Car Rental Tips for Your Next Getaway

We’re always being warned about buying a lemon. You wouldn’t buy a car without checking it out thoroughly first. And you wouldn’t buy a car without shopping around first either, right? And yet, when it comes to renting a car, we usually blindly stumble on to a website, click ‘ok’ a few times, and before you know it you’ve rented a double-decker bus with five child seats, no air conditioning, and no insurance. And by the time you’ve realized you’ve done that, it’s too late and you’ve probably just parted with the better part of your holiday savings.

Well there are a few tips that can save you a lot of time, money, and downright agony when it comes to renting a car.

How Many Are Travelling?

First and foremost, think about how many people are travelling and how far you’re going. Yes, you may think a hatch will be fine for four people, but if you’ve got three weeks of travel ahead you may need more space for luggage. And to get as far away from each other as possible.

Automatic or Stick-Shift?

Next, always double-check to make sure the car you want to rent has the transmission you’re after. There’s nothing more embarrassing than bunny hopping down the main strip of Vegas, simply because you didn’t realize you weren’t getting an automatic.

Insurance?

Always check out the insurance costs. If you think this vacation might be a good chance to let your 17-year-old son learn to drive, you might want to think again. As with hormones, insurance costs skyrocket when there are teenagers involved. You really want to save that extra cash for bail money after they’ve escaped the hotel and are found drinking in a nearby bar instead.

Baby on Board?

Need a child seat? Always find out how much extra it’s going to be, whether or not they’re up to code, and if there are any cleaning costs involved. Speaking of cleaning, are you going to be liable for cleaning costs at the end of your trip? Better find out just to make sure. Otherwise you’ll be charged an arm and a leg for every McDonald’s wrapper the company has to scrape off the carpet.

Shop Around

And always remember to shop around! There’s a lot of companies out there after your business, but are you really being offered the best deal? Ask about the possibility of an upgrade, you just never know your luck! Just remember to check to see if the car you’re offered covers all the bases.

Okay, so that’s a lot to think about right? But it need not be difficult! If you have a decent, easy-to-use website at your fingertips it can only take a few minutes. Just check out http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com/ for instance. Instead of shopping around all the different car rental companies’ websites, it combines all their prices and deals into one service. That’s right, they do all the hard work for you, searching around for the best deals and finding the one that’s right for you. Not only that, but the good people at Vroom pride themselves on top-notch customer service, so if you need help, they’re just an email or phone call away. So all you need to worry about now is how to survive a holiday with your teenaged children, or screaming toddlers! They’ll take care of the rest.