I love car trips. You get in the car and can go wherever you want. There’s a freedom in a road trip that you can’t get with trains (and, don’t get me wrong, I love train travel too). Small towns, beautiful parks, historic buildings… whatever you see, you can stop and stay as little or as long as you want!
Over the years, I have taken dozens of road trips. Some destinations are simply supposed for them (think New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, USA, South Africa, etc.).
However, when you don’t have your own car, renting one can be a hassle. No one likes to do it and we all (rightly) fear getting scammed. There are always a lot of questions when it comes to renting a car.
Where can I find the best deals?
How do I know if this cheap car rental site is legitimate?
What things should I pay attention to?
And what about insurance? Do I really need this? Or is my credit card insurance good enough?
In this article, I’ll share my tips and advice to help you find a cheap (but reliable) car rental and how to avoid common pitfalls that many travelers make.
Step 1: Join rental company mailing lists and loyalty programs Most car rental companies advertise their deals to their subscribers first. As soon as you know you’re going on a road trip, join the major car rental company’s mailing lists. This way, you can take advantage of any deals on offer as soon as they are announced.
To find the main car rental companies at your destination, simply visit the website of the arriving airport and see which car rental companies are available there.
Additionally, like airlines, many car rental companies have loyalty airlines that offer perks like discounts, bonus upgrades, and free rentals. Enterprise, Avis, Alamo, and Hertz are some of the major players in the market offering free loyalty programs. Sign up so you don’t miss any benefits, offers or upgrades.
Step 2: Search for a car with Discover Cars While you can certainly check each car rental company individually for a deal, the best way to compare prices is to use an aggregator. These websites compile information from all car rental websites so you don’t have to spend time manually comparing prices before booking.
Discover the cars is the best car search aggregator to use because it pulls more cars from more websites to ensure you find the best deal (it searches for deals on over 500 websites). It covers 165 countries and more than 50,000 sites around the world!
Also be sure to compare weekly and daily rates. For example, if you need a car for 4 days, also compare the price of a 7-day trip. Sometimes it is cheaper to rent for a whole week and return the vehicle early.
Step 3: Check for discounts and offers Some car rental sites share discounts directly on their website. For example, Budget and Avis both have “last minute deals” sections on their website where you can find amazing discounts as long as you are flexible with your dates and destination.
Most major car rental companies also offer discounts and deals to certain groups. For example, Avis offers up to 35% off to AARP members (AARP is an interest group in the United States for people 50 and older) while Budget offers up to 35% off to veterans. Check to see if there are any discounts or offers you qualify for before booking, such as corporate discounts, government discounts, senior discounts, or discounts from hotel or airline programs you are a part of.
A lot travel credit cards also have benefits or discounts for car rental.
Step 4: Check out the sharing economy Now that you’ve found the best deal, it’s time to do a quick comparison with sharing economy websites like Education. Turo is like Airbnb but for cars. Locals list their vehicle and a price per day and you can browse the options and reserve a vehicle. It’s not available everywhere (currently only in the United States, Australia, France, United Kingdom, and Canada), but you can find it in most major cities. Depending on your needs and the length of your trip, you may be able to find a cheaper deal.
Renters must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license and have proof of a good auto insurance rating. You can either collect the car, have it dropped off, or meet the owner somewhere to collect the keys.
Prices can be as low as $25 per day, making it an affordable option if you book early.
And if you’re looking for a campervan, take a look RVSharewhich is similar to Turo but focused solely on RVs and RVs. They have the largest inventory on the market.
There is also the website Imoova.comwhere you move people’s vehicles for them. You will be subject to a deadline, as vehicles must be delivered by a certain date. However, rates are usually just $1 per day – and many also include money for gas.
Step 5: Reserve your car (and book early!) Book early. As with booking flights, the closer you are to the date, the more expensive the car will be – assuming there are any left to rent! The recent pandemic has seen car rental prices skyrocket as people shift from traveling abroad to road trips at home. The best time to rent a car is when you know you need to rent a car! Don’t wait.
You can click here to get a quote directly from DiscoverCars aggregator for global rental comparisons.
9 questions to ask yourself before renting a car
Now that you’ve found a cheap car rental, here are some considerations to keep in mind before booking your rental:
1. Are there any driver requirements? – Some countries charge extra if the driver is under 25 years old. Others require some driving experience before you can rent a car (usually a year). Each country has different requirements, so be sure to read the fine print before booking. You can learn more about getting an international driving license on this blog post.
2. What are the requirements of your travel insurance policy? – Car manufacturers always push you to take out additional insurance when you rent a car. But should you do it? It depends on whether you have your own travel insurance with collision coverage, your own auto insurance, or coverage through your travel credit card.
Some travel insurance companies and credit cards want you to decline the rental agency’s insurance, while others insist that you get it and file a claim with them first. Before renting a car, make sure you understand what is required by your existing travel insurance plan. The credit cards listed here offer very good car insurance coverage.
3. What is not included? – Once you find a rental car, companies usually try to sell you all sorts of extras. GPS, liability insurance, satellite radio, child car seat: these are just some of the extras not included in most rental cars. Find out what’s included and what’s not, so you’re not surprised when you pick up your vehicle.
4. Should the tank be refilled at the end? – Some car rental companies allow you to return the car as is but this is really rare. Most insist that you fill the tank first. If you don’t, they charge you a very inflated fee for gas when they fill up. I always fill the tank before dropping off the car.
5. How to avoid getting scammed? – Before leaving on a trip, take photos and videos of the car. Specifically, the bumper, windshield and tires, as these are the areas most likely to be damaged. This way, when you return it, they won’t be able to blame you for pre-existing damage. I always pass by the person who hands me the car and take a ride with someone when I drop it off.
6. Do you have unlimited mileage? – Unlimited mileage is gradually becoming the norm. However, this is not always the default, check that you have unlimited mileage for long car journeys. Otherwise, you will count the miles so as not to be charged extra.
7. Do they charge for an additional driver? – If you’re going on a road trip with friends or family, there’s a good chance you’ll share the driving. Unless you’re traveling with a spouse or domestic partner (which some companies include as an additional driver for free), this means you have to pay a fee for an additional driver, usually between $10 and $20 per day! Limit your additional drivers if this is the case, otherwise you will have to pay a fortune. Also keep in mind that charging fees for additional drivers is illegal in some places (like California).
8. Where is the pick-up/drop-off location? – Most travelers pick up their rental car at the airport. While convenient, airports charge fees for businesses to operate there – fees that are passed on to the customer. It’s worth checking if there’s a price difference for off-airport locations. If they’re easy to get to, you’ll likely find a cheaper price there.
9. Is the car with automatic or manual transmission? – If you are from the United States or Canada and are used to driving an automatic vehicle, you might be surprised when renting a car abroad, as manual transmissions are standard in most other parts of the world. For this reason, renting a car at t Automatic transmission is generally more expensive. Double-check that you’re renting a vehicle you can actually drive (don’t take chances by trying to train on a rental car).
*** Road trips are one of the best ways to explore a new destination and the freedom of having a car is unmatched, allowing you to get off the beaten path and embark on all sorts of adventures. And knowing a few things before renting a car can save you a lot of time, hassle and high rates.
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