Renting a car is no rocket science. However, it is a challenge for newcomers to rental cars to find the right offer at the best price in the wide range of rental cars, car rental companies, and different rental conditions. However, if you consider the following 6 tips for car rental, then hardly anything can go wrong!
1. Have a credit card in the name of the main driver
Cars can usually only be rented with a credit card – the card must be issued in the name of the main driver. It is recommended to have a credit card. In many cases, you can save a few dollars when paying by credit card.
2. Read the rental conditions carefully before booking
When renting a car, additional fees may be added to the pure vehicle rental price. These include, for example, fees for one-way trips, for young or older drivers, and fees for renting outside regular business hours. Details regarding this can be included in the leasing conditions of the specific deals. If a particularly cheap rental car goes hand in hand with high additional costs, it may make sense, in the end, to rent a slightly more expensive car with lower additional costs.
3. Book the rental car in good time
Car rental prices increase as demand increases. If you need a car during the school holidays, you have to expect higher rates. In most cases, prices continue to rise, the closer you get to the rental time. Special vehicles such as station wagons, convertibles, and minibuses can become scarce in the high season and, therefore, comparatively expensive. If you book in time, you can often benefit from cheap early bird rates.
4. Pay attention to a flexible cancellation policy
Cheap, prepaid rental car bookings can often not be changed easily. Usually, you have to cancel the booking and book a new rental car if you want to change the rental times or vehicle size for an existing reservation. Therefore, you should also pay attention to the cancellation conditions of the individual offers and choose a solution that is as flexible as possible.
5. Read the rental agreement carefully before signing
Before you sign the rental contract at the rental location, you should read it thoroughly and have unclear passages explained if necessary. Particular attention should be paid here to the insurance benefits included and the tank regulations. Misunderstandings can be cleared, and complaints can be avoided.
You should also take a close look at the car you rent before you drive off and check for any damage.
6. Hand in the car on time
As a rule, you rent a car for 24 hours. If the vehicle does not come back within this period, additional fees will apply. If you are lucky, you will be billed per hour. Sometimes, however, you have to pay a whole day later. How this is regulated by your rental car company depends on his goodwill.
For security, you should ask when accepting what happens in the event of a late return. Above all, however, you should plan for traffic jams on the way back or the possibility that you will get lost on the way to the rental car company. In short: be sure that you are on time.
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