What should you consider when renting a car?

By: Jason Petrina



Renting a car is not as simple as it once was. On one hand consumers have many more choices than they ever did in the past when it comes to rental options and you can now even rent a car online and then simply go pick it up. All of these options; however, may make it more confusing than ever when you are considering renting a car. How do you know what is worth paying extra for and what you could do without? The next time you consider renting a car, keep these guidelines in mind.

First, consider the purpose of your trip. Traveling for business purposes is much different than taking a trip with the family or even cruising out of town for a weekend getaway with friends. Considering the type of vehicle that would best suit your needs ahead of time will help to ensure that you have a more enjoyable trip.

When traveling with the kids, it may be worth it for you to rent a car with car seats and booster seats already installed. This way you don’t have to worry with the hassle of dragging your own seats along with you. While child restraint seats do not come free, they are not terribly expensive either. The cost is usually somewhere between $5 and $10 per day. Before you decide that you don’t need the seats because you think your child has outgrown them, you should also stop to consider where you’ll be traveling. This is especially true if you are going to be traveling out of state. Not all state child restraint laws are the same. Be sure to inquire about this if you plan to travel to an unfamiliar area.

Insurance is a big topic of consideration when you are renting a car. The cost of tacking on insurance to your rental car bill can raise it quite a bit, but this is one area that you do not want to leave uncovered if your personal or business car insurance does not provide coverage while you are driving a rental. Remember that it’s always better to be safe than sorry and if you don’t already have that coverage, it’s best to go ahead and protect yourself by requesting it.

Customer service should be a major consideration when renting a car. Car rental agencies frequently battle it out over lowest fares and it can be tempting to go with a company offering a lower rate. You should always stop to ask yourself what you’re getting for that low rate; however. If you’re going to be traveling for several days and/or far away from home, it can be worth it to pay a little more and have the peace of mind that you’re working with a company that has an excellent reputation for customer service. On the other hand, if you are only renting a car for a few hours for a special occasion the lower rate may be more attractive than customer service options.

Finally, you’ll need to give some thought to whether you want to rent your car on-line or do it the old fashioned way in person. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both but one of the biggest advantages to taking care of it online is that you can easily shop around for the best deals in a matter of minutes with far less hassle. You can also be sure that you take care of it ahead of time. This is important because car rental fees tend to fluctuate quite a bit. Taking the time to reserve your car at least a week in advance means that you’ll many times be able to walk away with a lower rate than if you handled it at the airport on the spot.



Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com