Save Money On Your Car Rental

December 5, 2008

Save Money On Your Car Rental By Kyle McPeck

I've seen people spend hours upon hours trying to save $20 on their airline ticket or hotel room for an upcoming trip only to lose that much, if not more, on their car rental.

Don't let your guard down and be like those people. Here are some tips and preparations on getting a great car rental deal.

Â· First, check your car insurance policy with your agent. Are you covered for car rentals without purchasing additional insurance? Also, check with your credit card companies to see if they provide complimentary rental car insurance if you use their card for the rental. Many do but do not advertise the fact heavily.

Â· Check for package deals with whomever you booked your airline tickets or hotel through. Be careful, package deals are not always cheaper. You should always price all elements of your deal separately to ensure you are getting a deal over booking them separately.

Â· Before reserving a car, you will want to know if your pickup and dropoff will be at the same location. Some companies charge more for rentals at the airport as well. Consider hopping a shuttle or taxi to rent from an off-site car rental company. But, make sure you can easily get back to the airport if you need to depart from there.

Â· Are there any discount programs that you qualify for? Examples might be AAA or AARP. Affinity programs from organizations you belong to as well as deals from credit card companies, frequent flyer clubs, or possibly even your employer. Sometimes, corporate discounts carry over even on leisure travel.

Â· Always consider the cost of your insurance waiver (if needed) and mileage in the total cost of your car rental. Taxes and fees can also quickly turn an excellent car rental deal into an expensive lesson in the meaning of "out the door" pricing.

Â· Refuel the car to where it was before returning it. If you think gas prices are normally high wait until you have to pay the "rental car company" rate to refuel.

Â· When picking up a car you must inspect the car for damage and note it with an employee in writing before leaving the lot. You do not want to be liable for unnoticed damage that occurs before you picked up the car.

Â· Another rule of thumb is that business-oriented car rental locations have better weekend rates generally while leisure-oriented locations have cheaper weekday rates.

Â· Book the smallest car you will need and hope (and ask) for a free size upgrade. They are often available. But, do not count on an upgrade and undersize your reservation.

Â· Use coupons liberally but read the exceptions closely to ensure you meet the qualifications.

Â· If your trip is going to last 5 days or longer consider a weekly rate rather than a daily rate. Often, day 6 and 7 of a weekly rate end up being free when priced at the weekly rate. Some car companies are wising up to this trick and charging penalties if you bring the car back early so check ahead of any restrictions.

Â· Finally, know the "going rate" for your car rental and don't be afraid to pull the trigger when you find the right deal.

Oh, and you can do lots of car rental shopping at our website. The direct link is http://www.VegasKyle.com/carrental

About the author:

Kyle is the self-proclaimed Vegas Nut that runs http://www.VegasKyle.com