Top Car Rental Tips - Save Money and be Safe

Source: http://www.autointernational.co.za and http://www.zuriafrica.co.za/

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Need to hire a car for your next trip? Renting a car can give you freedom and flexibility but also costs a lot or mean more trouble than pleasure if certain factors are not followed. For a hassle-free trip, read practical tips on saving money, understanding your rental agreement and avoiding problems with your car rental.
Prior and during Booking
Think carefully about what kind of vehicle you'll need. If you're traveling with children or with a lot of luggage, you may want to rent a station wagon. If it's just for you and another person, rather go for a smaller model which uses less petrol.

Surf the Internet and compare rates from various suppliers in the calm of your home. You can go direct with reliable car rental companies or often better, use a car rental broker working with trustworthy car rental companies. Some car hire broker use what is called “Dynamic pricing”. Everyday they compare the rates of the market and adapt pricing accordingly to offer best rates and often a “Best Price guaranty”. However if you get a good offer, book immediately as rates may change at any stage. Always make sure you compare apples to apples as some offers do not show inclusions and exclusions and you may end up paying much more than you think. Always ask for all details and extra applicable costs of the offer. Some car hire companies offer one free extra driver, some even more. Some charge extra for additional insurance options. The list can be long, insist on a detailed offer showing all charges and services.

Rates are typically cheaper on weekends. If you are flexibility with your rental needs, opt for weekend rental. You can save often around 20%

Weekly rates are usually even cheaper and can give you a saving of 30%, sometimes even more.

Choose the right insurance option. When renting a car, you usually have a collision damage waiver (CDW) and a loss damage waiver (LDW). The first covers you in the event of a collision, the second covers any loss to the rental company. If you're paying the car with a credit card, you may be covered for damages associated with an accident. Check with your card company to make sure what is included and what not. Check always very carefully the Excess amounts for any insurance as sometimes they may be very high and be used as security with your credit card at the time of starting your rental. Some rental companies or car rental brokers offer “refundable excess” or “without excess” options. Often it is only a small additional charge but may be worth the possibility of very high excess charges in case of any damages. Also check if Windscreen and any other insurance are included.

Book early. It's not just a cliché; early bookings pay off and prove to be cheaper than last minute reservations. Rates depend on the amount of vehicles the company has available, so sooner is better. Reserve your car at least a week in advance.

Most rental cars have manual transmissions -- although automatic cars can be found, the price difference is often huge. If you can, always choose manual cars as it is cheaper. Remember also that in some countries driving happens on the other side of the road than where you come from

You may want to take advantage of getting miles credited to your frequent flyer program when using a car rental but enquire prior as car rental companies often charge a small fee when you request frequent flyer miles for your rental.

Consider upgrades to larger vehicles. Sometimes rental companies will offer free upgrades. It is usually done as the category you booked is in high demand. It may seem like a great deal for you. If you really need a larger vehicle then take the upgrade. But if you don't need more space, rather stay with the smaller vehicle as petrol consumption will cost you less than with the upgrade.

Avoid airport pickups. Usually pickups at airports are more expensive due to taxes and fees. If possible choose a nearby location to save on those charges. There can be a difference of 10% depending on the location. If your first drive will be from an airport to a hotel for the night, perhaps rather take a shuttle to the hotel? Doing this may save you the price of a day's rental too.

If you have kids, bring your own child safety seat. Depending on the rental company and location it may be a high extra charge worth taking the child seat with you.

Do you need unlimited mileage or perhaps only 200 km per day? Establish your exact needs prior booking but be aware, extra mileage may cost you a fortune if you exceed the initial package so unlimited mileage options may be cheaper in the end.

Avoid extra day charge. Most rental companies charge per 24 hours. If possible choose to drop your car at the same time or just before the pickup time.

Read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your reservation and ask about restrictions or possible extra charges. Is there a penalty for cancellation or no-shows? What is the minimum or maximum age restrictions. Are there extra fees if over or under aged, or worse may you even be refused the car at pick-up.

If you return the car at another place than picking it up, it is worth enquiring if a one-way fee applies in your case. When renting more than one week, often one-way fees are waived. Should you travel across boarders they usually always apply and may be very high.

Most car rental companies do not allow their cars on ferries and you are not covered by the insurance. You may consider taking up a separate insurance or rather rent a car at one side and another car on the other side. Also check about restrictions if you cross any boarder with your rented car.

A very good option for medium to long term needs in Europe is to lease a car . You get a brand-new car, all inclusive, can take it on the Ferry, go to most European countries (only few exclusion in the East of Europe) and the rate is really interesting when staying longer.

Make sure you order any needed extras, such as a ski rack, car seat or GPS system at the time of booking as often they are not available at pick-up or will cost you more

Always ask how a company handles accidents, breakdowns or any other unfortunate happenings. If you are traveling to a remote area you want to make sure there is help at hand in form of an extensive network of agencies in the area and usually you get this only from a reputable car rental company

Check the final rate against the advertised one. The rate you see advertised may be without taxes, airport surcharges, additional driver fees, insurance, drop-off charges and any other. You may end up paying more than what you expected. Also, the advertised rate may be valid in one area but not the other depending on seasons and high demand or for a car size that you would find unsuitable.
Most of the major car brokers have become more transparent about rates, exclusions and extras, and they now usually show you the total cost of your rental, before finalizing the booking payment. Booking with Auto International will protect you from any unexpected surprises and you can always cancel you rental, 48 prior pick-up and get full reimbursement

Enquire about what documents are needed for taking delivery. If renting in your own country usually a driving license and ID will be enough, however other countries may have different rules especially if your local driving license is not recognized. You will need to apply for an International Driving license well ahead of time. Coming from a non-European country and traveling to Europe and other major countries you usually will need a valid driving license of your country, additional a valid international driving license and a passport valid 6 moths after your return. Copies and temporary documents are usually not accepted. This is a quite new regulation (2008) to avoid fraud.

Find out the latest rules and regulations of the countries you are driving through to avoid any nasty surprises or unexpected costs. For example, theft insurance is mandatory in Italy and there are highway charges for cars driven in Austria or Switzerland ; you'll need to purchase a sticker to avoid paying a fine. In France since July 2008 all cars need to carry a security kit (reflective vest and safety triangle), non-compliance may cost you a fine of 135 Euros.

Always get a confirmed voucher and reservation number. For pick-up at airports, be sure to give your flight number and arrival time prior delivery. This will avoid any problems if the flight is delayed.

At pickup
Be sure you have all the necessary documents, licenses, credit card(s) and vouchers with you. Usually the excess amount and any other applicable charges are taken as security off your credit card but will be refunded at return if all ok. Ensure you have sufficient funds available.

Verify that your rental car corresponds to what you have booked including all the accessories, extras and insurance options. Take time to read the contract and fine print.

Inspect the car carefully for body damage. Be sure the lights and turn signals are working properly, and check the mileage. Report any defects in writing. Familiarize yourself with the car before leaving. Check which side your tank is on, and learn how to use the headlights, windshield wipers and turn signal. It may seem obvious, but you'll also want to memorize the make, model and color of your car – so you still find it in a busy parking area.

Returning Your Car
Be aware if your car has to be brought back with a full or empty tank. Always fill the tank yourself before returning the vehicle and try to avoid the gas stations right near the airport where they usually are the most expensive. Your best tactic is to check nearby petrol prices on your way out of the airport/car rental zone just after you pick up the car.

It may seem sound strange, but returning your car early may cost you money. There may be an early return fee applicable but worse, your rate category may change and you have to pay for the difference. Of course, returning the car late could cost you too -- many car rental companies only give you a 30-minute grace period before charging for late return fees.

Check that you haven't left anything behind when returning your car, especially check the boot! The most common lost articles include cell phones, sunglasses and umbrellas.

Be sure that the car is checked in your presence and given the written green light or that you agree about any damage in writing. Ensure that they credit any deposit to your credit card while you wait and that no other charges apply.

Safe and Save during your trip
Make sure your car is in peak condition, tires are inflated correctly, fuel, oil and water levels are topped up. Take your time, make frequent stops and plan your trip in advance. Use A/C only when needed but avoid compensating by opening windows when traveling outside cities. Stick to speed-limits and adapt a smooth cruising rather than a high speed racing attitude. It is not only safer and contributes to a good trip, it also can save you between 7-23% in fuel consumption.

Travel light if you can. A heavy unnecessary load on long trips adds weight to your car and uses more fuel at a rate of 1 - 2 percent per 50 kilos. Consider buying food for a self-catering holiday nearest to your destination

In Europe or places where petrol rates are not controlled by the state, avoid buying petrol on the highway as it is much more expensive than anywhere else. Buy petrol the day before you travel as you have enough time to check where it is cheapest. Choose a place with several petrol stations as there is competition for your business and rates may be lower. On busy roads or highways, often you shall see a sign with the rates and distances to the station, a little distance further the rate may be much better and often less crowded

When searching for a special address or your final destination, people lose the most time and use the most fuel. Look up the exact address on a map prior, better have your GPS with you or request it with your car rental , it may be sometimes included free of charge.

Avoid trying too hard to get too close to the entrance of the store, restaurant or hotel you are visiting. The harder you try to park up close, the longer you will wait overall.
A study proved: People who drove to the first obviously available spot and walked, no matter how far from the entrance, tended to get to the entrance first and burn the least fuel. So park a little further away and save yourself time, burn less fuel and burn more calories.

Have a great and safe trip!
Andrea Gastaud