How to Get the Best Deal for a Car, Minivan or SUV Rental
Several companies within the United States and abroad offer rental services for minivans, cars and sport utility vehicles. Renting a vehicle may prove necessary when taking business trips, vacations or for general commuting purposes. Finding the best deal on a rental vehicle of your choice requires a fair amount of research on your part. Not only should you consider the rental rates of competing companies, but also other factors such as fuel economy, needed cargo space and amenities offered.
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Instructions
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Determine what type of vehicle you will need. Typically, larger vehicles such as vans, trucks SUVs and full-size passenger vehicles offer more cargo capacity than economy or mid-size cars, but sacrifice fuel economy.
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Navigate to a third-party comparison or discount travel website. Enter the desired pick-up and drop-off locations, rental duration and vehicle type to compare pricing.
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Examine the fuel economy figures for the desired make and model vehicle. If the fuel economy figures do not appear on the comparison sites, navigate to the U.S. Department of Energy's Fueleconomy.gov site for the correct figures.
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Calculate the mileage costs, taking into account the current average price of gasoline, along with the rental quotes offered by the comparison sites.
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Sign up for special promotional offers available on the websites of each rental company. Car rental companies often send coupon codes and other money-saving offers via email.
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Consider any special amenities offered by each car rental company operating in your local or destination area. Carefully weigh the decision to purchase additional insurance protections offered by each company. Waiving certain insurance offers could save money, but may not be the best course of action, depending upon your particular need.
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Negotiate directly with rental company branches. Certain rental companies may offer price-matching in an effort to gain your business. Rental agencies may also discount rates for military personnel, seniors and certain retail store memberships.
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Pay for the rental vehicle using a major credit card. Although some car rental companies will allow you to pay for the vehicle using a debit card, they may require a sizable deposit.
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