autoeurope

If you've never rented a car before and are planning to do so sometime soon, there are several things that you need to know in order to have the best possible experience. After all, as with any other situation in life, the less knowledgeable and informed you are, the more likely it is that something will go wrong.

In this article, we will go over some facts and realities you should be aware of before you book and pick up your first rental vehicle.

1. You'll regret not doing enough research.

Don't just go with the first rental car company you find. You need to do your due diligence to find out prices and conditions at many different companies before you choose the one best for you. Check out price comparison websites for extremely useful company and price information, as well as booking opportunities.

2. Renting your car in advance will help you save money.

Be aware that if you plan to book your car less than 24 hours in advance, you are likely to end up paying higher (probably significantly higher) rates. If you find that you cannot avoid booking a car less than one day in advance, think about choosing a smaller independent rental car provider. This is because they might have more latitude in negotiating prices.

3. In the United States, you'll pay more if you're younger than 25.

People renting a car in the United States are required to pay a “young driver” fee. Be aware of this when planning your rental car budget if you are in this age bracket.

4. It's best to just have one driver.

You will find that many companies will charge you extra if you want an additional driver. If possible, try to arrange for just one person to do all the driving in the rental car.

5. Be aware that there will be a hold charge on your credit card.

It's important to remember that there will be a hold charge of probably between $300 and $1,000 on your credit card during the time you have the rental vehicle. You will need to keep this in mind while setting out your budget, as you will not have use of this money for the duration of your car rental period.

6. You'll save money if you try to avoid one-way car rental.

You will probably get a better price overall if you are able to pick up and drop off the rental car at the same location. If you want to take your rental vehicle on a one-way trip, be prepared to pay more. There are usually added fees to reflect the expense of shifting the fleet around from place-to-place to replace the car you drove.

7. Remember that you'll need to carefully inspect the car.

You should thoroughly inspect the rental vehicle before you drive off with it and after you bring it back. It's best to document your inspection with photos and even video. This is so if you are accused of creating damage that you didn't later on, you can prove that it was either already there when you picked up the car or wasn't there when you dropped it off (and therefore must have been incurred later). If there is already damage to the car when you pick it up, make sure to get this acknowledged by the rental company.