For work or an upcoming trip, renting a car seems vital for many people. If you know the ropes, however, it can be a simple process, best as it means you avoid getting trapped and losing extra money or simply getting irritated. Knowing what to do and what not to do in terms of car rentals will enable you to carry out the process with minimal hassle and allow you to enjoy your trip more.
Do Research Before Booking
Arguably one of the most important things you would have to do in the process of buying a car rental is to ensure adequate research is done before trying to place a booking. This is essentially critical because not all policy options and rates and even available cars for rent are the same. This could entail scouring the Internet for ratings, checking out other websites for the same service, or even understanding the company well. This is important as it helps avoid unnecessary surprises and impacts your budget positively.
Don’t Forget to Check for Hidden Fees
Often, people end up paying way more than the original amount when renting a car due to hidden charges. Always make sure to ask about the fees that might include taxes, insurance, fuel, and surcharges in advance, or read the terms and conditions before placing the reservation and signing the paperwork. Knowing in advance what the charges are will ensure that you do not end up setting a higher price on the vehicle than it is worth
Do Inspect the Car Thoroughly
In order to make sure that you will not be charged for something you have not caused or damaged at all, always remember to take a closer look at the car. Driving off the car without fully checking it will eventually end up causing you problems when you wish to return, due to your negligence. Make sure to inspect the body, trims, lights, windshields, and tires, and take footage of it if you have to. No one plans to go into a dispute when returning the car, and this is how an inspection helps you avoid that.
Don’t Rely Solely on the Rental Company’s Insurance
Rental car businesses do tend to sell their insurance products aggressively; however, you may not have to buy them. Under certain personal auto insurance policies, rental vehicles can also be covered, and several credit cards provide the same as a perk so long as the card is used for the reservation process. Before deciding whether to get additional insurance from the rental agency, contact your insurance provider or credit card company to ascertain the extent of your coverage.
Do Book in Advance
Booking the rental car ahead of time has the possibility of costing significantly less. In particular areas, rental prices go higher once the dates close in, especially in peak seasons. If you reserve your car ahead of time, you are likely to pay lower fees and have more vehicles available to choose from. Last-minute bookings, on the other hand, are definitely more expensive and have less availability.
Don’t Ignore Fuel Policies
Rental companies do have varied fuel policies and it is good to understand them to avoid extra charges. There is a full-to-full policy where you receive the car with a full tank and return it in the same condition. If the tank is not filled before returning the car, then the company can charge a lot for refueling. As soon as you place a booking, have an idea of the fuel policy regarding fees and ensure to adhere to it to avoid being charged.
Do Read Reviews and Customer Experiences
From just going through the reviews posted by other clients, one can easily determine whether that rental company is worth their trust. Check how the customers have responded towards customer and after sale services as well, the state of the vehicles hired or purchased and their specifics when it comes to payments. You will be able to know a good company from positive reviews and avoid those with complaints. This eliminates negative experiences because you have done research.
Don’t Choose the Cheapest Option Without Consideration
Understand the fact that even though some of you might find car rental rates to be a bit on the higher end, the value you receive in the end is worth it. Several cheap rentals have older cars, poor services, or usage limitations on mileage. Cost and quality should be weighed so that while you don’t spend too much, you still have a dependable and pleasant rental experience.
Do Keep Track of Time
To prevent late penalty charges, make sure you return the car rental on time. Remember that if you are late even by a few hours, you most likely will have to pay for an additional day. So plan for when you’re scheduled to return the vehicle. If you have any reason to be worried about showing up on time, be sure to explain your concerns to the rental company so that they can guide you and reduce additional fees.
Don’t Forget Your Driver’s License and Documentation
In order to rent a car, having the right documents is really important. Make sure not to leave out your driver’s license, credit card in your name, and any other paperwork necessary for the rental firm. Depending on the country where you hire the vehicle, international tourists may be needed to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) as well. Failing to these, they might not fail to inform you that your booking has either been deferred or canceled due to the lack of necessary documentation.
Do Consider Additional Drivers Carefully
Having additional drivers on board, particularly, on long journeys can turn out to be very convenient however it is worth noting that rental firms usually charge for this service. In order to reduce your expenses, restrict additional drivers to only those that will genuinely use the steering wheel of the vehicle. There may be others such as the spouse of the renter or the renting company on behalf of the organization that may not be asked to pay this fee so check with your company if this is the case.
Don’t Overlook Mileage Limits
Every rental vehicle has a certain mileage limit that is used by the firms as their policy and so if this threshold is crossed, the company incurs fees. Some rentals come with unlimited mileage while others have a limit on how far they can be driven. For this reason, ensure you have a clear understanding of that policy before making a reservation and make travel preparations appropriately. When knowing that you will have a lot of driving to do, consider getting unlimited mileage no matter paying a higher price.
Do Return the Car Clean
Even though it is good to return the car in a clean condition, it is even better for you to avoid the hassle of cleaning fees. Some rental companies charge to vehicles that are returned too dirty with left over garbage inside. A normal clean up can stay the cleaning fees up to some extent at the very least. If you had a particularly messier trip, it would be advisable for you to wash the car before using it.
Don’t Forget to Check the Return Location
Return locations are often different for one way rentals, do keep that in mind. Ensure that you have inquired about the appropriate location and the working hours so there is no need for confusion and any additional charges. Some rental companies do allow after hour drop offs however, you might still be held responsible till the vehicle is checked in. It is always good to be prepared with the information regarding the return slot.
Conclusion
Renting a car has never enjoyed a positive reputation, and this is for good as well, but it would be great if it becomes stress free. Generally it should be enough if you know what to do and not to do to avoid a stream of pointless expenses and to make the experience of renting easy and peaceful. While traveling on business or for leisure, you always take time out to save yourself from problems with car rentals, that way you do not only get to avoid headaches but also get good value for your money.
