Renting the vehicle
1. Size and type of vehicle needed. You will need to know if you need or want a compact car, mid-size sedan, family mini van, SUV, cargo van, truck, or luxury/convertible car. The size and type of vehicle will depend on what you are going to use it for - for example, point A to point B, vacation, moving cargo, for fun, going on a date to impress, etc. The size and type of vehicle will obviously vary in price, so if you don't need a bigger vehicle, stick with the compact car to save money on renting and fuel. Compact cars are the most popular, so be sure to book ahead of time, especially if you are on vacation.
2. How long do you need a vehicle and where are you going. This will also help you decide on what type of rental vehicle company you want to rent from. This is because nowadays there are pay as you go/car sharing as an alternative to paying for a rental vehicle for a full day. For example - www.zipcar.com - $8.75/hr include gas & insurance or www.budget.ca - $19/day - does not include gas.
3. Do the due diligence research online. Surf the web for rental vehicle companies in the location to see your options - if you are going on vacation, use sites such as Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Priceline.com and Hotwire.com - and get a sense of what is available. Then check the rental vehicle compaines websites to see if there are a better rates or promotions. Also, try googling and hunting for coupon/discount/promotional codes for the rental vehicle companies, you might get lucky and find something. Finally, be sure to check for ratings and reviews of the rental vehicle company that you have selected to make sure they are reliable and others have not had a bad experience.
4. Baby/children car seat(s). When you are traveling with children, vehicle rental companies might charge you extra for baby/children seat(s). However, some rentnal minivan has built-in safety seats.
5. Avoid renting at an airport - extra fees. If you decide to rent a car at the airport, you are more likely to pay extra fees such as airport surcharges, drop-off fees or taxes levied by local governments. Therefore, consider renting from a suburban location if at all possible to avoid at least some of those costs. However, this can be considered as a convience and save on the taxi ride cost.
6. Do you need extra insurance. First, read the details on what the insurance covers - note: not everything is covered. For example - some rental companies does not cover items such as theft of wheels + tires. Often, rental vehicle companies will suggest collision damage waivers, additional drivers coverage, and other insurance coverage for additional cost. Some companies will allow you to transfer your personal insurance to the rental vehicle. Review your auto insurance policy and credit-card agreements; you’re almost certainly covered already. The one exception you might want to consider is “loss of use” coverage, which covers the time the rental agency may need to spend having the car repaired if you get into an accident. Your auto insurance plan may not include that coverage, so check first.
7. Read the fine prints, go through the details, and check for restrictions. Sometimes there can be restrictions on where you can take the vehicle, how many people are authorized to drive the vehicle, etc. Make sure everything is clarified on how you are are going to used the vehicle where the vehicle is going is going to be OK before you lock in your rental deal. It is possible to end up with an unexpectedly high bill unless you’re aware of the restrictions ahead of time.
8. Complete the calculations. Once you have completed all the steps above, it is now to do the final calculations. At the rate you received, clarify which taxes, surcharges and other fees you’ll be expected to pay and be on the lookout for charges for “extras” you really need, such as permission for additional drivers to use the car.
Returning the vehicle
9. Refill the gas tank. Do not prepay for gasoline – (it’s rarely the best deal for you) – and then do not forget to refill the tank back up before you return the car because if you fail to do so, do not be surprised pay much higher cost than the market price for the gasoline you owe.
10. Returning on time. If you return your car late, the rental agency may charge you as much as a full day’s rental or sometimes at a rate higher than previously agreed. If you are going to be late, call the agency and explain your situation - and it may help. Also, discuss and clarify what charges you might have to pay if you must drop the car off earlier or later.
I hope this hubpage helps you folks. So have a safe trip and do not drink and drive!
