If you have always dreaded renting cars because you feel like you always end up with old, battered, unpleasant rental cars, you just need to know how to pick rental cars the smart way. There are some tips and tricks that you need to have in mind that will make the process of getting the right rental car a breeze. Don’t ruin your next vacation or business trip with a shoddy rental car that is unpleasant to drive.
Falcon car rental can help you be a smart car rental consumer. We can offer some advice about the right way to pick rental cars so that you aren’t dissatisfied with your rental car throughout your trip. Being comfortable as you are getting around matters, and you won’t regret picking a rental car with these smart tips and tricks.
How to Pick a Great Car Rental
1. Check Reviews
The first thing that you need to do is check out the reviews for the business that you can find online. Rental car companies are often reviewed by the people who have worked with them, so you should have tons of different reviews to work with as you are trying to find the right rental car company for your needs and goals.
Make sure that you look for reviews that are right in the middle. These reviews will tell you which things went well for people as well as which things didn’t go as planned. You will find out more from these reviews than the really positive or really negative ones.
2. Ask Some Questions
Rental car companies have different policies that can help you decide whether or not they are a good fit for your goals. You might want to ask about returning the car late if you think that this might happen during your trip. You could also want to ask about accepted payment methods and policies about insurance and protections for the car while you are driving it.
Many people also want to know if they can have their rental car delivered to them at their hotel or the place where they are staying during a trip. You will need to ask all of these questions of the rental car agencies that you are planning to work with so that you are able to compare them fairly and find a good fit.
3. Consider Your Budget
There are many different kinds of car rental experiences. If you need to save money, you should be sure that you focus your research on the rental car companies that offer budget rentals and easy pick up and check out. You might want a more luxurious experience, in which case you can shop for rental car companies that offer access to luxury vehicles rather than the daily drivers that you can get everywhere else.
Your budget is often an essential aspect of your selection process, so don’t forget about this key piece of the puzzle as you are shopping around for a good rental car company for your next trip.
4. Ask About Rental Age
You should be sure that you inquire or research what age you have to be in order to rent from the agency in question. If you are younger than 25, not all car rental companies can rent to you. Knowing the policy about underage car rentals at each of the places that you are considering working with can have a big impact on your selection process. There’s no need to get excited about working with a specific company, only to discover that you cannot actually rent from them because you are too young.
5. Think About What You Plan to Do During Your Trip
If you are only going to be driving around town, you probably don’t need to think too hard about your rental car experience. However, if you are thinking that you want to drive around quite a bit during your trip, you probably need to focus on car rental companies that will allow you to take the car out of the area and that won’t ding you for added mileage.
Luxury car rentals often limit how far you can drive and how many miles you can put on the vehicle during your rental period. Be sure that you are aware of these limitations as you are looking at your various options.
6. Check out the Cancellation Policy
While no one ever wants to cancel their rental car once it’s been booked, your travel plans can change. You need to know what the cancellation policy is for the companies that you are researching, so that you are aware of possible issues that could crop up if you do have to cancel. There is nothing worse than having to pay for part or all of a car rental reservation that you cannot use.
Most car rental agencies make their cancellation policies very clear, so you should have no trouble figuring out how this part of your rental contract and agreement will work.
Renting a Car Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful
If you have been struggling through the car rental process each time you need to have a rental car on a trip, you might have decided that renting cars just isn’t for you. This is not actually necessary, and shopping around for good car rental options is easier than you might think. Be sure to be realistic about the things that you want to do with your rental car and the budget that you have to work with before you ever start looking at car rental companies. With these factors in mind, you can rule out a lot of your options.
Never be afraid to reach out to the agencies in question and ask them about their policies, contracts, and availability. The more you know about each company, the easier it will be to get paired up with the right rental car company. Don’t drive cars that you hate during every single trip that you go on. Use these tips to have a quality car rental experience.
