Getting the Best Possible Deal on Your Next Car Rental

A reliable rental car stands to enhance your next travel excursion in a number of ways. Most notably, having access to a vehicle will ensure that you’re able to explore your new locale at your own pace, which can be a boon to travelers who are accustomed to getting around via public transit and rideshare services. Additionally, while the desire to save money is perfectly understandable, renting a car needn’t be a prohibitively expensive undertaking. Cost-conscious travelers looking to get the best possible deal on car rentals can benefit from reading on.

Shopping Around for the Right Bargain

Anyone who thinks that renting a vehicle is too expensive has probably never comparison shopped for rental cars. As is the case with virtually every product and service under the sun, a little bit of effort on the part of consumers can unearth amazing deals on vehicle rentals. Furthermore, thanks to search engines and consumer listing sites, bargains on rental cars are easier to find than ever.

In addition to seeking out rental services with agreeable pricing, you should look for services that are renowned for their customer service. For example, the last thing you want is a rental service that will hold you responsible for damage you didn’t cause or overload you with hidden fees. You can get a solid feel for how much a rental service – or any type of business, for that matter – values its customers by perusing reviews on popular consumer feedback aids like Google My Business, the Better Business Bureau’s website and Facebook Ratings and Reviews.

Of course, the first step in all of this is firing up your favorite search engine and doing some research. For example, if you’ll soon be charting a course for Illinois and are interested in seeing Chi-Town, do a quick search for “car rental Chicago.”

Turning Down GPS

It’s easy to see why having GPS in a rental car would be an appealing prospect to many travelers. After all, if you’re driving around an unfamiliar locale, it stands to reason that you’d want to know where you’re going. However, since springing for GPS stands to add a fair amount to your bill, it may be in your best interest to explore other options.

For instance, if you already own a detachable GPS unit for vehicles, simply bring it on your trip with you. Conversely, if you own a smartphone, you can just rely on your favorite GSP app.

Not Buying Fuel Service Plans

Depending on how much driving you intend to do, a fuel service plan may not be wisest investment. The exact details vary from place to place, but many fuel service plans entail renters paying the cost of a full tank of gas at the outset in exchange for not having to return the vehicle with a full tank. While this may initially strike you as a solid deal, it ultimately stands to cost you more than it stands to save you.

The aforementioned plans ensure that you’ll be charged for a full tank of gas, regardless of whether or not you actually use a full tank. As such, if you wind up returning the car with a tank that’s only partially empty, you’re essentially losing money. While filling up the tank before returning a rental vehicle may be a bit cumbersome, it’s often cheaper than paying for a full tank right off the bat.

Thoroughly Inspecting the Vehicle

Make a point of thoroughly inspecting your next rental vehicle before driving it off the lot. If you stumble upon any dings, dents, scratches or other signs of damage, bring this to the attention of the relevant parties and make sure they document it before you proceed to head out.

Having access to a rental car can make navigating a brand-new locale considerably easier. However, an understandable reluctance to spend money regularly prevents many travelers from renting vehicles. Given how expensive vacations and other large-scale travel excursions can be, there’s little wonder as to why people shy away from things that stand to compound travel costs. Fortunately, as long as you’re armed with the right tips, getting a great deal on a rental car should prove neither difficult nor time-consuming.