Saturday, May 29, 2004
1. Make a reservation at least one week in advance. "It tends to be the earlier the better. "As the booking pace increases, the rates can go up...." While booking earlier doesn't always guarantee a price break (during peak travel seasons, for instance), you're more likely to come out ahead. Find out about the company's cancellation policy when you make your reservation. Specifically, you want to know whether there is a cancellation charge and how much advance notice is required to avoid heavy penalties.
2. Choose a company based on rates, vehicle availability and service. If you're seeking an exotic car or anything more luxurious than a Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DeVille, you'll need to call around well in advance. Keep in mind that vehicles rented at airports Car Hire Ibiza typically incur an airport tax or surcharge (this is included in our price). While you can avoid this surcharge by renting your vehicle from a non-airport location, you will usually have to arrange your own transportation to the rental office. Service is another consideration: If you previously had a pleasant experience with a company because of their efficient service or willingness to get you into a specific vehicle, use them again. Smaller, independently owned companies might be appealing because of their ultra-low rates or the availability of hard-to-find, exotic vehicles. You should, however, research these companies thoroughly before handing over your credit card. In addition, make sure that you plan around the company's operating hours. Car hire murcia. "Some [smaller companies] are not open 24 hours, so if you have a late flight, you might not be able to pick up the car when you want it. When you book through our site your dates are scanned immediately to check for bank holiday dates and odd hours, if any of these are flagged then you are notified, in some instances we may advise you to slightly change your pick up or drop off times to avoid any possible problems. A booking engine also attempts to save you money Car Hire Barcelona by suggesting re shuffling your pick up and drop off times.
3. Put all additional drivers in the rental contract. Whenever you let someone not included in the rental contract drive the vehicle, you risk voiding the contract. Claims against the company's insurance coverage - and even your own personal insurance coverage - may be compromised." So swallow the added fees and put everyone in the contract. Most companies won't charge extra for your spouse, but you should ensure that his or her driving privileges are provided for in the contract. get info for a Car hire malaga.
5. Pre-pay or refuel it yourself? Rental companies generally offer you the option of either paying for a tank of gas in advance (at a self-serve rate) and bringing the vehicle back empty or refueling it yourself. While the pre-pay option is certainly cheaper than returning the vehicle empty and paying the higher surcharge amount in the contract (per gallon) Car hire palma , there is no guarantee that it will always be cheaper than refueling the car on your own. So, plan accordingly - if you know that you won't be using a full tank (250-300 miles), don't use the pre-pay option.
6. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly before you leave the lot. Since you could be held responsible for any damage to a rental car (beyond "normal wear-and-tear"), you should take a walk-around with the sales agent before driving off Car hire tenerife. Inspect the vehicle for existing dents, scratches and other damage, and make sure that anything you find is noted in the contract.
7. Stick to the contract's terms. If there are mileage restrictions in your contract (and there often are), stay within them in order to avoid post-rental penalties. Further, you should steer clear of any restricted activities - putting snow chains on the tires, towing a trailer, off-roading, transporting people or property for hire, driving in Mexico or Car hire Madrid (if the vehicle was rented in the U.S. or Canada) and the like - as they could jeopardize insurance coverage for any damage sustained by the rental vehicle. This applies specifically to insurance purchased from the rental company, but failure to adhere to the company's rules could complicate dealings with your own insurer, as well.
8. What if the vehicle is damaged? If your rental car is involved in an accident, most companies will require you to come to the rental office to file an accident report. Read your contract - you're usually required to file a report within a certain amount of time. Many companies will want a police report, as well, particularly if it was a major accident. ( Car hire spain)Check your contract to see when this is required (if you're confident that you weren't at fault, it's definitely to your advantage to get a police report). All of this applies as well if your rental vehicle is vandalized or stolen. If your vehicle is damaged while in the care of a hotel's (or restaurant's) valet parking attendants, you'll need to work things out with the hotel before filing a report with the rental company. A cool head and a police report should get you through these situations with minimal aggravation. 10. Return your rental car on time. Since car rental rates run on a 24-hour clock, you will incur extra charges even if you're only an hour late in returning a vehicle. The hourly rental rate is usually one-third of the daily rate, so if you're three to four hours late, you've tacked on another day's charges to the total bill. Further details at Car hire Alicante
2. Choose a company based on rates, vehicle availability and service. If you're seeking an exotic car or anything more luxurious than a Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DeVille, you'll need to call around well in advance. Keep in mind that vehicles rented at airports Car Hire Ibiza typically incur an airport tax or surcharge (this is included in our price). While you can avoid this surcharge by renting your vehicle from a non-airport location, you will usually have to arrange your own transportation to the rental office. Service is another consideration: If you previously had a pleasant experience with a company because of their efficient service or willingness to get you into a specific vehicle, use them again. Smaller, independently owned companies might be appealing because of their ultra-low rates or the availability of hard-to-find, exotic vehicles. You should, however, research these companies thoroughly before handing over your credit card. In addition, make sure that you plan around the company's operating hours. Car hire murcia. "Some [smaller companies] are not open 24 hours, so if you have a late flight, you might not be able to pick up the car when you want it. When you book through our site your dates are scanned immediately to check for bank holiday dates and odd hours, if any of these are flagged then you are notified, in some instances we may advise you to slightly change your pick up or drop off times to avoid any possible problems. A booking engine also attempts to save you money Car Hire Barcelona by suggesting re shuffling your pick up and drop off times.
3. Put all additional drivers in the rental contract. Whenever you let someone not included in the rental contract drive the vehicle, you risk voiding the contract. Claims against the company's insurance coverage - and even your own personal insurance coverage - may be compromised." So swallow the added fees and put everyone in the contract. Most companies won't charge extra for your spouse, but you should ensure that his or her driving privileges are provided for in the contract. get info for a Car hire malaga.
5. Pre-pay or refuel it yourself? Rental companies generally offer you the option of either paying for a tank of gas in advance (at a self-serve rate) and bringing the vehicle back empty or refueling it yourself. While the pre-pay option is certainly cheaper than returning the vehicle empty and paying the higher surcharge amount in the contract (per gallon) Car hire palma , there is no guarantee that it will always be cheaper than refueling the car on your own. So, plan accordingly - if you know that you won't be using a full tank (250-300 miles), don't use the pre-pay option.
6. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly before you leave the lot. Since you could be held responsible for any damage to a rental car (beyond "normal wear-and-tear"), you should take a walk-around with the sales agent before driving off Car hire tenerife. Inspect the vehicle for existing dents, scratches and other damage, and make sure that anything you find is noted in the contract.
7. Stick to the contract's terms. If there are mileage restrictions in your contract (and there often are), stay within them in order to avoid post-rental penalties. Further, you should steer clear of any restricted activities - putting snow chains on the tires, towing a trailer, off-roading, transporting people or property for hire, driving in Mexico or Car hire Madrid (if the vehicle was rented in the U.S. or Canada) and the like - as they could jeopardize insurance coverage for any damage sustained by the rental vehicle. This applies specifically to insurance purchased from the rental company, but failure to adhere to the company's rules could complicate dealings with your own insurer, as well.
8. What if the vehicle is damaged? If your rental car is involved in an accident, most companies will require you to come to the rental office to file an accident report. Read your contract - you're usually required to file a report within a certain amount of time. Many companies will want a police report, as well, particularly if it was a major accident. ( Car hire spain)Check your contract to see when this is required (if you're confident that you weren't at fault, it's definitely to your advantage to get a police report). All of this applies as well if your rental vehicle is vandalized or stolen. If your vehicle is damaged while in the care of a hotel's (or restaurant's) valet parking attendants, you'll need to work things out with the hotel before filing a report with the rental company. A cool head and a police report should get you through these situations with minimal aggravation. 10. Return your rental car on time. Since car rental rates run on a 24-hour clock, you will incur extra charges even if you're only an hour late in returning a vehicle. The hourly rental rate is usually one-third of the daily rate, so if you're three to four hours late, you've tacked on another day's charges to the total bill. Further details at Car hire Alicante
