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Some people assume that when they fly to a new city they will have to rent a car. This is not always the case. If they do need to rent a car, there are some tips to help keep the rental cost as low as possible. Nine factors to consider:
1. Many large towns around the world have cheap and easy-to-access public transit systems, for example, St. Louis, New York, London and Paris. It does not make sense to pay for expenses, such as rental, parking and gasoline, related with running a rental car if you have the option of such a mass transit system. When calculating expenses related to a rental car, time spent stuck in traffic or time spent looking for cheap parking should also be taken into account.
2. Where to rent? If you decide to procure a car, note that it might be more expensive to do so at an airport because of operating fees levied by the airport that are usually passed on to the consumer, as well as the higher cost the agencies charge because the demand at the airport as so high. Agencies located in other places, perhaps near your hotel, might offer a more affordable rate.
3. What kind of car? Compact cars are worth your consideration. They are cheaper to rent, use less gasoline, and are easier to park. If you fill out the application for a compact car and there aren't any compact cars available, the rental company will often upgrade you to a mid-size car.
4. Small companies: Research smaller, local car rental companies in your travel destination to see if they have better rates than the national chains and/or are offering any good deals.
5. Car rental discounts can often be found online. Do a search of rental agencies for discount codes. There are codes available for business discounts or insurance discounts.
6. Gasoline. Rather than purchasing it at the lot, buy gasoline yourself. You may only need half a tank of gas and will likely find a better price per gallon by looking quite nearby.
7. Length of rental. Only rent a car when you actually need transportation. If you're in a new city for a full week and you only need the car on two days, rent the car only for two days.
8. Existing Coverage: You should verify coverage with your automobile insurance provider and your credit card company so that you are prepared if the rental vehicle is damaged.
9. Additional Options: It is not necessary to accept every additional service on your car rental contract. The goal of the car rental agency is to make a profit so they are hoping you take every service they offer, but you may not need all of them.
Richard Edmunds worked as a manager of a big name Car Rental Agency for the past 20 years before retiring. He now spends his time writing car rental articles for you about such topics as Rental Car Insurance and other rental car tactics
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