23 myths and truths about how to get the lowest rate when you rent a car.
I found several fallacies on the internet about how to get the cheapest rate for renting a car, or also "how to rent a car without surprises". If you search well on the internet, you will see that some of these myths are often repeated on several websites, because each of them has the intention of selling their own product/service, that some of them are creators of small search engines / car rental aggregators , that is, some small OTAs. And that is why I have decided to change the title from “How to rent a car effectively and economically” to “Myths and truths about how to get the lowest rate in a rent a car”
For some time I wanted to write an article about tips to be able to rent a car effectively and also economically, but as you can see, before writing this article I have searched for information on the internet to contrast it with my experience of having worked in a rent a car. At this time, while I write this article, I do not work for any rental company, nor for any search engine, so below you will see myths and truths about how to rent a car in the most effective and least problematic way possible.
1. Use lesser known car rental search engines. ❌ (myth)
There is a theory going around the internet that ensures that using a lesser known search engine (or sites) is better and cheaper, because they have lower percentages and because they are less abusive. This is not true. Certainly some search engines (aggregators, OTAs) have their flaws, sometimes providing manipulating information or not being very clear about the conditions, but this has nothing to do with the size of the chosen OTAs; good and bad people are everywhere. It is also not true that the small OTAs are cheaper, since many of them redirect you to the big OTAs. What is true is that sometimes cheaper prices are obtained in these aggregators (intermediary) than renting directly from the Rentacar, but paying cheaper prices also has its consequences and it is this same problem of the veracity of the booking information. For this there is a good solution, which is prevention, that is, after booking a car through a search engine, it is good to contact the rentacar directly to verify all the booking information: availability, prices, hidden rates, schedule delivery, car model, conditions, free kilometers, etc.
Another important piece of information that I would like to add is that making modifications and cancellations with the agencies directly is usually better than with an OTA. Modifications and cancellations must always be made with the person who made them, that is, with the agency or with the OTA.
2. Do not rent GPS ❌ (myth)
This statement is relative, because if you do not have a good data package on your phone to use Google Maps constantly, then it is better to have a GPS. It is true that GPS are all old and outdated, but it is not the fault of the rental companies, but of technology, that since the appearance of Google Maps, GPS manufacturers have not modernized GPS devices. Of course, if you have a good amount of data on your cell phone to use all the time, the best option is not to rent a GPS from the Rentacar. Tip: download the maps (offline) for the areas that do not have coverage.
3. Renting outside the airport is cheaper ✔️ (true)
It is true that the same company has higher rates in its airport branches than in other branches outside of it, this is because the airports charge some taxes and other charges to the rental companies, which are then transferred to the rental cost.
4. Not hiring extra insurance is better ❌ (myth)
I have seen this theory in almost 100% of the blogs and articles and it is not true. The extra insurance offered by rental companies after booking is generally good when they cover collisions and theft. Rentalcar companies usually offer several types of additional insurance, you have to pay special attention to the details of what the insurance covers. When carrental companies are forced to charge for a repair of the returned car, they usually charge more expensive, because the cost of the repair is added to the rental days they lose by being in the mechanic shop. It is often thought that rental companies abuse charges for collision repair, but this is not the case. So it is always better to contract the extra insurance that they offer, in addition, the rental companies are usually more flexible in the details with those people who contract insurance. If your credit card covers car rental collisions, first make sure to see what your credit card covers.
5. Pay attention to the fine print ✔️ (truth)
This does not need to be clarified, but everywhere you have to pay attention to the fine print, both in the contracted extra insurance, as well as in delivery times, tolerance of the return time, car cleaning, kilometers included, etc, etc. .
6. Reserve minor categories ✔️ (true)
This is true, it is better to reserve a lower category and then move to a higher category at the agency, and not vice versa, since it is always more likely that the availability of the lower categories will end than the higher categories. Moreover, there is usually more chance of negotiating rates for higher categories.
7. Renting at the last minute is cheaper ❌ (myth)
Cars are not airplanes, and neither are hotel rooms. I have seen this theory on several blogs and it is not true. Transferring the theory of the negative band of flights, or of the free rooms in the evening of hotels is a mistake. If you think that arriving at the last minute at a location you can negotiate a price because you think the rental company is desperate to rent, you are wrong, it is almost certain that you will run out of car availability. Try to book as early as possible to get the best prices. If you can do it months before, the better. Car rental prices tend to go up as the day approaches, and they never go down, even at the last minute.
8. Cancel and rebook when prices drop ❌ (myth)
If you are going to cancel and rent again because you have seen that your rental company put lower prices, it is almost certain that you will be left without a car. This action would have a good result, if you first make a new reservation before canceling the previous one, but never do it the other way around. Remember that to first make a reservation before renting you must have a very good limit on your credit card.
9. Monthly and weekly rentals are cheaper ✔️ (true)
This is true, rental companies usually have discounts on weekly, fortnightly and monthly rentals, also account executives usually make differential prices. In these cases, I recommend paying attention to the kilometers included.
10. Rent in the middle of the week ✔️ (true)
This is true, sometimes, not always, it is possible to find cheaper rates by renting a car in the middle of the week.
11. Renting for a few days and then extending is better ❌ (myth)
This is bad advice, if you do, it is almost certain that you will run out of availability, the reality is that it is better the other way around, rent for a longer time and return, rental companies have no problem reimbursing money in these cases.
12. Never marry a car rental ❌ (myth)
The advice of not being loyal to a rental company is not good, going like a mountebank from rental company to rental company looking for the best prices can bring you bad experiences. When you have rented several times from a rental company and you have not had any problems, it is better to be loyal, since in many cases they tend to be flexible in "certain situations", sometimes to save a few cents, we find ourselves with great unpleasant surprises.
13. Do not hire a toll pass, because rental cars all have a free pass ❌ (myth)
A so-called "car rental expert" claims that the cars of car rental companies all have a free pass stuck on the windshield, this is not true, so if you are going to make a trip far away and your rental company offers you the free pass option, hire it, it can even be cheaper than those that charge tolls.
14. Not hiring additional driver service is better ❌ (myth)
In car rentals there is always a driver included and the rental companies usually offer to add more drivers paying a very cheap extra. There are blogs that ensure that it is not necessary to hire additional drivers if everyone has a driver's license, this is a bad idea, because if an accident occurs with a driver who is not included in the rental agreement, it can cause serious problems later.
15. Do not hire a prepaid fuel tank ✔️ (true)
This statement is correct, buying a fuel tank from the rental company is usually more expensive than at a filling station. It is best to refuel just before returning the car.
So far we have found 9 myths and 6 truths, from among the 15 statements that I have found on the internet, but I will also give you 8 extra tips that will be useful to you.
Extra tips
Never return the car late. 🔵
Customers often think that when returning the car later than the stipulated time, it is usually divided by dividing the day by 24 or dividing the hour by 60 minutes, and this is not true, the reality is that every hour or every minute it takes you to return the car It is usually much more expensive than you think.
Beware of natural disasters and acts of vandalism 🔵
Many insurances do not cover acts of vandalism and natural disasters, an example of this is hail, which in these cases it is good to seek shelter or put the internal carpets of the car and the trunk on the roof.
Your insurance does not cover you outside the country 🔵
If your rental company enables you to take the car out of the country, be careful with the insurance that does not cover you outside the country, nor will you have assistance or mechanical assistance outside the country, in these cases check with your credit card if they have any options for these cases?
Return the car clean 🔵
Even if your rental company tells you that it is not necessary to return the car clean, always try to return it clean to avoid problems.
Take photos of the car before taking it away 🔵
It is good to take photos (also a video) of the car from all angles and of the interior before leaving, and if you can send it to the rental company by e-mail, much better, in this way you avoid future problems.
Rent a car safely 🔵
Rent a car with total security, do not be so strict in the details, if you feel insecure because it is your first time, hire the most complete insurance that the agency offers.
Do not question the infractions, it is a waste of time 🔵
The infractions that arrive some time later are usually 100% true, because the rental companies make sure that they are within the rental period, so it is mentally insane to become a problem for these issues. Ask your rental company if you can pay the fine in installments.
Avoid taking a taxi to the airport 🔵
If your rental company gives you the option of returning the car at the airport free of charge, do not hesitate, it is cheaper than taking a taxi to the airport.
All these tips, statements and denials that I have written here are made based on my experience of having worked for a few years in a car rental company, in the thousands of cars that I have delivered and received, I have come across hundreds of different cases. I have come across situations many times where some people felt so sure that nothing would happen if they didn't take out insurance and then they came back with the car almost destroyed and clutching their heads. Many times the customer is met with surprises that are unrelated to their driving, when they leave a restaurant or when they get up in the morning. Renting a car is a big responsibility, so I consider it defamation and/or deception to say that taking out extra insurance is useless. Unfortunately there are many blogs and websites saying the same thing, but it is not real, and this is valid for all rental companies, many times to save a few cents we find unpleasant surprises. If you have little money, It is preferable to rent a car for fewer days than stipulated and to be sure.
I hope this article has been useful to you.
