Rent4Less

How to Select the Right Car Hire

rent4less — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:44:04 +0000

When you are traveling on business to different cities and need transportation rather than rent a car and drive yourself a less stressful option is car hire. Instead of battling traffic and negotiating a GPS navigation system in an area that you’re unfamiliar with, or car hire services can provide you with additional time to prepare for an important meeting or catch up on basic paperwork for your company.
Using chauffeured services on this type of business trip is really not a luxury when you consider the fact that each city has specific rules regarding traffic, parking and rights of way. In addition when you are traveling between states or counties in a particular state there are total fees and other regulations you may be unaware of.
Car hire services put an experienced local driver at your disposal to safely transport you where ever you need to go. Of course, and enjoyable experience all depends upon selecting the right car hire. The best way to go about this is to consider your car hire needs at your destination point before you make your journey. This way you can take time and investigate a car hire options that are available to you without the pressure of having to travel to a pending meeting within a few hours time.
Imagine that you must arrive at a meeting within three hours and the destination is 90 minutes away and you have not made car hire arrangements beforehand. Taking this approach you can avoid the unpleasant scenario of being “taken over the river and through the woods” by an inexperienced driver before reaching your destination. Instead of reaching your destination relaxed and confident ready to do business, after the frustrating travel experience your mental concentration might not be at its best.
In the car hire business when you wait until the last minute to negotiate a deal you put yourself at risk of being charged more for car hire services that if you had me the reservation 24 to 48 hours ahead of time. By allowing yourself sufficient time to review the options of the different car hire services you are in a better position to choose the car hire that best suits your needs.
Because you are hiring another person to drive for you it is imperative that the car hire company be reputable with and courteous, licensed drivers without a criminal record for traffic violations. The vehicles themselves should be in very good condition and if you require certain amenities you should inquire at the time the reserve a car if there will be additional fees to provide them.
Of course you must consider your budget and the amount of time you will need the car hire services. It is always good to save money but keep in mind that car accidents happen every day due to the inexperience of the driver. make sure that you do not sacrifice the experienced driving skill you need for safety to save a few dollars.

Perks and Features That Define Car Rental Specials

rent4less — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:43:10 +0000

Depending on how frequently you travel away from home without your car, you may look for car rental specials to get more mileage from your money. If you travel regularly, you can save hundreds of dollars a year by selecting the car rental company that provides you with benefits that you can really use.
One of the best perks or car rental specials that you should look for is a “loyalty” or rewards program for individuals who use the company’s services on a regular basis. Similar to the “frequent flyer” program offered by airlines, when car rental specials include extra credits in this department it can be a welcome incentive to do more business.
Think about where you travel, availability in many different states could be included as one of the car rental specials – with this feature you would be able to build a consistent business relationship with one vendor.
The list of car rental specials would definitely include a free upgrade to a luxury model or free delivery of your vehicle to where ever you choose. Between these two features alone, you could easily save $100 a day.
Are you on the company mailing list? Another features that frequent car renters appreciate the most include e-mail marketing campaign that send them discount coupons that can be used discreetly online to keep some extra money in your pocket.
Which groups do you belong to? There are several car rental agencies that provide membership affiliation discounts. For example, individuals who present the AARP card receive some outstanding car rental specials.
Car rental specials are not always condition free—you need to compare the plans between different companies to see which one has the most attractive deal for you. With the fierce competition between the companies in this sector, sometimes you can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices you have, which is why you have to be sure of your needs first.
However these car rental specials are not always advertised and if you do not know the categories such as those mentioned above to ask about, you may lose out on the opportunity to save some cash. From reserving your vehicle a month or two in advance to presenting your AARP membership card, each car rental agency has their own criteria for lowering your payment. But it’s up to you to make sure you get every discount you are entitled to—remember that you can always find a way to get a better rate when you know what the company’s policies are.
Above the perks and features of car rental specials, it is the customer service support that is most highly valued. If attention to personal service is you primary concern, a good way to test a car rental company’s system is to telephone their office for assistance and gauge the amount of time it takes to have your request answered along with the level of knowledge and courtesy shown by the company representative who answers the phone.

Things You Need to Consider in a Cheap Car Rental Deal

rent4less — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:42:12 +0000

Let’s imagine for a moment that you have traveled for business and arrived at your destination—a city you have never visited before. How would you navigate your way to your very important meeting scheduled within in just a few hours? For most people the answer would be to look for a cheap car rental deal, and here are a few ways to find one:
• Many car insurance companies offer car rental insurance coverage that can save you even more money on your cheap car rental deal because you can forego the rental agency insurance charges. Contact your insurance agent and see whether or not your policy provides this benefit.
• Before you can even think about a cheap car rental, you need to be sure you will be able to drive in the state. Believe it or not, your driver’s license may NOT be valid in every state. If you cannot rent a car to drive yourself, your next option is finding a car hire.
• Telephone your credit card company and ask whether or not they have an arrangement with a cheap car rental agency to provide discounts when customers use their credit card. Some credit card issuers have made deals for free damage/loss waiver coverage with the car rental agency.
You may want to find a cheap car rental, but that doesn’t mean you want a sub-standard vehicle. There is fierce competition between car rental agencies today based completely on price. Unfortunately there are many companies that hold the perspective that you get what you pay for and if the rate is extremely low, they may have less incentive to provide customer service on the level with a more expensive car rental company.
However most cheap car rental companies are aware that they must provide a certain level of service in order to maintain their business. In addition it is fairly easy to check and compare the rates between car rental agencies online. In some cases a cheap car rental company will allow you to reserve a car by submitting an online application.
If this is your first time dealing with a cheap car company make sure you verify their business references as well as their insurance requirements before you sign on the dotted line. It is important to know what the procedures are you must follow in case you weren’t involved in an accident or a car breaks down from mechanical failure. Regardless of what cheap car rental company you choose, if the vehicle fails to function properly and the company does not provide for towing service, the cost of getting a car to the mechanic shop as well as arranging alternative transportation for yourself will eliminate any money that you might have saved.
A cheap car rental is not difficult to find; the most important thing is to read the fine print of the car rental agreement and check before hand to see whether or not you have access to automatic discounts.

How to Avoid Hidden Charges in Discount Car Rentals

rent4less — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:23:26 +0000

If your travel plans include local transportation it’s a good idea to investigate and make reservations for discount car rentals before you go on your trip, because many companies will lower their rates even more for advanced bookings.
The comparison websites for discount car rental companies have become very popular over the last few years online, but there are many cases where the quote you were given when you made your reservation is not the same as the amount stated on your bill.
The difference between the quote and the actual cost are the hidden charges that many discount car rental companies include such as include early return fees, 24-hour clock charges, mileage charges, license fees, peak season charges and additional driver charges. In some cases these hidden charges can cause your bill to be as much as 25% higher.
But it’s also important to realize that your decisions can also influence the amount of money you must pay for your discount car rentals. For instance, if you request unlimited mileage as part of your discount car rental plan may be losing money if your travel does not extend further than 50 miles.
Chart your travel plans carefully and if you find that most of your travel will be within a 50 mile radius, you might be able to get an even lower rate at a discount car rental company offers a 50 mile plan, which will also lower your insurance costs. Or better still check with your personal car insurance company and find out whether or not they provide car rental insurance coverage as part of your policy.
You should be sure to ask your travel agencies if they offer discount car rentals as part of your travel package. In some cases the discount car rental rate you receive through a travel agent can be as much as 60% lower than if you reserve the car directly through the agency.
In most states businesses are required to collect sales tax from the goods and services they provide to the public. While sales tax can’t be avoided in most cases the hidden cost of airport charges, such as concession recovery fees or customer facility charges are avoidable.
And you can realize even greater savings by going to a car rental agency location instead of having the company deliver the car to the airport for you. When you make your reservations for your discount car rentals one good strategy to get the absolute best price is to request the smallest car that can accommodate you and if this car is not available you will receive a large car at the same rate.

You can avoid gasoline charges on discount car rentals that companies will make you pay by returning the car to the facility with a full tank of gas. By returning the car to the location where you rented it from you can avoid the drop-off charge which can be as much as $1000.

What to Look for in a Rental Car Agreement

rent4less — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:22:52 +0000

The travel industry is a multi-billion dollar business sector and rental car companies play a major role, making huge profits each year. Whether it’s for your personal or business use choosing the right rental car company can make your travel a memorable experience instead of a complete nightmare.
By definition rental car companies provide four-wheel, motorized vehicle for a short period of time solely for the purpose of private transportation of the person who rents the vehicle and their belongings.
When you need a rental car, you should first decide which type is best suited to help you accomplish your goal; will the vehicle be used for pleasure or for business? Do you need a sub compact car or a luxury model? Keep in mind that the terms and conditions vary from one rental car company to the next. Be sure to go through the different points of the rental car agreement with each company that you contact before signing the agreement.
Although rental car companies compete on the basis of price, in general all companies offer two types of rental car rates; a basic rate and an inclusive rate. Basic rate is defined by any person on uses their credit card to purchase insurance coverage. Inclusive rate is applied when insurance coverage for the person renting the car is provided by a rental car company. In addition to insurance coverage costs, a rental car company may charge you for traditional services that you do not require.
And as you review your rental car agreement the issuer that you are not paying for a service or feature that you did not request. Many of these charges are considered to be included in your bill for the sole purpose of making profit. These charges include:
When you request to pick up your rental car at the airport you can expect to pay an extra fee for this amenity. In addition many airport management companies charge a fee for vehicles in their parking lot.
The additional charge for a collision/damage waiver may also be unnecessary if your car insurance cup he provides adequate coverage. The same holds true for personal accident insurance which many rental car companies will charge a service fee to provide.
These are just a few of the ways that rental car companies can inflate your bill to astronomical proportions. This is why reading the rental car agreement is crucial; not only to save you money but to save you hours of frustration as well. Don’t be dazzled by the many adverts rental car companies use to promote their low prices: there are many other considerations beyond price alone.
The most important consideration is the personal safety: be sure that you have adequate insurance coverage and permission to drive in whatever state or country you are visiting. Making your rental car plans well ahead of the time you have to travel can ensure that you have less stress and frustration when you provide at your destination.