final blue logo

8 Valuable Things to Check & Consider Before Renting a Car

It’s normal that you wish to opt for a monthly car rental in Vancouver for a holiday. It would save you tons of money that you may have otherwise spent on cab fares. Also, renting a car frees you from the constraints of public transportation’s timetable (or lack of it). 

However, both first-timers and seasoned travelers can find the whole process of renting a car a bit intimidating. So, here we are with the tips to help ease the renting process for you. Find below,  eight important things to remember about renting a car-

Use a credit card

When picking up your rental car, make sure to use a credit card. When you use a debit card, you will need to pay an activation fee as well as a significant (potentially hundreds of dollars) additional incremental keep. If you still prefer to borrow a car with a debit card, search the agreement online to ensure you don’t end up with an unexpected grip on your funds.

Renting a car for your child is more expensive

Your son’s driving record might be flawless, but car rental companies don’t really care about how good a driver your kid is. They are only seen as a potential threat to rental companies’ products. And if young drivers below the age of 25 borrow cars, they would almost certainly have to pay a surcharge.

Extra drivers cost extra money

Always aim to involve minimum drivers in your trip. You’ll have to pay an extra charge for each extra driver, regardless of whether they drive during the rental time. Some rental providers will cancel the charge for business rentals or romantic dates. However, it is highly recommended that you double-check the policies of the rental firm in question.

Compare auto insurance quotes

The agency will provide cover on your rented car, but insurance from a car rental shop is highly expensive and can only be used after any other choices have been eliminated. Examine your personal auto insurance policy to see if it covers leases as well. Give the credit card provider a call as well, as all of them have car rental protection as a card benefit.

Avoid renting a car at the airport if at all possible

When considering how to rent a car, it’s also necessary to consider where to rent a car from. We understand how convenient it is to simply pick up a car at the airport, but you must remember that you are paying a premium for the ability to pick up a car immediately after getting off the plane.

Rental firms are required to raise and pay fees to the airport authorities where they operate, so these fees are passed on to the consumer. You can avoid this by simply hailing a taxi to drive you to a car rental location that isn’t on the airport grounds.

Drive on paved roads

There aren’t many rental companies that will allow you to take rented cars off-roading. Off-roading doesn’t have to mean mud bogging. Suppose you want to go to a beautiful beach that doesn’t have a traditional road leading to it. 

As a result, you might have to drive off-road. This will be in breach of the rental agreement. Remember, if you have a rental car trapped in mud in an area that you shouldn’t have been driven in, the costs of getting it unstuck and washed up are your responsibility.

Before returning the vehicle, fill the fuel tank

Your holiday was fantastic, but now it’s time to head home and return the car. The only issue is that you returned with an empty tank. Can you top it up at the rental shop for you? Yes. However, you can end up paying twice, three times, or four times the going rate per gallon. So, it is advised that you fill the tank before handing over the car to its owner.

Bring the extras with you

Rental car providers are awesome for making extras available for rent for your holiday if you need more than just a ride. However, you will save money on the convenience fee by bringing any of the extras from home. 

For example, instead of using the GPS provided by the rental agent, use the maps app on your phone to navigate, as long as it does not consume your data plan. The same can be said for satellite radio.

Call us at 604-689-4400

Independent Rent A Car, stands at your service for a seamless car rental in Vancouver BC. Grab your keys!

Meshroad_Admin

Meshroad_Admin

Leave a Replay