Road trips are an epic way to slow down and explore more in a country than if you rely on public transit alone. While I never recommend using a rental car in a big city, there is something liberating about hitting the road for an adventure outside of the city. However, there are a frustrating number of choices to consider, fees to worry about, and other questions circling your brain when it comes to renting a car. Here is everything you need to know about booking a rental car.
Overall Advice for Booking Car Rentals Online
1. Choose your pick-up and drop-off offices on the basis of convenience. Most car rental websites have maps with their locations. Choose the one closest to where you will be. I recently helped a client find a car rental and the office was right next door to her hotel. Can’t get more convenient than that.
2. Use review websites like Tripadvisor or Yelp to for online reviews of the rental office. Even reputable companies are run differently in various countries and cities, and some can be pretty shady. It’s smart to check reviews.
3. It’s usually the same cost to drop off in a different city in the same country and that’s a great way to have an open-jaw trip. However, prices double (or more) if you drop off your car at an office in another country. If your trip takes you into a new country it’s usually more economical to return the car as close as you can get to the border and then switch to public transit to get into the next country.
4. Use search engines to find the best prices, but try to book the car directly through the rental company. This can help with any communication and/or fees related to changes or cancelations. I’ve heard horror stories about paying double the fees when canceling a car rental, but it’s never happened to me.
5. Car rentals are charged by 24-hour increments. For example, if you pick up at 10:00 AM one day and return at 11:00 AM a different day, you will have to pay for an entire extra day for that one extra hour. If possible, try to schedule the pick-up and drop-off times at the same time of day.
6. Schedule drop-off and pick-up times that you know you can make. I showed up a few hours late in Costa Rica only to discover that my car was no longer available. We had to scrounge to find another car through a different company. Then I had to spend time on the phone to get reimbursed for the prepaid rental car that I had missed at the first company. You can also be charged additional fees if you drop the car off late, so be on time.
7. If you book a car online on the same day of the rental be aware that availability online does not always reflect what’s physically on the lot. I’ve shown up to an office in Germany only to be told that they didn’t actually have the car that I had just booked online. Luckily, they were accommodating and drove me to a different lot to get a car.
8. Make sure you are allowed to drive over national borders. Sometimes you need a specific permit or sticker in order to cross a border. If you are driving between multiple countries, ask the rental agent about any permits you will need. For example, when driving around in the former Yugoslavia countries, we not only needed to keep specific paperwork in the car, but also had to stop and buy passes at some borders. The rental agent explained all of this to us and gave us the correct paperwork.
Costs to Consider When Renting a Car
1. The largest add-on expense for car rentals is insurance. You need coverage, but before adding it to your bill, check with your credit card company. Some credit cards cover you completely for car rentals booked with the card. If you are covered bring a copy or screenshot of the fine print of your credit card coverage to show the agent when you pick up the car. If you don’t have proof of insurance coverage the agent may not believe you when you tell them you are covered and will try to scare you into buying insurance. Remember, their job is to upsell you. Know exactly what you are covered for and have the proof in hand.
If you aren’t covered with your credit card, pay for the insurance during your online booking. Offices will usually charge you more in person and will often times throw in extra coverage that you don’t really need. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is the most basic coverage and that’s a must.
2. In some countries, cars with automatic transmissions cost double the price of a manual. If you don't want to drive a stick, find a company that doesn’t charge a ridiculous price for an automatic.
3. Consider what type of driving you will be doing. Do you need a 4-wheel drive? We sure did when we were fording rivers in Costa Rica! If you aren’t sure, just Google the phrase, “Do I need a four-wheel drive in ___?”
4. Check for AC. Not all cars come with air conditioning. Most do, but not all. If it will be hot you’ll want so be sure it’s available.
5. Don’t bother to pay for the navigation system. Sometimes the cars will already come with one, but even when they do, I prefer to use my phone. Even if you don't have data, you can download maps before your trip for later offline use. Because GPS tracking does not use data you will be able to see where you are on the map that you downloaded. Try Google Maps (maps.google.com), CityMaps2Go (ulmon.com), or for turn-by-turn directions offline, TomTom (tomtom.com). Bring a car mount and a charger for your phone. You could also just print out your directions from ViaMichelin Route Planner (viamichelin.com).
6. Car seats are usually available as an add-on. If you want one just make sure to book it online ahead of time in order to guarantee that it will be there when you arrive.
7. Decide how many people will be driving. It usually costs a bit extra for more than one driver, so if you want to take turns, find out how much extra it will cost. On a long road trip, it might make sense to pay for the extra driver.
8. If a driver is under 25, you will usually be charged an extra fee. If you are traveling in a group with someone under 25, don’t rent in his or her name.
Advice for Picking Up and Dropping Off Your Rental Car
1. Don’t be in a hurry. Car rental offices are usually small and pick-up and drop-off can often take a long time. Offices can sometimes be really hard to find. I don't know how many times I’ve wandered around looking for an office that’s been moved or was incorrectly mapped online. One time I showed up at my return time to find a note on the door saying that the agent would be back later. If you have a flight or train to catch after drop-off, give yourself at least an hour to return your car.
2. When possible prepay online and just walk in with your confirmation receipt. If you weren’t able to prepay, know the exact cost before walking up to the counter, and know it in the local currency. If you don't know the exchange rate, you might accidentally sign an agreement to pay triple the online quote because the agent just played you. This happened to me in Croatia.
3. Inspect the car carefully and take pictures of any damage before you drive off the lot. Sometimes an agent will walk around the car with you and record damage on a sheet. Even so, always take pictures. While you’re at it snap a quick picture of the license plate in case you forget which car is yours during the trip.
4. If you don’t already know important local driving information such as common street signs, parking signs, and tolls, ask the agent because this is indispensable driving information.
5. Always, always, always fill up the gas tank before returning the car. You will get dinged with a huge petrol fee if you don’t. Search online for a gas station nearest to the drop-off office ahead of time so that you aren't searching around town and stressing about returning your car on time.
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