How to Make Sure You Get the Best Deal When Renting a Car
March 19th, 2010 | Peter Brown | Renting a Car
Many travellers are becoming increasingly wary of the rising price of car hire. During the economic crisis car manufacturers have abandoned deals with car rental companies resulting in higher prices and less choice.
But there are still many ways in which you can reduce the price of your hire car so here are a few tips to follow to help you along the way.
- Check out package deals. When you’re making your accommodation or airline booking ask if there are any car rental deals of which you can take advantage. Hotels and airlines have partnered with major car rental companies around the world so it is more than likely that you will be able to package your car rental booking and save, sometimes up to 25%.
- Check and Recheck. If you cannot take advantage of any package deals, perhaps you are simply travelling between two towns and have no need of accommodation or air fares, it is a good idea to make your car booking as far in advance as possible. After you have made your booking it is a good idea to check on each week to see whether the rental price has changed. If the price has reduced, you can cancel your old booking and make a new one. You can keep this process up right up to the last day and may be surprised at how much you can save with this simple booking and rebooking tactic.
- Watch out for Prepaid Fuel. Some rental companies give you the option of prepaying for your fuel at discount rates. This can be a trap for some renters because if you do not use close to a full tank of fuel, anything left over is a bonus for the rental company, not you. You should also be wary of the prices charged for fuel, and it is worthwhile checking the retail price before accepting any prepaid deal.
- Over insurance. Before paying for any insurance on your rental car, check with your existing motor vehicle insurer to see if any of the liabilities will extend to rental cars. In the case of third-party liability insurance it is common practice for existing motor vehicle policies to cover you when you hire a car. You will be surprised how much you can save through not over insuring your rental vehicle. Another little-known tip is to check with your credit card provider to see what insurance cover is offered when you use your credit card to pay for your rental car.
- Avoid airport check-ins. It is common practice in many areas for airports to pass on state-based taxes on all rental agreements originated at airports. In some cases the impost can be as high as 20% of the rental amount, so if you can avoid paying at the airport you can save substantial sums of money.
By simply following these tips you can make substantial savings on your next car rental.
