Article Travel Leisure Tip

Lowest Rates Vs. A Good Bargain


The thing is
Car Rental market is very competitive one and rates differences for comparable quality and service are relatively small
sometimes as small as $10 to $20. These minuet price differences are going to vanish in the wind when you consider the long lines and lost time at the cheapest renter counter
drop charges for remote destinations
late return fines
and gasoline inflated rates as well as other service charges you didn’t think about when you shopped for the “best deal”.

Don’t get us wrong
we don’t like to pay higher prices more than you do.
We do recommend to shop around and check the various rates available

especially when it’s so easy to do it via the Internet at comparison sites.

All we say here you need to consider other things beside the price and when
you compare please make sure you compare apples to apples and not apples to pears.


Things to consider when ordering a rented a car

Who is using the car
are you by yourself on a business trip or you are traveling with the whole family? How much luggage are you going to have
does the car you are thinking about is big enough to have you all plus all your hand luggage and big suitcases? If not
consider to change to a mini van or a car with extra large trunk.

Do you need an Infant seat or a child booster? make sure it is mentioned clearly with your order
usually there is a shortage of these seats and they are provided for extra charge. Check the state laws for where you are traveling.
A new law in Denver for instance
requires Booster Seats for all 4 and 5 year olds who are not 55 inches tall.

Do you actually need the car in the town or city at the first few days? If not
consider to take a taxi
a bus
a train or the hotel shuttle into the city and when it’s time for you to go out of town and travel around
then
rent the car from the city location and by that save up to 15% on Air-Port charges as well as on city parking fees.

Are you going to a very warm and humid destination? If yes
it’s recommended to order a car with air conditioning
usually the price difference is negligible
the problem is that it’s not available in all destinations like in some European countries.


Most major rental car companies allow for unlimited mileage in the same state
but it's a good idea to check their policy before confirming. Many smaller local independent companies charge mileage after 100-200 free miles per day.

As mentioned before price is not the only factor to consider when choosing a car rental company. If you choose a very small
no-name company
don’t expect them to provide you with service across all nation or continent
what would you do if the car is needed to be replaced or serviced for some reason?


Frequent or Preferred Renter Programs and affiliations

Frequent renter programs
Like airlines and hotels
major car rental companies track their customers’ rental histories and offer preferential service to loyal customers. Most of the major companies offer frequent renter programs that are similar to airline frequent-flyer programs and hotel frequent-guest programs.

Preferred renter clubs
Most major car rental companies also offer preferred renter programs or clubs (one example is the Hertz #1 Club). When you belong to one of these clubs
you get preferential treatment
including automatic upgrades when those cars are available. You can join these programs at any time
even if you are a first-time renter with that company.

While basic-level club memberships are often free
higher-level memberships (as in the Hertz #1 Gold Club
which allows you to bypass the rental counter) generally come with a price tag. What most people don’t realize is that it’s often possible to avoid the membership fee by simply writing or calling your car rental company and asking them to waive it. They will do it because the car rental industry is very competitive
and they want your business

If you're still faced with a steep rate
try getting discounts based on your affiliations with organizations like AARP
AAA or others. These discounts are usually not great
but they are better than nothing.

In addition
always check for corporate rates if applicable to your situation.


Car Rental Insurance

Some of the Insurance terms seem to be confusing
let’s try to clear them out first.

CDW - Collision Damage Waiver.

LDW - Loss Damage Waiver.

PDW - Physical Damage Waiver.

PAI - Personal Accident Insurance.

PEC - Personal Effects Coverage.

ALI - Additional Liability Insurance.

Many of the Credit Cards have most of these coverage
therefore it’s not
mandatory to purchase excessive coverage. It’s better to check this issue
with your travel agent
insurance agent and your credit card company a head of time. Some Car rental companies require that you show proof of insurance.

Also be aware that your personal insurance probably doesn’t apply to your rental car when traveling overseas. All this is somewhat complicated and at times confusing because there are no industry standards for terminology and policies vary by locations.


Important things to check and do before leaving the Air-Port

After a long flight and the waiting in lines for your luggage and afterwards for
your keys at the car rental counter
it is understandable you just want to take the rented car and drive away to your hotel
but wait! Here is a list of things you must check first.

Start by making a careful check around the car
look for any small dents or scratches
in case you find some
don’t be lazy
go back to the office and ask a representative of the rental company to write down all of these dents
ask for a copy of that report. Other wise you might be responsible for damages you didn’t perform.

Open the trunk
make sure you have a spare tire
a jack and set of tools
there is noting more irritating than to find out in the middle of nowhere that you don’t have a jack when you need to replace a flat tire.

Many car companies will provide you with an extra key if you ask for one. This can come in handy for some of us who are absent minded.

It is recommended to spend some time to get acquainted with the cars’ features and switches
make sure you know where the lights switches are
how to operate the windshield wipers
the air conditioner and even set your favorite radio stations as well as set your side mirrors. It might be quiet frustrating to fight with the new switches while driving
when all of a sudden it starts raining.

Make sure you have a map and it’s better to spend few more minutes and plan your driving route.

Last but certainly not least
If you have a lot of luggage
don’t park the car in the parking lot and go for lunch
in many countries
this is an easy target for
the thieves
It’s better to buy some sandwiches and beverages in the air-port
or stop somewhere along the way for refreshing but never leave the car unattended.


In case you are involved in a Car Accident

These are the most important pieces of information to collect from the involved parties: full name
mailing address
telephone number
insurance details
and drivers’ license number.

Also try to get the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. Make a note of the vehicle’s make
color
brand and license plate number.

Try to pinpoint the exact time and location of the accident. If the police get involved
ensure that you receive a copy of their report. Don't forget to inform your insurance agent immediately and notify the car rental company.
They will let you know about their accident procedure.

If you purchased insurance through the car rental company
they will have to make the claim. If there is damage to the rental car
there will be much paper work to complete

Make sure any involved parties are ok. Any injuries should be taken care of ASAP.

Call the police and/or ambulance (if necessary)
and then call the car rental agency. Be as cooperative as possible. The car rental agency will have its own policies regarding accidents.

Exchange information with the affected parties. Try to record everything on the scene. Your notes should include details of the accident
identification of the autos and people involved
and the names and badge numbers of all emergency personnel.

Take pictures if possible. If you are on vacation
you will probably have a camera handy already.

File an accident report with the police
and report the claim to your own credit card company or insurance company.


When returning the Car

Make all necessary arrangements to return the car on time
that includes looking the location in the map especially if you return the car in a foreign city.

Late return charges are high and arbitrary
secondly
if you are late
you probably won’t have the time to fill the car with gasoline yourself and the rental company will charge you exorbitant inflated gasoline rates.

In case you return the car in a city location on Sunday
it might be that the station will be deserted
it will let you in via automated gate
make sure to take the card and leave it over the dashboard
this is your recorded time of arrival.

In addition
lock the car
take the keys plus your rental contract and insert them into the designated box.