Credit: Shutterstock photoIf you're planning (or procrastinating planning) a trip that will require some driving, take solace in the fact that there are more options than ever before to book the right rental car for you: Zipcar offers membership and easy access to cars while lumping the costs of gas and insurance into an hourly or daily rate; other companies, such as RelayRides and FlightCars, further the so-called sharing economy, connecting car owners with car renters for short periods of time; and, for your longer road trips, the big brands (Enterprise, Hertz, et cetera) still offer daily and weekly rates with customizable pick-up and drop-off locations and times.
Here's the catch. Getting the best possible deal on your rental car still requires a little legwork. Whether you're a planner or a last-minute customer, however, there are some simple ways to avoid paying through the nose the next time you get a new set of wheels.
Plan Ahead: Treat It Like a Flight, Hotel Reservation
The travel hacking skills you have accrued when reserving flights and hotels should hold steady in this space too. Researching aggregators like Kayak, Priceline and Hotwire is the best way to start your search once you know when and where you'd like to rent an automobile. As you're filling in customizable search fields on these sites and others, be as flexible as you can and play around with the various options (pick-up locations, times and length of rental). For example, we recently found that picking up an Enterprise economy car seven miles away from Idaho's Pocatello Regional Airport was exactly $75 cheaper than picking up a Hertz economy option a 0.8 mile shuttle stop off of the airport's grounds. (One caveat: Airport lots typically have newer cars than offsite ones, if this is important to you.) These brand names -- lump Avis, Budget and Alamo into this group -- can be more expensive than local chains, but they're often necessary for one-way or multi-city trips. One word of caution when searching for quotes, either on the rental company's website or elsewhere: Promotional rates may not always include taxes and fees until checkout. We advise choosing the lowest-priced vehicle option ("economy" or "compact") and then planning to pick it up during peak hours; if the agent is out of either upon your arrival, you should be upgraded to a better car at the same price.
Unlike booking flights, reserving a car often comes with a free cancellation, so feel free to book early, well in advance of your trip. Before you do, however, consider other ways to shrink the cost. Once you've identified the range in cost and supplier of your rental, search for online promotions or coupon codes. Rentalcarmomma.com and Zalyn.com are two of our favorites. If you come up empty here, there's still a chance you can get a discount directly from the rental company; just give them your USAA, AARP, AAA or Costco membership number. After you've made your reservation, the work doesn't end. Use a price-tracking website like Autoslash to make sure you don't lose out on a better deal in the lead-up to your departure.
There are two ways to avoid all of this legwork. First, join a loyalty program -- membership is typically free -- of a rental company that serves your area. You can rack up rewards with each rental. Secondly, wait until the last minute and take advantage of parking lot leftovers.
Don't Plan ahead: Take Advantage of Last-minute Leftovers
Maybe you're jumping online the morning of your trip. Perhaps you're jumping in line to see an agent at the counter. Either way, you need a rental car, and you need one fast. Aside from the quick search tips outlined (above), here is one hard-and-fast rule: With or without leverage, the power of negotiation can get you far as a customer. In other words, you won't get the upgrade if you don't ask for it, but you also have to be willing to take the cheapest, worst car on the lot (as long as it has a steerling wheel and four tires). (If you get a real clunker, it's advised that you inspect your rental thoroughly before driving off the lot, ensuring that any pre-existing damage has been documented.) The fact of the matter is that rental car companies typically have vehicles of all shapes and sizes that they want to get off their lot, so last-minute sales can be had on the web or in person. If you find yourself in the latter scenario and successfully reserve a car on the spot, beware of the extra -- and often unnecessary -- costs.
First, the easy and perhaps obvious stuff: No, you don't need to pay $10 to $15 or more for a GPS system -- that's what your smartphone is for. And, no, do not auto-fill the gas tank at the rental company's established rate; you can save real dollars and cents by stopping at a gas station nearby the drop-off point, but be ware of gas stations near airports if you're dropping one off near your gate. (It's illegal but efficient to pump gas with your engine engaged if you want to push your fuel gage needle to its exact origin point.) Sites like GasBuddy.com can point you in the direction of the cheapest gas. Also, be aware of your rental suppplier's stance on return times: Some are flexible, some are not and will result in penalties. The plastic in your wallet could help save you cash. American Express Platinum Card holders, for example, enjoy a four-hour grace period when returning automobiles to Hertz.
Your credit cards could also be a determining factor in your savings at the counter in other, more complicated matters. If your auto insurance doesn't have a rental car reimbursement policy or cover you completely behind the wheel of a rental, there's a good chance that your credit card company will. This coverage typically makes rental companies' other insurance offerings unnecessary add-ons. Whether you book your car well in advance or the day of, protect your wallet and yourself by picking from among the safest American cities to drive through.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
