Car Rental - Consumer Guide to Car Rentals
ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTIONS BELOW
What is the purpose of your car rental?
Why do you need to rent a vehicle? Are you planning a vacation and want to do some sight seeing, or is your car broken and needed of repairs? Is it absolutely necessary to rent a car? Renting a car can get expensive, depending on how long you need the car. If there is no way around not having a car, then you will need to consider the rest of the factors.
What locations are nearby your place of rental?
Most people will get a car rental from airport locations because they are renting a vehicle on vacation. If you are renting a vehicle for another purpose, you may use one of the thousand locations that are not around an airport. If you can avoid it, I would recommend skipping airport location pickup because their rental fees tend to be higher.
What are the rental car prices and additional (hidden) fees?
Everyone wants a cheap rental car! And, there are tons of car rental companies that advertise really low rates to stay competitive in the business. While the rate you see advertised or are quoted may seem cheap, be forewarned. You need to find out what additional fees are going to be tacked on. Each company has hidden fees and it is important that you understand them before booking your rental car.
How long will you need the car and how many miles will you be driving?
This is a big kicker for everyone. How long are you going to actually need the car rental? Keeping in mind that rental car companies charge by the 24 hour period. So, if you want to rent a vehicle today at Noon and return it tomorrow at 8 pm, you will be most likely charged for two days. Also, most companies see a week as 5-7 days. So if you only need it for five days, they will give you a weekly car rental rate. Sometimes that is even cheaper than a daily rate for five days. If you are unsure of what time you are going to bring it back for a weekly rental, I would recommend telling them a little longer if the price isn't going to be different. There are not going to be any penalties for bring it back earlier on a weekly rental.
How will you get to the car rental company?
It you are flying to your destination, most likely you will want to select a rental car company that will be located right on airport grounds to pick up your vehicle. Often times you can check in with them after you collect your bags, and they will shuttle you to pick out your car. There is never a fee for this service. If you are renting a car for repairs you may need transportation to another location. Ask a friend or family member for a ride. If there is no ride available, you may want to rent a car with Enterprise Rental car. Enterprise is known for picking you up for your rental as well as dropping you off after the rental if needed. I have personally used Enterprise Rental Car's service and it is really convenient. There is no charge for this as well. This is a great perk.
What kind of car do you want? Luxury car? Minivan? Convertible? Sedan?
Car selection is really important to a lot of people. If you are going to be driving a long distance, you are going to want to be sure to get a car that is fuel efficient. Or maybe you would like comfort and room in a minivan when traveling with a large family. You will want to take into consideration how far you are going to be traveling. You do not want to be crammed in a car with too many people when you need to drive 500 miles to your destination. A lot of people want luxury cars or sport cars when they arrive at their vacation destination. You can browse the internet or call the rental car companies directly to find out what is available at each location to fit your specific needs. (Hint: Alamo let's you pick the car type and then you can select any car you want in that "type" when you arrive at pickup) Airport locations tend to have a better selection.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE ANSWERED ALL OF THE KEY QUESTIONS, LET'S FIND YOU THE BEST RENTAL CAR COMPANY!
Based on my research and my personal experiences, here are some of my recommendations for the best car rental companies.
For those who travel frequently
I would recommend that you travel with Avis Rent-A-Car. They have a great frequent renter program, as well as reasonable rates. They do not charge for an additional driver, as some companies do. Avis has a very friendly staff, acting very professional. In some locations they will only have a limited selection of vehicles, and they may be missing the car manual, but if you are just looking for a basic fuel-efficient vehicle, those things may not be important to you. If you are looking for that right specialty, luxury car, Avis is also a great selection. Overall, Avis Car Rental is a top choice among a lot of people.
For those who want a specific rental car
If you can splurge on your next car rental, I would recommend that you check out Budget Rent-A-Car. This is one car rental company that has reasonable rates, as well as a nice selection of vehicles. They are also highly rated for their customer service. Though it may be a little more money than Avis Rental Car, you can be assured that your car rental experience will be pleasing, as well as you will be guaranteed your vehicle selection. For some, this makes or breaks a vacation.
For those who are renting under special circumstances
If you have any special needs, I would recommend that you rent with Enterprise Rental car. I am sure you have all heard their motto, "We'll pick you up", and that comes true. I personally have had experience with Enterprise because my car was stolen and I needed to get a car rental. Since I was in the heart of Las Vegas, there was no way I could get to a rental car location to even pick up a vehicle without having to take a Taxi. No problem with Enterprise. I had someone there within an hour to come to take me to pick up the car.
For those looking for the best car rental deals
I would recommend renting with Dollar or Payless Rent A Car. These two companies are by far the cheapest car rental companies. The only downfall to these two companies is they are not located everywhere. Because they are smaller companies, they only may have one or two locations in each major area. In addition, the car rental selection may be a little smaller, but you can save yourself some money. Sorry, no luxury cars or exotic cars here! Tip: If you are looking for a car rental deal, I suggest you visit a travel website like Priceline or Hotwire and bid on a car. You can get up to ½ off the standard rates for a car rental.
Using these recommendations I am sure that you will find a rental car company that is right for you. For most people the only thing that they will consider is the price. While this is very important, you need to take in consideration all factors before booking your vehicle to ensure that you will have a positive experience renting a car. It can be kind of stressful at times, especially if you just got off a long flight with the family.
A NOTE ABOUT RENTAL CAR COMPANY REVIEWS
You can find thousands of car rental company reviews on the internet. I found that the only time most people will actually speak out and write a review online about a car company is when they have had a bad experience. I look at the generalizations of their reviews, not just one bad experience. If I see one person had experienced bad customer service with one company, and seven people experienced a poor car selection, I can go under the assumption that they may have limited car selection at some locations. I would not write off a company because someone was rude to another. If that were the case, I would never rent a car from any of the companies because everyone has bad experiences. You just have to find a company you like and stick with them.
