subject: Car hire guide [print this page] Car hire guide Car hire guide
Hiring a car can really grant you mobility and freedom while traveling and quite often it is the only way to move around. But it can be extremely annoying - from choosing best deal, finding out which options you'll need and reading through small print regarding all hidden costs.
Pick a vehicle
You have to be careful in selecting a car. Depending on if you're traveling with children or with lots of gear, you should hire a SUV or a big sedane. If you're searching for the best rate, you should hire smallest model available. There are also other factors like environmental friendliness, manual or automatic transmission and optional accessories for example GPS device or child seat.
Book your car
If you're renting for under a week, you'll usually be better with major hire companies like Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Budget,... If you're renting for more than a week, it usually is better to book with local companies or auto dealers.
It is usually a smart idea to perform a thorough research. You can start on the net by checking travel search engines (for example Expedia) to get an overall feeling about the rates you'll be considering. Next check out car rental companies' web sites and compare these to those found by travel search engines. Often it is going to be cheaper given that companies tend to offer exclusive discounts and offers right at their web sites. Then of course you'll want to do a quick search on coupons and voucher codes to even lower hire price.
True cost
Finding true, final cost can be very hard or even impossible. That's because rental companies or search engines do not want to expose or just do not have details about state and local fees, insurance, additional driver fees, airport surcharges, drop off charges,... The price you were shown during your search and the one you pay can therefore be very different! Your best option would be to make a booking by using a company/website which has "No Hidden Fees / Final Price" policy. Also be careful when booking because prices can change from minute to minute. Unless you book immediately, you'll never be sure you will get the same price when you come back later for booking.
Returing the car
Unless stated otherwise, car hire companies expect that you return the vehicle in condition it was when you picked it up at arrival. This means full tank and no damages whatsoever. Always fill the tank by yourself ahead of returing. If they get it done for you, you will typically pay more for same amount of gas as compared to at gas station.
Return car promptly. In case you are overdue, a number of companies will charge you extra. Sometimes you might have to pay more if you return the car ahead of time (yes, it seems ridiculous but early return fee is often charged)!
