5 Tips for Renting a Car While Traveling
Taking a fun vacation should be the time to unwind from your everyday life’s stress and pressure. Still, some factors can be stressful when planning a vacation—for example, scheduling a flight, booking a hotel, and most importantly, how you will get around when your car is back home.
A great way to travel and commute to your desired destinations during your vacation is to rent a car. Instead of relying on public transportation, renting a car is a great way to leave and do whatever you want while you are enjoying yourself, as it should be. That being said, some tips and tricks go along with renting a car while traveling.
Rent From a Trusted Brand
Instead of finding some run-down family-owned car rental service, go to the brands you know. Supporting local businesses is fantastic, but this is a matter of safety and saving the money you have to do things while traveling. The safety aspect of it has to do with the maintenance of the cars and their repairs.
The trusted brands always get their cars looked at by full-time professionals, and if there is anything ever concerning with your vehicle, they won’t hesitate to provide you with a new one while the other one is getting checked out. They have the budget for it. Some other local places have to think about the number of cars they have out, and the cost of repairs, whereas the more prominent companies, put the customer first.
Take All Safety Precautions
As much as it may pain you to do it, get the insurance. Some people may say that you don’t need it and that all these people are doing is taking your money. This may be true in most cases, but you never know when an accident could happen, that is why it is called an accident. Plus, roads and driving are different throughout the world, so having insurance is just a bonus to make sure all goes well.
Also, be prepared with accident resources because if an accident were to happen, you wouldn’t want to be stranded in an unfamiliar place.
Don’t Rent the First Car You See
Do your homework to figure out which car best suits the location you are in for the price that you can afford. If you walk into the rental car service without a clue of what you are looking for, you will look ignorant, and you most likely will end up with something that you do not want for a price that you do not like.
Think of it like you will buy a new car; if you go into a car dealership without a clue of what you want or why you want it, the salesperson will not help you. It is the same way; no matter how much the person at the desk wants to help you if you don’t know what you want, it makes their job a lot harder.
Stay Away From Places Near the Airport
Most of the time, car rental services near the airport will charge more than a place that is ten minutes away. Anything within walking distance of an airport is something to steer clear of because most people who get off a flight and know they are renting a car will head directly there.
This may be a good plan in theory because you can drop your car off right before you get on your flight to the next location, but the price of two caps in a fifteen-minute drive will be much lower than the rate that those locations will charge you. It comes down to whether you want to pay extra for the convenience of having that location right by the airport.
Gas
A small tip that frequently will get overlooked is filling up the car’s tank with gas right before you return it. This way, you only really pay for the gas that you used. Some car services will look at the amount of gas and the mileage and upcharge you for more miles, but you only pay for what you use if you fill the tank up.
Overall, when you are traveling, whether it be for a week, you want to travel the world for a while, you should be able to come and go as you please, just as if you were back home. The only smart and reliable way to do this is by renting a car from a trusted brand and making sure everything is checked.
By doing this, you are guaranteed to have a good time, and you have all measures taken care of if something were to go wrong. Instead of being at someone else’s expense to get to where you need to be, renting a car out is one of the best and easiest ways to avoid this issue. The world is your oyster, don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
