Preparing your next vacation? Having a few days off to be able to dedicate them to yourself, without having to worry about schedules, being able to go from one place to another with total freedom, is something wonderful, especially if you decide to take advantage of them to go on a trip.
And speaking of getting around, have you already thought about whether you are going to use public transport or, on the contrary, are you going to go to a car rental company? The truth is that buses, taxis and others can get us out of the odd problem, but since it is a vacation and at the moment what we are least interested in is having to look at the clock, we encourage you to rent a vehicle. Read on to know how to save money on your car rental.
Be careful with the fine print
Today there are many companies in rent a car, and sadly, not all are "clean wheat." There are some who will try to make you pay more than what you saw in the contract, so it is very important that you inform yourself well and read even the fine print. In this sense, special care must be taken with the empty fuel policy. Some years ago some friends came to Mallorca and we had to rent a car, because at that time I had mine in the workshop.
The question, they told us that we had to return the car with a full tank, and in the same condition in which it was delivered to us. When we finally returned it, we were all shocked when we were told what to pay (double the cost of the car). So that, I paid the rent for 4 days, the gas, and the »extra». Total: around 200 euros were.
Never be fooled by these companies, or by any. Sometimes, as it happened to me, The cheap can be expensive.
Reserve in low season
In the same way that when making a reservation to spend a few days in a hotel, it is highly recommended to reserve the car you want in low season for high season. To do this, you can use the BeneluxCar car rental search engine with which you will find what will be your transport vehicle a few months before traveling. You can save up to 20% Booking in advance, isn't that a great idea?
Save on your rental car insurance
Image - Mygool.com
Normally, whenever you go to rent a car, the company includes a standard insurance with excess. This franchise can range between 300 and 2000 euros, a price that will increase if the vehicle ends up with a scratch or other damage. Therefore, you should inquire at the company of How can you cancel this franchise and thus obtain a contract with fully comprehensive insurance, which although it is more expensive, will allow you to enjoy your vacation.
Make sure you have a credit card with a sufficient amount
This is very important. If you do not have a credit card, they will not give you the car, unless you pay in cash the amount they will ask for (from 100 to 1000 euros). This is money that companies withhold as a guarantee. This ensures that the car will be returned to them.
Check with the company the amount they are going to withhold before making the reservation, you will save yourself trouble .
Inspect the vehicle
Car rental companies have more and more competition, so it is more and more frequent that, if they see any damage to the vehicle, they charge it to the last person who rented it. To prevent this from happening to you, it is convenient to inspect it, check that everything is in order, and take photos so that the company cannot ask you for anything for no reason.
And by the way, do not forget to return it in the same state in which it was given to you. This way you will avoid the risk of last minute problems.
Additional features? No, thanks!
There are some add-ons, such as GPS, that may incur an additional cost. Currently there is no smartphone that does not have GPS, so you can save an interesting amount of money if you bring your mobile loaded. Do not forget to take your car charger with you so that it is always ready, since these programs consume a lot of battery.
Please clean it before you return it
Although it may not be told to you openly or specified in the contract, it is highly advisable to deliver the car clean, since otherwise they could make you pay for not having delivered it in good condition. It is not about leaving it shiny, but rather about cleaning both the inside and the outside in such a way that it looks good.
One last piece of advice I want to give you is that treat it as if it were yours. Avoid leaving cigarette butts, candy papers, ... well, any remaining dirt. So, before heading to the rental company, stop by the gas station to give it a go.
I hope that with these tips you can save a few euros on your car rental. Good trip!