10 tips before renting a car for your trip to turn your break or trip into an truly immersive local experience. The most important reason for renting a car is not only that it gives you more autonomy at your destination, but also that it allows you to plan your trip, change it and redo the plans over and over again, adapting the trip to you and not the other way around, letting you "travel at your own pace" as they say.
What are these 10 tips?
Choose a car rental company for your trip
The choice of car will depend on whether you are going to make a short or long trip:
- Internationally renowned car rental companies with large fleets in almost every country in the world. These are ideal if your trip involves more than one international destination, that is, if you are going to cross several countries or continents.
- Car rental companies in expansion, i.e., they are not major international rental companies, but they have an important presence in many countries and usually compete with the majors in terms of price, since they also have large fleets of vehicles.
- Local companies are the most used by those who already know the area and therefore know where to move around and are normally used as a last alternative.
Choose the car that suits you and not the other way around
Something very common in car rentals is to only look at the price. While price is very important, and with several offers on the table we go for the cheapest one or the one we always dreamed of driving. But either option is a mistake because the vehicle should give you a ride that you feel comfortable in.
In any case, practice responsible tourism and think about your trip, your accommodation, your rental car and everything that makes this planet and ourselves better.
Pay special attention to the company's fuel policy.
We are going to spend fuel during the whole trip, but we cannot know how much, so we have to analyze the company's policy, whether we will return the tank full or not, whether we will find it full or not, etc.
When to rent a car
Rental cars are normally located at train stations, airports and other places where passengers arrive. Whenever possible, rent your car in advance. It is important to take the time to read all the conditions, and it is more than likely that you will get a better price.
Rental and pick-up locations, as well as where to return the vehicle
More important than where you are going to have the holiday of a lifetime, you must think about where you have to pick up the vehicle and where to drop it off. These two points are very important, since the company you have chosen must have delivery and pick-up points at these locations.
Insurance
Insurance is the eternal companion of travel because bad things do happen, so it is best not to think of it as an enemy or an extra that makes the trip more expensive, but something that makes any hitch in your plans just that, a minor issue, and that the insurance will take care of everything.
There are extras in the vehicle rental
Yes, some companies include extras that can be an unpleasant surprise that you did not count on when renting a car for your trip. That is why it is necessary to check the contract or the offer closely, to prevent the small print from giving you a surprise.
Look for rentals with free cancellation
One form of insurance not to lose money is free cancellation, in case some mishap prevents us from renting the vehicle. This is why, although it tends to raise the price a little, it is a good option to avoid future problems when renting a car for your trip.
If your trip is a long one, take advantage of the offers for this type of rental
As we have been saying from the start, the car and the company must be adapted to your needs, and there are many companies that offer special prices for those who travel for a long period of time such as going round Europe by car, where a long term option is sure to improve the price.
Take advantage of special offers
You should always take advantage of special deals, because companies that want to rent all their vehicles offer them to customers at the best prices. After all, their goal is for you to rent their car and to drive a car that suits you at the best price, they simply want you to travel!
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