a plan for the rental agency if you are already covered on your personal insurance plan. Be sure to take a few minutes to look over your rental vehicle to see if there are any major dings or dents on it. Fill up the gas tank prior to returning the vehicle as well. Even though the agency may have waived the mileage fee, an agency might charge you extra if they have to refill the tank. All it takes is a little homework, comparison of prices, and attention to special discounts in order to have a stress-free renting experience.