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General
Car Rental Tips for all types of travellers: 1. Make a reservation
at least one week in advance. "It tends to be the earlier
the better. "As the booking pace increases, the rates can
go up...." While booking earlier doesn't always guarantee
a price break (during peak travel seasons, for instance),
you're more likely to come out ahead. Find out about the
company's cancellation policy when you make your reservation.
Specifically, you want to know whether there is a cancellation
charge and how much advance notice is required to avoid
heavy penalties. 2. Choose a company based on rates, vehicle
availability and service. If you're seeking an exotic car
or anything more luxurious than a Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac
DeVille, you'll need to call around well in advance. Keep
in mind that vehicles rented at airports typically incur
an airport tax or surcharge (this is included in our price).
While you can avoid this surcharge by renting your vehicle
from a non-airport location, you will usually have to arrange
your own transportation to the rental office. Service is
another consideration: If you previously had a pleasant
experience with a company because of their efficient service
or willingness to get you into a specific vehicle, use them
again. Smaller, independently owned companies might be appealing
because of their ultra-low rates or the availability of
hard-to-find, exotic vehicles. You should, however, research
these companies thoroughly before handing over your credit
card. In addition, make sure that you plan around the company's
operating hours. "Some [smaller companies] are not open
24 hours, so if you have a late flight, you might not be
able to pick up the car when you want it. When you book
through our site your dates are scanned immediately to check
for bank holiday dates and odd hours, if any of these are
flagged then you are notified, in some instances we may
advise you to slightly change your pick up or drop off times
to avoid any possible problems. Our booking engine also
attempts to save you money by suggesting re shuffling your
pick up and drop off times. 3. Put all additional drivers
in the rental contract. Whenever you let someone not included
in the rental contract drive the vehicle, you risk voiding
the contract. Claims against the company's insurance coverage
— and even your own personal insurance coverage — may be
compromised." So swallow the added fees and put everyone
in the contract. Most companies won't charge extra for your
spouse, but you should ensure that his or her driving privileges
are provided for in the contract. 5. Pre-pay or refuel it
yourself? Rental companies generally offer you the option
of either paying for a tank of gas in advance (at a self-serve
rate) and bringing the vehicle back empty or refueling it
yourself. While the pre-pay option is certainly cheaper
than returning the vehicle empty and paying the higher surcharge
amount in the contract (per gallon), there is no guarantee
that it will always be cheaper than refueling the car on
your own. So, plan accordingly — if you know that you won't
be using a full tank (250-300 miles), don't use the pre-pay
option. 6. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly before you leave
the lot. Since you could be held responsible for any damage
to a rental car (beyond "normal wear-and-tear"), you should
take a walk-around with the sales agent before driving off.
Inspect the vehicle for existing dents, scratches and other
damage, and make sure that anything you find is noted in
the contract. 7. Stick to the contract's terms. If there
are mileage restrictions in your contract (and there often
are), stay within them in order to avoid post-rental penalties.
Further, you should steer clear of any restricted activities
— putting snow chains on the tires, towing a trailer, off-roading,
transporting people or property for hire, driving in Mexico
(if the vehicle was rented in the U.S. or Canada) and the
like — as they could jeopardize insurance coverage for any
damage sustained by the rental vehicle. This applies specifically
to insurance purchased from the rental company, but failure
to adhere to the company's rules could complicate dealings
with your own insurer, as well. 8. What if the vehicle is
damaged? If your rental car is involved in an accident,
most companies will require you to come to the rental office
to file an accident report. Read your contract — you're
usually required to file a report within a certain amount
of time. Many companies will want a police report, as well,
particularly if it was a major accident. Check your contract
to see when this is required (if you're confident that you
weren't at fault, it's definitely to your advantage to get
a police report). All of this applies as well if your rental
vehicle is vandalized or stolen. If your vehicle is damaged
while in the care of a hotel's (or restaurant's) valet parking
attendants, you'll need to work things out with the hotel
before filing a report with the rental company. A cool head
and a police report should get you through these situations
with minimal aggravation. 10. Return your rental car on
time. Since car rental rates run on a 24-hour clock, you
will incur extra charges even if you're only an hour late
in returning a vehicle. The hourly rental rate is usually
one-third of the daily rate, so if you're three to four
hours late, you've tacked on another day's charges to the
total bill. |
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