Travelling involves a lot of preparation. If you are going on an out of state vacation, you might need to rent a car to maximise your trip in Crete. Renting a car for get-away makes sense. It saves you money that you would spend on taxis and helps you avoid public transport. However, the whole process of leasing a vehicle can be overwhelming for both amateurs and veteran travellers alike. While it is true that it would be convenient for you, it does come with several caveats. You need to make sure that you are adequately informed about what you should and should not do when renting a car. Here are some of them:
Use a Credit Card
Some car rental companies may charge you higher if you use a debit card when paying compared when using a credit card. Typically, car rental agencies will charge authorisation costs and incremental holds. The idea is that these agencies need to check your credit score as a form of their security so that you can actually pay the charges. So, when picking up your car, use a credit card to do away with additional costs, which you can use for your trip.
Don’t List Young Adults as Additional Drivers
It doesn’t matter if your 20-year old son has a spotless driving record. Rental companies still consider young drivers as a high-risk liability if you include them in the list of additional drivers. Often car rental companies will charge extra if you list anyone less than 25 years old. Nothing is set down in stone that requires rental-car agencies to charge higher rates to drivers under 25. Young renters who call and argue their case to rental agencies may discover an office that will lessen or even drop the fees. For rental agencies, the danger related to young drivers might be a more modest liability than the danger of outraged Yelp users complaining about ageist penalties.
Pro-tip: If you don’t list them as an additional driver, don’t let them behind the wheel. You don’t want to deal with any possible issues should you encounter any troubles on the road.
Limit Drivers
If you plan to go on a getaway with friends, limit the number of assigned drivers. You have to keep in mind that each additional driver will come with a daily fee even if they don’t end up driving the vehicle during the whole duration of the period.
Do Car Checks
Before each trip, it’s best to do the necessary car checks. Even if it is not your own car, you should perform checks for your own safety. You don’t want to end up being involved in a car accident when you are out on your trip. Tario Law notes that mechanical failure is a common cause of car accidents, so it’s advisable to conduct a thorough check of your car before any long drives on the highway.
Don’t Get a Car Rental at the Airport
Ideally, you may want to drive a car as soon as you decide on your destination, but if you’re going to save a few hundred dollars, it is best to steer away from car rental agencies in airports. You don’t really want or need to lease a vehicle at the airport. A large number of individuals flying to your destination are likewise hoping to lease a vehicle at the airport, which means longer wait as well as more things that can go wrong go. Not to forget, these agencies need to pay airport authorities operating fees so they can do business and to balance things out, car rental agencies will pass these costs to the customers.
Check Your Rental Agreement
This part should be mandatory. Even before you sign that contract, make sure that you read and understand everything that’s written in the agreement. Do not assume that every car rental agency will have the same policy. Some agencies will have a specific clause about driving on unpaved roads. The moment they see that you’ve driven your rental car on grass or muddy roads, agencies can charge you for cleaning and maintenance. Another reason for this clause is that the car might get stuck in the mud, so the agency might end up getting it out.
Fill the Gas Tank
Even before you return the car to the rental company, make sure to fill up the tank. Or else, they will fill it up for you, and you will end up paying a higher price per gallon. It is nice to take a detour to fill up the tank so that you don’t pay extra.
Pro-tip: The best place to discover a spot to refuel your car is as soon as you pick it up. As you are heading out from the airport or rental office, observe the neighbourhood service stations, and make a plan to revisit it to fill the tank while leaving the car back to the agency. The neighbourhoods around airports can be confounding and new, so you would prefer not to be driving around and searching for a service station as your flight time draws near.
Bring Your Gadgets
Some rental companies will offer you to include extras during your trip. They can provide you with a GPS, satellite radio, or any additional conveniences. But, if you have them at home, it will be wiser to bring it with you so you can trim the cost a bit.
Rental cars are a big convenience when you are travelling, but they shouldn’t cost that much, especially if you heed our advice.
Additional tip – You can purchase car insurance from the same rental-car agency at a lower rate if you get it online or via telephone. That is on the grounds that any time before the person-to-person purchase, you have choices, regardless of whether that is through booking search engines or from another rental agency—and the organization knows it. While you are studying your alternatives, you should call your Mastercard company and your insurance agency. You may have all the inclusion you need.
