Think carefully about what kind of vehicle you’ll need. If you’re traveling with children or with a lot of gear, you may want a large sedan or SUV. If you’re simply looking to save money on rental rates and gas, you’ll want to reserve the smallest available model.
But size isn’t the only factor. Looking for something environmentally friendly? Many car rental companies now offer hybrid vehicles. Can’t drive a stick shift? Be sure to reserve a car with automatic transmission. (In many countries, a manual transmission is the norm – so read the fine print before booking. Learn more with our International Car Rental Tips.) Also, be sure that the company from which you’re renting offers any extras you might need or want, such as a ski rack, car seat or GPS system.
If you can, pick up your rental downtown instead of at the airport.
This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but in general, rental rates at airports are more expensive than rates a little bit further away. Try looking for rates from pick-up spots closer to your hotel, or even in the city center.
Make sure to always compare those to rates from airport agencies, though – sometimes, the price difference will be negligible, or the airport might even be cheaper. Also remember that you’ll need to arrange transportation to the rental agency, whether you can take a hotel shuttle, or you have to pay for mass transit or a taxi into the city. More details on rent a 9 seater
Fill the Tank Up Yourself
It may seem really convenient to have the rental agency fill the gas tank back up when you drop off the car, and it is! Don’t be fooled you will be paying for that convenience later. If you got the car with a full tank in it to make sure to plan extra time in your day to fill up the car before you return it.
Rental car companies will charge a premium on the gas in lieu of your convenience. At some shoddy car rental companies (as hum Rent A Cheapie in Cape Town) even made us provide a receipt that we just filled up the car at the nearest gas station. Completely wasting our time and frustrating us in the meantime.
There is also the option to prepay for fuel. Many times the prepay rate is lower than the area, but you’re buying a full tank and the rental car company is making a bet you won’t bring it back at exactly zero. So, most times they win on the prepaid fuel.
Prepay to save upwards of 20 percent.
If you’re checking out your options online, you’ll notice that most car rental companies offer two different rates: one for prepaying customers, and a higher one for customers who wish to pay when they pick up the car. My boyfriend and I are headed to Michigan the weekend before Christmas to see his family, and looking at rental cars on Hertz, prepaying is definitely our best option. We could get a Ford Focus for $28/day if we prepay, but if we wait to pay in person, we’ll be spending $34/day. For a three-day rental, prepaying will save us $20, and these savings get bigger the better the car you rent. Extra info on car hire in Dublin
Medical insurance
Standard car rental cover won’t include medical treatment following an accident. Rental companies might offer you insurance to cover these costs. This is particularly common when you rent a car in the USA or Canada, where it’s usually called Personal Accident Insurance or PAI.
Insurance for fines
If you get a traffic or parking fine, the rental company will charge you an admin fee on top of the actual fine to cover their expenses. Sometimes they offer insurance to cover that admin fee. If you buy the insurance, you’ll only pay for the traffic fine, without the admin fee on top of it.
Tips for avoiding an insurance hard-sell
Think about what level of insurance you’re comfortable with. Check what cover you have with your car. If you decide to buy extra insurance, comparing prices online can be cheaper and less stressful than making the decision at the rental counter.
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