In cumulatively, I have been renting cars for more than 10 years now, and if truth be told, my early years were a laundry list of mistakes and hefty expenditures. I’ve gone through the entire checklist of sins any inexperienced car user can commit – from buying expensive insurance that offers no value-added property protection to coming back a car half an hour late and getting charged through the roof. Every mistake was a costly learning experience, eroding my wallet and morale every time I got on the wrong bus, picked the wrong ride, or chose the wrong transportation mode. But here’s the silver lining: those mistakes made me a very astute consumer when comes to car rentals.
Today, I get a hold of the process of rental agency business and do not stumble upon such snares as I used to. Suitable to have better knowledge from my mistakes and pave the way for your future car rental without problems? So, here are the above five mistakes that are made by many different firms and how to avoid them:
Ignoring Reviews
I once decided to hire a car from a particular company because it offered cheap services. Big mistake. In Miami, I decided to choose the car rental company “BudgetKing” without any prior review. When I arrived, which shocked me, it was in disarray: lengthy queues, impolite workers, and unsanitary automobiles. Some hotels didn’t even have working air conditioning! Well, currently, I always read the opinions of people on sites such as Google or Yelp. Last year, reviews told me that this agency charges hidden fees and it is located in Las Vegas. I chose another with good comments, and everything was just great. Good reviews are always associated with satisfied customers; therefore, do not neglect them.
Skimming Contract
I often thought rental contracts appeared monotonous, and therefore, I used to sign them rather hastily. In San Diego, this was expensive for me. I agreed to sign and failed to read the agreement and I was charged an additional $200 because I was a young driver. On a different occasion in Texas, I was billed for “premium roadside service” that I never authorized. I reread every line with much care. Last month in Boston, I narrowly escaped going for $30 daily satellite radio. But having to read closely, I saw it and negated it. Take your time with contracts, it could save you a lot of money.
Overpaying Insurance
Insurance at first made me nervous. Agents would utter lines like, “Drive without our protection and an accident might set you back thousands!” I did not know what to do when in Chicago so I opted for a package that cost $40 a day. Later, I learned better. For instance, my specific car insurance policy includes rental coverage. Furthermore, if I use my Chase credit card, it comes with rental insurance. Now, I always do it before trips. I recently visited Seattle last summer and knowing my coverage I did not fall for the expensive plans from the rental company instead I was able to save $ 200 for a week.
Prepaying Gas
The agent in Atlanta made prepaid gas sound smart: “It is cheaper and you do not have to worry about running out!” I said. However, I had to pay for half a tank of gasoline while I only used half a tank that week. The same mistake occurred in Phoenix as well. This time I only drove a little, I used merely a quarter of the tank. Now, I always select “return full.” Yes, it means searching for a gas station, but it is much more affordable. Late last month, I searched for a cheap station on the phone while I was in Denver around the rental place. Five minutes of my time were $30 worth.
Missing Damages
Currently, I do not use to inspect rental cars for damages. When I was in New York I took a car with my eyes wide open. When I returned it, they told me that the door was scratched—I was charged $300 for this! I attempted to reason with them but since I could not provide evidence that it existed before that, I had to fork out the money. Now, I inspect every inch and take photos. During my visit to Miami, I saw a small dent they didn’t paint. I photographed and narrated to them. When I returned the car, they attempted to shift the blame to me, but thankfully, I had taken photographs. Always inspect and document any problems.
Late Returns
I used to think that a little lateness could be overlooked. Wrong! In Los Angeles, I got stuck in heavy traffic which delayed me for 45 minutes. The company billed me for a full extra day, which set me back $95 more. One day in Nashville I was only twenty minutes too late and they charged me a huge amount. Well, now, I am very careful when it comes to time. If I am going to be late, I have to call and let them know that I would like to extend my rental. In Boston recently I realized that I will be one hour delayed. I phoned and for fifteen dollars more, I escaped a massive bill. Even better, I attempt to return the cars early. It’s never backfired.
Wrong Size
As a consumer, I once believed that all rental cars were pretty similar to each other. Once, on a Colorado ski trip, I went for the cheapest car and booked the smallest car available. Bad idea. When I arrived with all my equipment and three friends who were also joining me, we just managed to fit in the room! We were packed all week and had no time to ourselves. Sometimes I traveled to Florida for vacations, I hired a huge jeep for myself, it was spacious and comfortable but the fuel consumption was incredibly high. Well, what is more, now I think about size. Last month, while in San Francisco, I took a compact hybrid. They were easy to park – very convenient and also economical on fuel. Don’t make the mistake of choosing a car to meet your financial capability; instead, choose the car you desire to drive.
Airport-Only Bookings
Like many other people, I used to rent from the airport because I thought it would be convenient. When I got to the LaGuardia Airport in New York City, I had to pay a lot of money for the rental-fees which were very costly there. It was later in Chicago where My O’Hare rental was $95 for a single day. One day, a friend advised me to try using city settings. Another car rental company located a few blocks from downtown offered a cheaper price of $45 per day. Now, I always compare. S Sixty last summer in California, I did not want the expensive car rental at the LAX airport. I instead took a brief Uber ride to a city joint and perhaps at least $200 less that particular week. He argued that airports are convenient, but they attract much higher expenses.
