10 Rules to Follow When Renting a Car Online

The world has really gone cyber one can fly, find a date, buy a house, make arrangements to move and rent car online, great conveniences at the click of a button. As a consumer you must find out all the pros and cons of renting a car and carry out “comparison” shopping.

1. Visit company websites to determine what is on offer. Look for competitive rates and great facilities.

2. Try and locate a rental company close to where you intend to use the car it will save you money.

3. Before you proceed list your needs: what kind of car, how many people will travel, how many days you need the car and so on.

4. Use a reputed agency and call on their toll free number. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions carefully. Make sure you use a safe payment gateway and that you receive a confirmation e-mail. Some well known companies are Hertz (https://www.hertz.com), Dollar, Alamo, and Avis (http://www.avis.com). Or, try travel sites many have great offers for clients who book hotels, air tickets, as well as cars.

5. Ask for packages and find out when rates are cheaper.

6. Be sure to ask for an agreement.

7. Ask about the age of the car, its condition, and how many miles it has been driven. If you expect to drive in bad weather be sure to check about tires, snow chains, and other equipment.

8. To rent a car online keep handy your driver’s license, passport, photo-ID, and proof of address. Ask about travel insurance and whether the car has a current insurance.

9. Check the charges carefully and whether any additional payment will be charged for drop off and pick up.

10. Check whether your driver’s licence is valid for the state/ country you wish to drive in or whether you need to obtain a new license.

It is a competitive world and online there are company’s like Fox Rent a Car http://www.foxrentacar.com that offer discounts, reward points, coupons, hotel discounts and more. Check as many sites as you can to get a great deal. Popular companies are: Yahoo travels, priceline.com, and Travelocity. Be a discerning consumer and hire a great car at a great price. Many car rental companies offer special rates if you are a member of one of their affiliate clubs or professional organizations.

Before you drive away in the rental car find out as much as possible about traffic rules, laws where you intend to drive, and safety norms. If your family is with you then choose a safe and comfortable car that will accommodate luggage, boisterous kids, and pets. If you intend to drive alone then you could opt for a compact car. Gauge your needs before you make a choice and carry your driver’s license and insurance papers with you at all times. As a precaution inform a friend, family member, or the office of your travel plans. Cary a mobile phone for emergencies or arrange to call in at specific times. Enjoy your rent-a-car experience.

Andrew Bermam is a freelance writer for http://www.1866Cars.com, the premier website to find help on Cars including topics on car rental, national car rental, thrifty car rental, online car rental, pickup trucks rental, cargo van rental and more. He also freelances for the premier Car Insurance Quotes site http://www.1888Carinsurance.com

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Your First Car Auction

You are about to go to your first car auction. You can feel the excitement in the air. There are so many cars to choose from. But do you really know what to expect at a car auction? Do you know the legalities that occur at a car auction? Most people get in way over there heads at a car auction. If this is your first car auction, you better come prepared.

There are a lot of things you need to do and a lot of things you need to pay attention to at a car auction. First off, before you go to a car auction make sure you have enough money in your bank account. All cars purchased at a car auction must be paid in full. You also need to bring your drivers license and any other form of ID to the car auction. This is needed to buy the vehicle and to do the title work and registration.

When you first get to the car auction you should make notes of the cars you are interested in. Then, if you can, go to kellybluebook.com and check the retail value of the vehicles you would like to purchase. This way you know what to go with when you make your bid. At a car auction, many vehicles have a reserve price. This means that the vehicle has a minimum price t be sold at. If it is too high, do not bid on it. Be sure when you do bid that you do not get into a bidding war. Never bid more than you can afford. If the bidding war begins, just walk away. At a car auction, it is every man for himself.

Before you begin to bid on cars, you need to see if the vehicle is a good buy or not. Many vehicles at a car auction could have been previously damaged. An example of this is in Texas and Louisiana many cars were severely damaged by flooding during a hurricane. These vehicles were sent to a car auction and the buyers more than likely had no idea the vehicles had flood damage. You may also wish to take a mechanic to the car auction. A mechanic is a good idea at a car auction because they can see where someone may have tried to hide repairs and damage that the vehicle might have incurred. Lastly, you can get a free Carfax vehicle history report on the vehicle if you get the vehicles identification number (VIN).

Remember, at a car auction vehicles are sold “as is” and they do not come with a warranty. Keep all of these tips in mind to protect yourself from a bad purchase. You are supposed to go to a car auction to get a great deal on a car and to save money. With the proper frame of mind, this is easily accomplished.

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.caronlinecenter.info a blog focusing on the Car, resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Car. For more info visit his site at: Car

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Ten Golden Rules to Save on Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance is a bouquet of different covers like liability insurance; collision insurance; comprehensive insurance; medical insurance; uninsured motorist insurance; rental reimbursement; towing and labor cost coverage; as well as gap coverage.

What is essential and what will protect a car owner from problems varies from state to state. It is advisable to insure for a little more than absolutely necessary. Insurance premiums can be prohibitively high so, as an informed consumer you must do your research thoroughly.

Golden rules:

Access consumer information available on the state’s insurance department web site. Read all the guidelines and determine what coverage is required by you. Be sure to read the sample rates listed. This research will give you a fair idea of what the premiums are likely to be.

Ask for quotes from at least three big players in the auto insurance business. Companies like Geico http://www.geico.com; Amica http://www.amica.com; State Farm http://www.statefarm.com; and Allstate http://www.allstate.com

Find out what is the highest deductible permissible and if you can afford it. Generally increasing a deductible from US$ 200 to US$ 500 can reduce premiums payable by as much as 30%.

Evaluate the worth of your car. If it is old and worth less than US$ 2000 then you can consider opting out of collision and comprehensive coverage for the car. The premiums paid will be much higher than what you will collect. Ask the insurance companies to evaluate the market value of the car. Find out the worth of you car by using http://www.kbb.com/ the site of Kelley Blue Book.

Use common sense when buying a car. Be sure to choose one that does not require higher insurance premiums. It is important to not just consider buying costs but cost of insurance too.

Find out if the insurance company has a scheme that offers discounts on the basis of lower usage or mileage. Some companies offer discounts if you utilize public transport to go to work. They require you to submit proof that you do.

Ensure that your insurance credit history is accurate. Many insurers use credit history as a basis to calculate premiums.

Study the laws of the state where you live. Find out whether any further adjustments in premiums can be made because you car if fitted with: airlock brakes, air bags, and other safety features. Find out from the companies as well as your agent.

Find out whether membership to organizations like American Automobile Association makes you eligible for any discounts. Ask about trade, professional associations, and corporate benefit’s program. Some companies offer: student’s discounts for students with a GPA of 3.0 and higher; retirement discounts; loyalty discounts and more.

Be sure to ask the insurer if they have schemes to insure mare than one car under a group scheme. Such schemes referred to as multiline discounts have a huge umbrella of options, home insurance, safety features, accident free driving, driver over 50 years old, anti-theft devices fixed, and so on.

For ready reference see:

Insure.com at http://info.insure.com/auto/autosave.html has useful information, a privacy policy in place, is updated daily, has links to over 200 companies that sell various kinds of insurance, a toll free line, and an option to buy insurance online.

Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America at http://www.iiaa.org/na/default?ContentPreference=NA&ActiveTab=NA&ActiveState=0 is one of the largest associations of independent insurance agents and brokers. According to experts buying auto insurance from agents can get you a good deal as it cuts out the middleman.

InsWeb at http://www.insweb.com/ a site dedicated to the lowering of insurance costs. Offers competitive quotes from big players in the market like The Hartford, GMAC, AIG, Travelers, Amica, and Liberty Mutual.

Remember insurance premiums are higher for high performance cars. The premium depends on how high repair costs are, ready availability of parts, and what the chances of car theft are. Buy a car that does not require higher insurance premiums and explore the market for the best deals.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1866Cars.com, the premier website to find help on Cars including topics on car rental, national car rental, thrifty car rental, online car rental, pickup trucks rental, cargo van rental and more. He also freelances for the premier Car Insurance Quotes site http://www.1888Carinsurance.com

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