5 Things to Know When Shopping for Car Rentals

For most people the use of a car rental is a necessity. It generally is done as the result of a need for a replacement vehicle for a period of time. Most people do not rent cars on a regular basis and do not know all the ins and outs involved in the rental contract. There are some very basic, although important steps that should be followed when renting a car.

You do not need to have personal auto insurance to rent a car; they will ask you if you would like to purchase their insurance for the duration of the rental contract. If, however, you have your own insurance policy, be sure to call your agent to see if you are covered during your use of a rental car. If your personal auto policy covers you, there is no need to purchase a policy from the rental company.

After you have called around, found the best deal and reserved your choice car; it is time to pick it up. Be sure to have all of your personal paperwork with you, including your auto policy if you will not be buying theirs. Before you sign the contract, read through it and ask any questions you may have.

You will of course, need a valid drivers license to rent the car. If you do not have a license, they will not rent to you under any circumstances. Most companies will also require you to reserve your car with the use of a major credit card, however, you can pay in cash if you would prefer.

Keep in mind that most rental companies will not rent to any driver under the age of 25. If you fall under that magic number, you more than likely will need to get an older relative or friend to sign the actual contract for you.

John Mancini has been writing about rental cars online and offline for a long time. Visit http://dirt-cheap-car-rentals.com or http://car-rental-center.com to read more about matters like enterprise car rental and thrifty car rental.

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A Rookies Guide to Car Rentals

Renting a car can be a lot of fun, just plain fun. Car rentals offer the renter the opportunity to drive a car, truck or SUV that they normally would not or could not buy. Renting a car is for a weekend get away, to impress someone or just to have something different to drive for a couple of days are some of the most popular reasons to visit a rental company. However, as fun as it is to rent cars, there are some not so fun things that must happen before you drive it off the lot.

1- Keep in mind that most rental companies will not rent to any driver under the age of 25. If you fall under that magic number, you more than likely will need to get an older relative or friend to sign the actual contract for you.

2- You will of course, need a valid drivers license to rent the car. If you do not have a license, they will not rent to you under any circumstances. Most companies will also require you to reserve your car with the use of a major credit card, however, you can pay in cash if you would prefer.

3- You do not need to have personal auto insurance to rent a car; they will ask you if you would like to purchase their insurance for the duration of the rental contract. If, however, you have your own insurance policy, be sure to call your agent to see if you are covered during your use of a rental car. If your personal auto policy covers you, there is no need to purchase a policy from the rental company.

4- It is wise to call several car rental companies to inquire about prices, car availability and specials. Ask about options such as upgrades, pick up and drop off services, unlimited mileage and weekend versus weekly rental prices. Many companies will also offer special deals to customers who are members of other organizations (i.e. credit unions, warehouse clubs, etc).

5- After you have called around, found the best deal and reserved your choice car; it is time to pick it up. Be sure to have all of your personal paperwork with you, including your auto policy if you will not be buying theirs. Before you sign the contract, read through it and ask any questions you may have.

John Mancini writes about rental cars online and offline. You can read more about cheap car rentals and car rentals on his websites.

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Rental Car Smarts — When Size Matters Get the Most for Your Money

When you’re heading across country with a few more than a crowd, it helps to have an auto you don’t have to shoehorn your friends into. Or maybe you need to haul more than a toothbrush and a change of underwear. That’s when you want a van, SUV or pickup truck instead of a Geo Metro.

Rental cars come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, class and quality. You can get car rentals as sub-compacts, compacts, standard sizes, luxury, trucks and SUV. The variety available makes renting an option for individuals and families of any size.

Minivans, a favorite rental of families with children, generally have enough legroom to seat seven adults and assorted luggage. SUVs generally accommodate five adults and their assorted belongings.

When it comes to car rentals, more and more people are looking for a truck or SUV. Most companies offer their consumers a wide range of vehicles to choose from, but there is often a dramatic difference in the quality of the car rental size classes. And often there are significant differences in cost from one company to the next.

An analysis of rental car prices in the Denver area indicated that from company to company in alike locations prices on a SUV could vary up to 30% a day. These prices were from similar name-branded car rental locations.

So it will save you money to shop around and compare prices.

But don’t be fooled by looking at pictures of the vehicles online. While some online sites have pictures of their vehicles, that method of determining overall quality may be misleading. While you can determine the make and model of the car rental, there is, after all, no way to verify that the car pictured is the car you will receive.

Most vehicles are available at all times in the larger cities and airports depending on the time of day. Smaller city locations should be called twenty-four hours to forty-eight hours in advance to secure a rental car, SUV or van.

Most car rental companies these days have more than just cars to rent out. But not all will have trucks, SUVs, vans, recreational vehicles and exotic sports cars.

Choosing the car, truck, minivan or SUV perfectly suited to you, your family or group can require some diligence. When searching to find exactly the make, model and condition for your rental car, comparison shopping can save you a bundle. Checking out the car rental company for quality and maintenance can make your trip run smooth.

It’s always best to call the reservation line or the customer service center for information on a specific vehicle.

Karen Kirby has 25 years of experience in the computer industry, an MS in Computer Science, and a BA in Honors English. She has been helping people with Internet marketing since 1995. For more information on SUV and van rental see http://auto-rental.autopilotplus.com/ Be sure to get a free copy of the “Internet Marketer’s Guide to Free Traffic” at http://www.aimbright.com/ebook

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