Getting A Great Price On A Car Rental

In a perfect world, renting a car would be a straightforward process. Unfortunately, with all of the surcharges and fees that are tacked onto rental car rates, the process of trying to get the most for your money can get confusing and time-consuming. When someone needs to rent a car, whether for a vacation or business purposes, there is really no way around it, so it pays to be a smart consumer by doing extensive research and gaining a full understanding of the various added expenses that are involved. Before jumping into a car rental agreement, consider a few of the tips below that will help you realize the best rates possible.

Research pays

This is most likely an example of overstating the obvious, but it's a great idea to perform multiple levels of research when trying to find the best rental car rates. The advertised rate of a certain vehicle may increase exponentially if hefty fees are added to the final price, so it is a good idea to study up on the individual policies of several leasing agencies. It's also a wise move to search for personal reviews of various rental car entities in an effort to gauge overall customer satisfaction with respect to rates.

Utilize bidding Web sites

There are several sites on the Internet that allow consumers to pick their price for leasing cars. These services can help save a bunch of cash, or at the very least, one might be able to rent a luxury car for an economy price.

Understand "the game"

It's pretty clear that rental car companies thrive on tacking on charges, so it's a smart idea to learn as much as possible about the process in an effort to avoid costly add-on expenses. First of all, do not buy their insurance if your primary auto insurance covers you with respect to rental cars, and never return your rental car with anything less than a full tank of gas, or you'll get zapped. If it is at all feasible to have just one person do all of the driving, then it's possible to save up to $25 a day on second driver fees. Finally, if there are two people traveling together, and one of them is under 25-years old, have the older member of the party rent the vehicle.

Treat yourself

The bread and butter of rental car firms are the compact and economy vehicle rentals. Be sure to inquire about upgrades, as they can frequently be free or available at a negligible cost.

Comparison shop and ask for discounts

Be sure to compare the rates of several different companies, as prices for renting the same vehicle can vary by up to 25%. Check online prices versus over-the-phone prices, and it never hurts to beg for a discount. Many types of credit, store, and service organization cards offer rental car discounts to their card-holders.