Car Rental Chains Offer Great Deals

Car Rental Chains Offer Great Deals
plug itThere is a dizzying array of car rental possibilities these days. How do you figure out which is the best for you?
One of the best known car rental options is using an automobile club, such as the American Automobile Association (better known as AAA). Because so many people belong to auto clubs, they can get cheaper rates for items like rental cars. Part of an auto club membership fee goes to subsidize such discounts, so if you are member, check into it.

Among car rental chains, the best known are Hertz, Avis, Budget and Enterprise. These are all companies with solid reputations. It's well worth checking among them to compare rates. Also ask the rental agents for any lesser-known deals that would help your situation. Many companies are affiliated with specific hotels, airlines, car companies etc. Those affiliations can stand you in good stead in finding a deal.

With the internet came other opportunities. Travelocity, Orbitz and other websites are also affiliated with car rental companies. You can make all your travel plans, including hotel, airfares etc., at the same time you reserve your rental car. Thanks to the speed of the internet, you can also find last-minute specials or quickly contact the company to make a reservation or to cancel a previous reservation.

In addition to these nationally known companies, there are several smaller, regional companies. These are also good: You have more direct contact with personnel if there is a problem. However, some of the national chains offer amenities the smaller companies can only dream of. For example, some regional offices of national chains specialize in specific types of vehicles, such as sports cars, sport utility vehicles etc. Cars from a national chain will be more likely to have the "extras" such as satellite radio and navigation systems. The larger companies are also easier to find at airports and more frequently offer shuttle service when needed. The national chains can most often meet your travel needs.

No company is best. Car rental programs are always changing and it is best to check often. New deals and programs are offered every day. Be sure to sign up for a rental company's email notices if you expect to need a rental car often or if you know you will need a car sometime soon. Forewarned is forearmed with a great deal.

Word-of-mouth is still a great way to learn of the deals out there. If a coworker mentions a rental company, listen. Did he or she get a good deal? Did he or she like the company? Why or why not? Learn from his or her experience.

Because the car rental industry is so competitive, many companies offer similar deals and features like insurance, road service, loyalty programs and discounts. It pays to check to see if the one you are considering has the amenities you want.



About the Author
The collaborator Guy Morris is specifically interested in areas associated to car rental tips and alicante airport. You can come across his work on car hire in alicante spain at different sources for car hire in alicante spain information.

Saving Money On Travel These Holidays

Holiday travel is expensive! Gas prices are unpredictable, hotel rates can be high for the peak travel season, and rental cars are always more pricey than you'd like them to be. Thanks to online coupons you may find a great deal of savings on the trips you have to make to friends, relatives and loved ones. Why pay full price when you can print a coupon off the website?

In many cases, the Internet coupons you'll find are "affiliate discounts". This means you have to "Click Here" and get referred to a site like Avis.com where your discount is applied thanks to your click. One "click here" discount coupon at simplybestcoupons.com gives you fifteen dollars off a compact to full size rental. Another coupon click offers ten percent off a compact to full size rental.

And what about those hotel discounts? The Radisson Hot Hotel Deals coupons go up to fifty percent off. Who wouldn't want to save half their hotel bill, especially during holiday gift-giving season? Your travel expenses could go down dramatically, all with a few simple mouse clicks.

Some of the coupons lead to other discount agencies like Priceline.com, but again, never underestimate the "affiliate discount" factor. Many of the Priceline affiliate online coupons are for specific destinations, which may be quite helpful if you were planning on going there. The discounted air travel could also work as a unique gift! Who wouldn't want a gift ticket to an exciting destination? Further, discounted air travel is something to keep in mind as a gift for the person who has everything.

Of course, some of your travel expenses are not directly related to driving a rental car or flying in airplanes. Is your old, ratty luggage on its last legs? Try using an online coupon to get good discounts on a new set of luggage to replace your old ones. Some coupons will save you up to sixty-five percent, and others are related to how much your final purchase totals up to be; either way you are saving a nice bit of cash on something you definitely needed to buy. You can use the extra money to save for next year's holiday purchases or indulge in a nice on-the-road treat.

Another travel-related purchase is audio books. How many times have you longed to have something more to listen to while driving your rental car? There are many online coupons for purchases in great stores like booksamillion.com and audible.com. Your traveling time will fly by with the latest audiobook bestseller, and don't miss the online coupon for the clearances! Up to 80 percent off in some cases.

Coupons are great, but online coupons are even better--if you plan ahead you can get your savings delivered to your door in plenty of time for the trip, and what doesn't get sent through the mail, your rental car and airline tickets, you'll pick up at the airport counter. Thanks to the online coupons traveling for the holidays doesn't get any easier.

About the Author

James Brown writes about http://www.SimplyBestCoupons.com

10 Rules That Make Renting a Car Online Simple

Computers and the World Wide Web are turning people into "mouse clickers." One can do just about anything on the net: file for divorce, hire a car, and search for a husband or date, and shop. If you ever need to rent a car you need no longer go to a hire agency, the whole process can be done online.

To make renting a car online safe and easy, just follow these 10 rules:

1. Do a thorough search on the net and short list a few rent-a-car companies. Determine their rates, when they were established, and their business module. Find out whether they have a good reputation. A few examples of excellent companies are www.avis.com and www.hertz.com.

2. Locate a company that offers you a good deal and is located close to where you live. If you collect and return the car quite close to the company's location you will save money.

3. Before you approach a company online and fill in your needs, make up your mind on what kind of car you want, for how many days, what features are essential for you and so on. Consider where you are going and find out whether you will need anti-freeze or snow chains.

4. Before you fill in your needs and pay for a car you must read through the contract and the terms and conditions in fine print. List any questions you may have and ring up the company's toll free number for clarifications.

5. Use as ready reference the list of essential documents required for renting a car and get all your papers in order. While some companies accept scans of documents others may ask you to courier the documents or drop them off.

6. Make sure the package you choose is beneficial and determine if you are entitled to any discount. Before making an online payment check to see whether the company has a safe gateway.

7. And be sure to ensure that the car is insured , its papers are in order, and that the company has a few travel insurance schemes.

8. Many companies top the tank before you get the car while others require you to fill the gas. Find out as much as you can about the company policy regarding gas, free drop off and pick up, and who is responsible if the car needs any repair.

9. Check whether you have the car rental company's 24/7 contact numbers and e-mail addresses in case of emergency.

10. Check whether your driver's license is valid for where you are planning to drive and whether the car rental company has any rules about only the person renting the car being allowed to drive.

Many rent-a-car companies have great marketing schemes in place they offer discounts, coupons, reward points, and more. Visit car rental directories to find out what is new and what is beneficial.

About the Author

Aaron Brooks is a freelance writer for http://www.1888seoservices.com/ , the premier website to find Seo consulting, link buildings and professionals seo training, online marketing tips, seo tools and more. He also freelances for the premier Airport Parking site http://www.1888airportparking.com

Car Rental - What About The Co-Pilot? A Primer On Additional Drivers

So your on your trip, and you want someone else to drive. WAAAAIT!!! Okay it may seem like a good idea to just do it anyway, in fact you may get away with it, but when you rent the car, you are almost always the only person authorized to drive the car. There are a few notable exceptions, but I will go over that later.

so lets go over the rules of rental additional drivers:

* Additional drivers must be at least age 25. It doesn't matter how old the renter is, the additional driver must be 25 or older to drive. The one exception would be that some agencies allow employees of the same company on a business trip to drive only if the rental is part of a valid business trip AND the company as previously negotiated for underage drivers and additional drivers as part of their corporate discount perks. (example, Microsoft at one time had driving privileges for all renters and drivers on Microsoft sponsored business for age 18 and over).

* In order to rent a car, you must have a sufficient enough driving record. The same applies to the additional driver and the agency may check (Avis, for example, pays a third party to run abstracts on every driver electronically and compare it against a specific set of criteria.

* The additional driver must be declared and proper paperwork filled out.

* Most agencies charge for additional drivers. Typically between $15-25 daily.

* If you do NOT properly declare an additional driver, you will have violated the rental agreement and should any damages happen to the car, no insurance company in the world will pay out on your claim.

Great! so now what? Well there are a few authorized driver scenarios which may apply to you, depending on which company you are with and the purpose of your trip.

* Some companies allow employees on a business trip to drive as an additional driver without charge and without an an additional driver form. The trip, however for the renter and the employee needs to be paid for by the company as proof in the event that an accident or damage to the vehicle occurs. This info is only used to verify that the contract was not violated.

* Some companies allow spouses to drive without additional paperwork. This is a great thing and I don't know why all agencies follow this rule.

* Domestic partners are often NOT considered spouses. There is one HUGE caveat To the best of my knowledge, there is only one rental company that currently allows domestic partners as spouses for driving privileges. That company is Avis Rent A Car. It is a truly 'no questions asked' policy, however in case of an accident, Avis will ask for proof the domestic partnership. Usually a government issued ID with same address on it, plus a credit card bill or utility bill in each others names verifying residence is all that's needed. This being said I have heard that some locations still aren't as versed as others in this practice, so having some of that paperwork for you at the time of rental may not be a bad idea.

Next time you rent a car and want to ride shotgun, at least you will have some of the basics down what is at stake. For further information, see the respective car rental sites or check out Car Rental Insider for other tips.

J.W. Parker
Insider Emeritus
http://www.CarRentalInsider.com

J.W. spent many years as a manager of several car rental locations on the West Coast. His base knowledge has been applied to many car rental travel sites as an insider helping customers guide their way through the mess known as the Car Rental Industry. Although retired from the Rent-A-Car business, he still continues to monitor changes in the industry and help those who ask.

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