Cars, Vans, Trucks, Quad bikes: Buying, hiring or leasing a car - "Renting a Car--How to Survive Financially!"Friday, 3 September, 2010 |
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Car rental agencies, along with other factors, have played a vital role in increasing the ease of traveling whether for business or pleasure. The ability to rent a vehicle of nearly any style, size and model at reasonable rates has been a boon to travelers, world-wide. The process of renting a car, however, can be about as daunting as buying a used car. You should proceed very carefully, armed with knowledge about the rental industry and information about your specific needs.
In short, there are four different kinds of basic rates charged by car rental companies: daily rates with all mileage billed extra; daily rates with a limited number of free miles per day; daily rates with unlimited mileage; and a rate that has free mileage over an extended period of time. Naturally, all rental car agencies charge different rates based on the size and style of the vehicle, with most firms renting economy, compact, intermediate and deluxe cars. Tip--renting a car for a full week is often cheaper than renting for five days.
An important consideration when renting a car is the length of time you will be needing the vehicle. If it's less than a week, you'll probably find lower rates with a major, national company like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz or Thrifty. For rentals of a week or more, you may get better prices from local companies, especially auto dealers. Be wary of local companies if you plan to drive quite a few miles; if you have a break down or an accident, they usually lack the services and support of the major companies.
The basic rate you see advertised in big print in magazine, newspaper and television ads, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to car rental costs. Surcharges (usually in the form of taxes) are sometimes the result of greedy cities, states, airports or the rental car company itself. Whoever is at fault, these nasty little add-ons can boost your total rate by as much as 50%. Sales taxes, airport taxes, concession fees, vehicle leasing fees, and drop-off fees often don't show up when you're quoted a base rate for renting a car. Renters sometimes find themselves charged other miscellaneous fees, such as a bill for the shuttle that brings them from the airport to the car rental parking lot, or an expensive fee for additional drivers.
The best remedy to reduce "contract shock" is to use travel agents, booking services and Web sites that disclose all fees in advance. Some companies are taking away the mystery surrounding car rental rates by offering "total pricing" for their cars. Your total rental cost will be calculated prior to making the reservation, guaranteed to be within one percent of the actual rate.
An additional expense of renting a car is the insurance the company sells. The term "insurance," by the way, is a misnomer since rental car companies aren't licensed to sell insurance. What they are selling are waivers, so you're not on the hook for any damage caused in an accident.
The three kinds of waivers "encouraged" by the major car rental agencies are as follows: physical damage waivers that cover any harm done to the rental car; liability waivers that cover any harm you do to others and their property while in the car; loss damage waivers that cover theft, vandalism and loss of use, which covers the rental fees the company might lose while the car is being repaired.
Your personal car insurance might cover these occurrences, but they might not! The only way to know for sure is to call your auto insurer and ask about insurance coverage on rentals. Even then, your personal insurance may not cover rentals abroad, or certain vehicles such as SUVs, trucks, vans and campers. Do a little research now, save yourself some money later.
When it comes to fueling plans you also have a variety of options. You can: prepay for a tank of gas when you rent the car (favored by the car agencies since you probably won't use a full tank); the worst deal is simply turning the car back in empty since you could be charged about $5 a gallon plus a re-filling fee. The best choice--pay for only the gas you do use. Make sure the tank is topped off when you pick up the car, and leave yourself enough time to find reasonably-priced gas near the airport on the day you leave so you can re-fill the car yourself.
Always comparison shop, even on the Web. Major car rental companies often offer Web-only discounts--take advantage of them whenever possible. Check the Car Rental Center, as well as the individual car rental sites. Ask about discounts for membership in national organizations (like AAA or AARP) or special rates for frequent-flier programs or credit card plans you may enjoy. They frequently offer good deals on car rentals.
Whether you book online or by phone, you can usually get a much better price by renting well in advance of your trip, especially if you reserve during a low travel season and travel in a high season. Make sure to ask the agent about restrictions, additional fees and insurance costs.
Finally, be careful to coordinate pick-up and return times so as not to be charged for an extra day. Best wishes for safe traveling.
(NC)-Be aware of the following:
Nothing is quite as exciting as purchasing a new car. Even if it's a "used" new car. Don't get too caught up in the pretty shiny metal and chrome, it's what's under the hood that counts.
Take a serious test drive before you make a decision. Used cars bought from a private owner don't have any warranty with them. You don't want to buy someone else's problem.
Do your homework. There is a lot of help available on line when
you're purchasing a used car. You'll have the vin or vehicle
identification number. With this number you can pull up a
vehicle history through your state. Do
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For most people the use of a car rental is a necessity. It generally is done as the result of a need for a replacement vehicle for a period of time. Most people do not rent cars on a regular basis and do not know all the ins and outs involved in the rental contract. There are some very basic, although important steps that should be followed when renting a car.
You do not need to have personal auto insurance to rent a car; they will ask you if you would like to purchase their insurance for the duration of
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This is the second part of a 2-article series. Click here to read the first part, Used car auctions - good or bad?
You will need to inspect any car you are interested in long before the car goes in the auction to be sold. When you find a car that is suitable, go through this checklist.
It's very important to examine the car while the car is parked up, because it will be a little more difficult when the car is lining up to be sold and then everybody else will be looking. Best to check round the car whenIf you are considering the purchase of your next used or second hand car, you might at this point be very nervous. It's not a purchase you make regularly, like going to the supermarket for your monthly shop or buying that next outfit for hitting the town. It's something you might only do every three or four years - sometimes longer.
Some popular makes are: Audi, Alfa Romeo, Bmw, Citroen, Ford, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus,Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mg, Mini and Mitsubishi.
Confused? Who should I buy it from? A large garage group, a
medium sized independent,
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