Often, renting a car is about more than simple convenience. If a trip takes you where public transport is poor or your accommodation is far from any buses or trains, you can be left with few options other than taking taxis – a massive add-on to the price of the trip. Renting a car can lower this cost considerably, as well as having the advantage of convenience as you go door to door on each trip.
Many people believe that, other than how the size of the car affects rental prices, there are not many differences between one car hire and another. However, if you are not careful, it can be easy to book an expensive rental car when several cheaper options exist.
Making the most of a hire car while paying as little as possible is what all travellers ache for, so before renting any vehicle, take into account a few simple hints. Sixt Rent a Car is sharing its top tips to save money on car hire.
Booking
As with most forms of booking, the earlier you book a rental car, the cheaper the price. This is especially true if you require a hire car during school holidays – Christmas or the summer months – when demand is higher. Planning in advance is vital for all aspects of holidays, including renting a car.
Booking online also usually brings down the cost of a car rental. Not only can you browse in peace for the best deal, but it’s easy to compare and contrast offers from lots of different companies.
Look carefully at the dates you will need the car. Are they week days or over a weekend? Prices are always higher for weekend rentals. Friday counts as a weekend day when it comes to car hire. Often, it can be cheaper to rent a car for an entire week rather than just the weekend.
Take a careful look at where you are picking up the car – airport rental sites often charge an “airport fee”. If you can get around this, perhaps by taking public transport into town or a shuttle bus to your hotel, picking up a car at another location can make a huge difference in the daily rental price.
Extra costs
Probably the biggest cost of renting a car is the insurance. This is usually offered at the check-out, and can be delivered along with a fear-tactic speech about past clients’ experiences. Make certain to check out your home car insurance policy, as many of these cover driving rented cars. Otherwise, evaluate carefully the insurance offered to see whether or not it suits your needs.
Most companies these days have full-tank policies, which require the petrol tank to be filled before returning at the end of a rental. If it is not, they will charge accordingly (usually at premium prices) and add an administration fee. This can be easily circumvented by ensuring the tank is filled when you drop off the car.
Similarly, renting a car at one location and dropping it off at a different one can cost more. If picking up a rental car in order to drive to where your own car is parked, it can be cheaper to drive (ask a friend to help) both cars back to the original pick-up point.
(Featured image by Image of money)
