Are you planning to go on a road trip in Canada? Here are some important things Downtown Vancouver will need to know if you are looking to hire a rental car for your trip. These tips will come in handy, especially if you are about to book a car rental in Downtown Vancouver.

10 Important Things To See Before Renting A Car

Getting to rent a car is an easy process in Vancouver. However, you must be sure about some crucial points before you start looking for car rentals. We have listed down a few essential tasks you need to consider before planning your road trip.

1. Know Your Plan

The beautiful spots in Vancouver will mostly allure you into spending some extra time. Unfortunately, this can delay your entire trip resulting in the late return of your rental car. That is precisely why we suggest you plan your trip accordingly so you can enjoy quality time without being worried about the extra charge that may occur due to the late return.

You Don’t Want To Be Anxious About Anything During Your Trip!

2. Pre-book Your Rental Car

You don’t want to waste any extra penny on your trip! Pre-booking not only assures the availability of your rental car but also saves your money that could go down the drain due to last-minute booking.

3. Your Age Matters!

Though this may come off as silly, we aren’t joking when we say you could be surcharged based on your age. And back off if you aren’t 21 yet because you can hire a rental car only if you are that old.

4. Don’t Forget Your International License

Carrying your Canadian license or International Driver’s License will come in handy while hiring your rental car. But you can’t hire one if you don’t have your license in English translation.

5. Know Your Driver

We understand that everyone in your gang wants to drive, but your rental company can charge you extra for multiple drivers.

6. Pick a Suitable Car

Oh common! You don’t want to stand and kill your vacation time on puncturing your rental car after riding it on a hilly road! You must know which car would best suit your needs and hire that one!

7. Don’t Let the Website Fool You

The price you see online may not be the actual price. However, the price shown online is the lowest price, so, buddy, be prepared!

8. Don’t Forget to Fill the Tank

Along the trip, you will be held responsible for fueling up your rental car. You will be expected to refill the tank while returning the car. At least, you will have to return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel you received.

Few More Things to Be Aware Of:

9. In the event of a location change, be prepared to pay extra because any location change can spike the cost.

10. When the agency demonstrates the essential functions, make sure you listen and understand the car thoroughly.

With the above pointers in mind, you should be able to find a decent rental car according to your choice. But, most importantly, you can enjoy a much happier ride. Better safe than sorry.

To know more about the car rental by Vancouver airport, please feel free to contact Independent Rent A Car at 604-689-1423

Returning a rental car late could bring you into extreme complications. Not returning your rented car to its rental company on time could disturb the company’s work schedule. Apart from the heavy fine, this event can earn you the title of a car thief! Wondering how? Here are all the details about car rental deals in Vancouver.

Laws like Grand Theft Auto could get you into trouble for not returning your rental car on time. So, in brief, why should you not delay the return of your rental car? Let us find out!

Consequences of Returning the Rental Car Late

The consequences of a delay in returning a rental car can affect the company and the people who have booked the same car after you. Therefore, companies often take this act seriously and charge you with the following:

1. Contractual Violations

You are breaching the contract signed with the rental company; therefore, you will be liable for legal consequences that may occur.

Taking a rental car beyond the time mentioned in the contract is a violation of the contract. In addition, by delaying the return, you are depriving the owner of their property, which can give rise to many legal issues as it can cause a massive loss to the owner of the car.

2. Hefty fines

The chances of you being charged with an extra fee for being late are also highly expected. Do you still feel like risking yourself for some spare time? You will have to pay the extra fine charged by the rental company.

Things could go wrong along the way; after all, life is unpredictable, but so are the consequences of delaying the return of your rental car. Some companies might excuse you by ignoring the delay; however, certain companies could demand you to pay the fare for the next working day as well.

Either way, you don’t get to have a say as you are the one at fault!

3. You will Be Responsible For The Car’s Safety

You will solely be responsible for the safety of the rental car after working hours. You are liable to keep your rental car in utmost safety until you return the same to the company you have rented it from, failing which you will have to pay the fine against damages.

You must make sure to return the car within the working hours of that particular rental company. If you happen to return the rental car after working hours, you are still responsible for the car’s safety, and you are still liable to pay the extra fine charged.

4. Disruption In The Workflow

You might hinder the workflow of the rental company. For example, another customer might have booked the rental car at the time of your return. Therefore, your delay could affect the workflow of the rental company. This may create a bad reputation for the company, thereby causing considerable losses for them.

In order to avoid all these possible risks, it is highly suggested that you plan your trip accordingly and make necessary arrangements to return your rental car at the scheduled time. This will help you and the company to stay on time and under the local laws.

For more information on car rentals in Downtown Vancouver and the procedures that concern the delay of returning rental cars, contact ‘Independent Rent A Car’ at 604-689-1423.

If you’re venturing out on a road trip this winter season, you need to be smart! Traveling in the cold season amidst the snow can either mean a great vacation on the ski slopes or getting stranded on the side of the road in the freezing cold, waiting desperately for help to arrive.

However, if you have rented a car from a reputable car rental in North Vancouver, it will most likely come with an ice scraper and a brush, but there are a few other things you need to keep in check. Make sure to have sufficient anti-freeze wiper fluid and optimal tire pressure before you set out. Be that as it may, something that isn’t under your control is the weather and the other drivers on the road. Nevertheless, we have a few tips up our sleeve that may come in handy for you.

Rent a Car with Anti-locking Brakes

Renting an all-wheel or a four-wheel drive in the snow can work out great for you, but often it is not worth all that extra money. Most new cars today are front-wheel drive, and you may rely on it in moderate snow. However, the only precaution you need to maintain is to get a car with an anti-lock system so that your car never slides out of your control if you ever need to brake on a curve.

Check Out the Car’s Features Before Hitting the Road

Even if the rental car shares some common features with your own car, do not forget to know about its unique features. Take a few laps before renting the car to make sure that you are handling it well enough. Become familiar with the features and the blind spots so that you don’t get taken by surprise during your road trip.

Gather All the Essentials

You may not know when you require something the most and so, make sure to stock up on the important things while you still can. Fill up the gas tank and bring sufficient warm clothes. Frequent road trippers also suggest having a blanket, a flashlight, a portable phone charger, and a few snacks and sufficient water every time you take on a trip. In case you’re traveling to somewhere remote, carry a shovel in case the snow gets too deep.

Keep Your Emergency Contacts Handy

The rental agency is supposed to have a roadside assistance number that you call for help. Before making your trip, make sure to learn all about rental car insurance and check on your own car insurance. In case it does not cover your rental car, you might want to consider paying for the rental agency’s collision and damage waiver.

Driving in snow and ensuring you have the assistance of the best car rental in Vancouver can be tricky but not entirely impossible. All you need to do is to be careful at every step and have patience because in the end patience has its rewards. To make sure that you have the best road trip this snow season, give Independent Rent A Car a call at 604-689-4400 to discuss the best fit for you!

Plan a vacation and go on a road trip to a new place to enhance your traveling experience and get away from life’s daily stress. But, also make it a point to travel in a rented car and not use the usual public transport. Exploring a new location in your rented car gives you flexibility and freedom to move around at your convenience and your pace.

However, to make the most out of your trip, ensure that you avoid these mistakes while renting a car through a car rental agency in Vancouver.

Prepaying for Gasoline

Most car rental agencies in Vancouver, BC, offer to refuel the car for the sake of convenience. Never fall for this. Otherwise, you will end up paying much more than the actual cost of the fuel as the car rental companies charge an increased cost.

Overlooking Potential Offers for Upgrades

Never miss a chance to check for upgrade offers on your car. The best strategy that works here is to book a low-cost car and check for upgrades at the time of pickup. Most often, during busy hours, the rental company upgrades you to a better car at no additional cost or a discount if they have a shortage of low-cost cars.

Not Using Membership Discounts and Reward Program

Before booking, always look for membership discounts and reward programs offered by AAA, AARP, banks, and credit cards. This way, you can save up to 25% on your rental booking.

Picking Up Without Making a Thorough Inspection

Inspect your rented car thoroughly at the time of pickup for any damages, scratches, or issues that can cause trouble later. If possible, take photos and videos of your inspection and point out any damages that are already there. Not inspecting your car during pickup may add to your rent later. This is helpful not just in saving any additional costs but also in making your drive smooth.

Returning Rental Car Without Last Inspection

It is not a good idea to return the rental car without the last inspection. Always get your car checked by an agent from the rental company before leaving. This will help in avoiding any damage claims made later by the rental company. Again, it is suggested to click pictures, take videos of the last inspection, and keep them for the record.

Purchasing Extra Insurance

Most car rental companies push their customers to buy insurance from them. Knowing beforehand that you are sufficiently covered will save you from purchasing extra insurance.

Check your auto insurance and credit card insurance offers before booking a car rental. Your auto insurance that covers your vehicle applies to your rented vehicle as well if you have full coverage.

In addition to your auto insurance, your credit card also gives you good coverage if you do the rental bookings using your credit card. Many credit cards even cover” loss of use” charges if you use them for your rental bookings. So check your coverage before booking a car rental.

Crossing International Borders

Crossing international borders without any planning may create problems for you because most car rental agreements do not allow this. Even your insurance won’t cover international car rentals. If you are planning to cross borders, inform your rental company in advance.

Independent Rent A Car is among the cheapest car rental agencies in Vancouver highly recommended for ease of service. For more details, call us at 604-689-1423

Renting a car can get pretty complicated if you are new to it. It is not just about choosing the appropriate model. In fact, it depends on a lot of other factors as well. If you want to save money while renting a car, you have landed in the right place. In this blog here, we have provided quite a few insider tips and tricks to save you a few bucks and the hassle that comes with long-term car rental in Vancouver, so that you can enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

Compare Prices

This may not be applicable if you are planning an impromptu trip, rather if you have planned your vacation in advance. By starting a little ahead of one or two months, you will be able to research the car rentals in the area where you are traveling to and will be able to estimate a ballpark number of what your rental car may cost you.

Book as Early as You Can

When booking early, you need to keep in mind that you have locked the best deal available to you at that time. However, with time a better deal may come up and so you need to choose a refundable rate. This way you have the option and the flexibility to choose something cheaper in case it appears sometime before your trip. Sometimes, rental agencies run a special discount if the demand goes lower than usual and you may find great deals anywhere between a week to a day before your trip.

Decline any Extra Rental Car Insurances

Before promising to take up the rental car insurance, check your own policy first to check if it covers any damage on a rental car. Most people overlook this simple step and end up paying more later on. If you are the owner of an American Express credit card or any other credit card from a premium bank, you are eligible for auto insurance on car rentals. However, make sure to check with the credit card company before your trip as it may differ from place to place.

Rent from Non-Airport Locations

You must always remember that rentals in and around the airport charge a higher fee than a place downtown for the simple reason of convenience. Most people would not be bothered to look anywhere else and would prefer to have a car as soon as they get off the flight. However, what you can do to save some bucks is to hop on a bus and rent a car in town.

Whether you are renting a car for a long vacation or to take a road trip with your friends and family, choose the best option available to you. If your priority is being economical while not having to compromise on the experience, book from the best car rental downtown in Vancouver. We at Independent Rent A Car can help you choose a car within your budget, and also provide the cheapest long-term car rental in Vancouver. Call us at 604-689-4400 to plan your road trip with us today!