Are you looking for the best tips when using a rental car that allows you to save time and money? Of course, when we prepare for a one-day or long road trip, we would like to make our transportation not very expensive and affordable. Vehicle hire might become very cheap if you know the best tricks, and we are pleased to share them with you. So, you will find out about:
- The best time to book your perfect vehicle;
- How to save money on gas;
- Upgrading rental car and its pros and cons;
- Membership capabilities;
- How many drivers you should have;
- What insurance to use.
Car rental tip №1: Book as early as possible
It is one of the best rental car reservation tips. The main point is to find a convenient refundable rate for vehicle hire as early as possible (3-4 ahead of the start of a trip). Look through the available deals again two weeks, one week, and several days before your trip. If you find an even cheaper offer, cancel your reservation and book a new one!
Car rental tip №2: Check prices after step 1
One of the next car rental tips is to check the prices for the last time before your trip. If you followed the first step, you would already have a ready reservation while having an opportunity to find something cheaper. Why not give it a shot and check the prices one more time? You will not lose anything anyway!
Car rental tip №3: Beware of pre-paying gas options
Our next car rental tip for USA trips concerns petrol for your hired vehicle. Companies offer gasoline options providing you with a full tank of fuel. If you accept the offer, it is better to return a car with almost no petrol left. Pre-pay gas packs might seem convenient for a trip, but the price per gallon is usually higher than at a refuel service station. Moreover, there is always a chance of buying more gas than needed.
If you wish to save money on gas, follow our best trips:
- Pay with cash to avoid additional charges with banking services usage.
- Use a card with cashback on gas purchasing.
- Turn off the engine while standing for a long time.
- Try membership benefits.
Car rental tip №4: Ask for an upgrade
Upgrading a vehicle is also a useful rental car tip with many pros. Sometimes, unexpected changes in your plan or route occur while preparing for a trip. You can choose a bigger, faster, and more convenient vehicle for your trip. It is possible to upgrade a rental car without additional charges, and some credit cards have a vehicle hire upgrade as one of their benefits.
Nevertheless, upgrading a vehicle has some disadvantages. Foremost, it concerns fuel consumption. For example, you look for an Atlanta car rental and find a perfect Economy that gets approximately 37 MPG. After a while, you think of a bigger vehicle and rebook, choosing an SUV, which gets 20 MPG. As a result, you have a more spacious but less fuel-efficient car.
Car rental tip №5: Leverage memberships
Our list of car rental tips and tricks is not complete without mentioning membership benefits. Car rental companies offer discounts for vehicle hire if you become a member of specific organizations. Here are some of them:
- The American Auto Association allows you to save money on Hertz vehicle rentals.
- American Airlines will provide you with a 35% discount on the cars of Avis and Budget (works for AAdvantage members).
- Costco membership sometimes covers the price of your rental vehicle.
In addition, you can try some rewarding programs which allow you to earn points. Here are the top rental companies with such a program:
- Enterprise;
- Dollar;
- Hertz;
- AVIS.
Car rental tip №6: Rent a car for one driver
An additional driver is a person who is allowed to operate a rental car with you during vehicle hire. The issue is that you have to pay a fee to receive a permit for an additional driver. The charge varies depending on the company. For example, SIXT charges $5.50/day, while Enterprise and Hertz obligate you to pay $15/day and $13.50/day, respectively. If you wish to save money, have only one driver operating a rental vehicle.
Car rental tip №7: Use your own insurance
One more item in our list of tips for car rental concerns insurance. If you already own a vehicle, then you can use your primary insurance for rental cars. You might avoid extra payments if your driving record is good. In addition, some credit cards also provide you with good coverage.
Book a car with more benefits!
Renting cars with our service Rental24h.com is time-efficient and money-saving. Use our fast search engine and customize the search results to find the cheapest vehicles for any location! Spend a little time searching, comparing, and finding information about any deal from famous providers, such as SIXT, Enterprise, Hertz, and many more! Fill in the form in only 2 minutes, and here it is – your perfect car and the beginning of a fantastic journey you will never forget!