6 steps to cheaper car rentals

Hotels, travel agencies, and even gas stations have national organizations setting guidelines or enforcing industry standards. Not so with car-rental agencies, which remain largely unregulated. Each company has slightly different rules — some won’t rent one-way, others won’t rent to drivers under 25. But all operate on the same basic principle: Get as much money as possible for each rental.
Though the odds may seem stacked against the customer, you can use this lack of regulation to your advantage if you understand how the rental game is played. To help you out, we’ve created a list of six steps you can take to make sure you drive away with the best deal, whether you’re booking over the phone, on the Web, or in person.
Act Locally
Reservations agents at car-rental companies’ national toll-free numbers don’t always know what’s going on at specific outlets, so always check with the local agency when you arrive, even if you’ve made a reservation using the toll-free number. Recently, an agent at Budget’s toll-free reservations line quoted a weekly rate of $159.99 for a compact car in Orlando, but the local franchise was running an unadvertised special weekly rate of $119 for a pickup truck. A simple phone call netted a saving of more than $40 — and a sporty pickup instead of a stodgy sedan.
Check the Web
Online booking sites such as Expedia or Travelocity are a good way to comparison shop. You’ll often find better rates than those offered at the individual rental companies’ 800 numbers. Recently, the Expedia price for a midsize car from one rental company was $164.99 a week. An agent at the company’s own toll-free number quoted $279.99 — a whopping 40% more for the exact same rental. The price on the company’s Web site matched Expedia’s, so the lesson is clear: always check the Web, even if you think you’re being quoted a terrific deal over the phone.
Another online option is to go to a site like Priceline, where you type in how much you want to pay and your bid is either accepted or rejected. (Once you’ve placed your bid, you’ll be charged that amount if the price you’ve requested is accepted.) Priceline guarantees that your reservation will be with one of five major rental agencies but only reveals which one after your bid is accepted. At Priceline, you’re bidding on a daily rate, so you’ll have to do some math to compare weekly rates. Some online bidding sites won’t allow you to pick up and drop off at different locations, so read the fine print.
Reserve an Economy Car
Major rental agencies generally sell out of “economy” (i.e., the cheapest) cars first. If you’re flexible about the type of car you’ll drive, make your reservation for an economy car. Why? Because if you arrive and none are left, the agent will upgrade you to whatever vehicle is available, usually for the economy rate.
What if you really don’t want the economy car? You can always upgrade on the spot. But keep this in mind: slick rental agents, without telling you they haven’t any economy cars (and because of this would upgrade you for free), often try to talk you into the upgrade — and then charge you for it.
Beware Weekly Rates
A national chain recently offered a great weekly rate of $119 for a midsize car, but the promotion had a big catch: The daily rate was $69.99, and the contract’s fine print stated that renters had to keep the car a minimum of five days to qualify for the weekly rate. Otherwise, the rate reverted to $69.99 a day. If a customer returned the vehicle after only four days, the charge would be more than double the weekly rate. If you come across a weekly rate like this, make sure you’ll be able to keep the car for the duration of the rental, or negotiate a better daily rate before you leave the counter.
Never Buy the Gas
You know the routine: The rental agent asks you whether you want to purchase the gas already in the tank for a “reduced” price or return the car with a full tank. Simple answer: Never, ever buy the gas in the car. The reduced price rental agencies offer is usually within pennies per gallon of the going rate, and unless you coast in with a completely empty gas tank upon return, you wind up paying for gas you don’t use. Be sure to return the car with the tank full, though, because the refueling fees are exorbitant.
Avoid the Billion-Dollar Insurance Scam
By some estimates, more than $1 billion is spent on rental-car insurance every year, much of it needlessly. If you have personal car insurance and you are using a major credit card for the rental, chances are you will not need any additional insurance. Likewise, the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is a transferal of responsibility that supposedly makes the company, rather than the renter, liable for any damage to the vehicle, but the ambiguous wording and substantial loopholes make it of questionable value.
However, if you don’t have personal automobile insurance, there are a few situations for which the LDW might be advisable. Many major credit-card companies — among them American Express — don’t extend coverage to high-end luxury cars (such as Jaguars), trucks, or four-wheel drive vehicles of any kind, including many popular sports utility vehicles. Also, the insurance provided by many card companies does not cover damage that occurs out of the state or country in which you rented the car, or on unpaved roads.

Hidden Costs

When renting any car, be aware of hidden fees. It is not uncommon for surcharges to tack on as much as 30%. Here are some common hidden costs:

Insurance
One of the most common extra charges is for insurance, usually referred to by rental companies as collision damage or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW). For an extra $6 - $15 a day, you can avoid liability for any damage, provided you’re not found guilty of gross negligence. Insurance is optional in most states, although in a few states it is compulsory and built into the basic car rental cost.

Before you purchase the extra insurance, check to see if your regular car insurance covers you in a rental car. Most policies do. Some credit cards also provide insurance. Check with your company to find out. Other optional coverage includes: Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), Personal Effects Coverage (PEC) and Additional Liability Insurance (ALI), which you can purchase from the rental company.Gasoline ChargesIn most cases, you will pay a high premium for returning a car with an empty tank. Be sure to fill up before you return it.

Drop-Off Charges An extra fee is usually charged if a car is returned to a different location than where it was picked up. This fee varies by location so there usually is no general policy in place. In some instances there is no charge, other times the fee can be as high as $1000. However, some companies do not require a charge when dropping off in-state at many Florida and California locations.The 24-Hour ClockBe aware of the “24-hour clock rate.” If you rent your car on Wednesday and return it on Thursday, most companies charge you one day only if you return it within 24 hours. You are usually charged for two days if you return it more than 27-28 hours after picking the car up. MileageMost major rental car companies allow for unlimited mileage in the same state, but it’s a good idea to check their policy before you reserve a car. Many smaller, local companies charge mileage, usually about 20 to 25 cents a mile, after 100-200 free miles per day. Another caveat: Some “special” rates may not include unlimited mileage; be sure to read the fine print.Taxes & Airport SurchargesSales tax and airport charges vary considerably between states. It is important to realize they are additional expenses that will increase your bill. “Off airport” rental locations usually have lower surcharges.License FeesSome states allow car rental companies to charge extra to recover the costs of licensing their cars, usually about 6% of the cost of the rental. Most states do not require that renters are told about this fee in advance, so make sure to ask. Varying RatesRental car companies’ rates vary a great deal from city to city, and sometimes even within the same city. Make sure to shop around.ExtrasThere may also be additional charges for things you had not considered, like infant and child seat rentals, young drivers, and additional drivers. These could run you anywhere from $5 to $25 per day, depending on where you rent. CD players, roof racks, and other extras will also cost you.Overseas Most of these hidden costs apply to overseas rentals, as well. Some fees are avoidable, others are not. A value-added tax (VAT) is added to European car rentals, which can be as much as 25% of the rental cost. Most brochure and advertised rates do not include this tax. In some countries, this is partially refundable.

Most travelers rely on credit cards to cover collision insurance overseas, as costs are significantly higher (up to $54 a day). But due to the high risks, some credit card companies now refuse to provide this coverage. American Express, for example, no longer offers collision coverage in Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Ireland, Israel or Italy. In addition, theft insurance is mandatory is some European countries, such as Italy and Slovenia. This will cost another $10 to $20. You should also think about airport fees, which range from a few dollars to 10% to 14% of your rental cost in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the UK. There are also highway charges for cars driven in Austria or Switzerland. You’ll need to purchase a sticker to avoid paying a fine.

To see more information about China carhire.

To see more information about China .