Cheapest Way to Rent Car

Drive without worry in a rental car.

Whether for vacation or holiday travel, business or personal trips, renting a car is reliable and often relatively cheap. Most rental companies provide newer vehicles, which are less prone to break down, and you are typically covered for recovery (and a replacement car) in the event of a breakdown. By renting a car, you know what your transportation will cost---unlike owning a personal vehicle--- because there are no maintenance costs to be factored in.

Things You'll Need

• Valid Driver's License
• Major Credit Card

Instructions

1. Book early or book last-minute. Rates for rental cars are typically best either well in advance of the rental period or right before it. For last-minute bookings, sites such as Hotwire and Priceline offer significant discounts on available cars.

2. Rent the smallest car possible. The smallest cars are usually the cheapest to rent, and also use the least amount of fuel during your rental.

3. Compare different rental car companies to get the best price. Use a website, such as Rentalcars.com, that compares availability and prices across companies for a given time period.

4. Join free membership plans for the major car companies, such as Alamo, National, Hertz, Budget, Avis and Thrifty. Most memberships take only a few seconds to sign up for online and give you access to special deals and discounts.

5. Don't be tempted to add unnecessary extras to your rental car. GPS system rental, fuel pre-purchase, and other add-ons cost many times more than your actual rental.

6. Arrange for your own automobile insurance to cover the rental car during the rental period. Most policies will extend this coverage for free, allowing you to decline the extra insurance offered by the rental company. Likewise, many major credit cards will offer insurance coverage on a rental car, provided the rental is booked and paid for on that credit card.

Tips & Warnings

• Make certain that you have all necessary insurance coverage for both the rental car and for liability.

• Many companies will add a second driver for free, especially if that driver is your spouse or partner.

• Return the rental car with a full fuel tank to avoid extra fuel charges and penalties.

• Do not smoke or carry pets in a rental vehicle, unless allowed by the rental company. Either can result in a hefty fine.

References

• Hotwire: Car Index
• Priceline: Rental Cars
• Rental Cars: Car Rentals