Automotive Spark

There are three major traps most people do not consider when they are looking to rent a car. These can significantly make your pay more and result in a financial disaster. Before you rent a car, keep the following in mind:

1. Search Wide for the Best Deal
The rules of getting the best deal are universal: you have to search wide. Many people simply go for the car rental agency that is near their neighborhood or that they are used to. While this is convenient, it can be very expensive. You have to search and compare the rates and terms of different car rental agencies to get the best deal.

Use the Internet to do your search. This is more convenient and faster. Travel price-comparison websites like Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia can help you find a good deal. Unfortunately, there is not one of them that guarantees the lowest price. You have to confirm at the car rental agency’s website or call their customer care office to confirm the prices.

2. Did you Factor in Taxes?
Getting a cheap car rental deal is only a small part of your travel expenses. Have you factored in taxes by local authorities for parking the car in public areas such as airports? In many areas, local state taxes make up 20 to 40 percent of the total car rental bill. The taxes come in fancy names such as “customer facility fees”, “airport concession”, “Tourism Commission assessment” and so on. If you will be travelling to a different state, keep in mind the extra taxes that you may be required to pay.

Is there a way you can reduces these fees?

Consider renting off-site rather than from an agency’s downtown location. While you will still pay taxes, it will not be as much as that at downtown locations. Also, look for full disclosure of the company before making your reservation. Ensure that the booking site outlines all the fees and taxes that will be levied to you. Major travel sites including Hotwire, Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia show the total costs, including the taxes.

3. Did You Spot Hidden Charges?
Rental-car agencies have implemented a number of strategies to ensure they squeeze the last dime from those hiring a car. Watch out for their hidden fees. These include:

a) Fuel Charges: If you took the car with its tank full, refill the tank before returning the car. Otherwise, you will have to pay fuel levy fees for the “empty” tank even if it is just a couple of inches below the threshold line.

b) Late Fees: Most agencies will give you a grace period of 60 minutes but will then charge you late hourly fees. If you are late enough, you may have to pay for an extra day. Late fees are usually high and you could end up paying more than you did for the car rental. On the day when you are supposed to return the car, check the local traffic and weather conditions and start your trip early to avoid being late.

The above are three major things that you should consider before renting a car. They will help to keep your costs down.

France is synonymous to sophistication and high class. It has shared with world its much admired fashion industry, exquisite cuisine and wines, deep appreciation for arts, elaborate infrastructures and history. Almost all vacationers want to experience France. And you could get to have such pleasure too upon seeking car rentals France companies to make your city-hopping a more convenient one.

Planning your vacation should include consideration of a car rental. France’s public utility vehicles are known to be efficient. However, these do not reach some tourist spots located in rural towns. Plus these PUVs are always packed full of people most of the time. Hence, if you want to visit places without having the trouble of many train or bus transfers, the best way to travel is by driving a car.

There are various car rentals France companies to choose from. These are all available online and also provide toll-free numbers. You could browse through different cars; modify your booking and mode of payment; and even avail discounts. The car rental rates range from $250+ to $590+ for automatics; from $170+ to $1,000+ for manual stickshifts. These rates were estimated for 3 days rental and depending on the car brand.

If you are the eco-friendly driver, you should check out those that have environmental-friendly cars. In 2007, a lot of car rentals France agencies have merged together in developing a green policy. This policy requires commitment from the agencies to provide a wide range of eco-friendly vehicles, meaning the cars’ emission should only be of 154g/km carbon dioxide.

Eco-car fleets include electric cars and biofuel or LPG-run vehicles. Ask your agency and see if their eco-friendly cars. You not only help the environment, you also save some gas money. Biofuels in France are cheaper than gasoline. Moreover, there have been talks of including an air car, which runs on compressed air, to the rental car fleet.

If you are under the age of twenty five, you might wonder if you still have to pay for the Young Driver Surcharge. As of today, all big car rentals France companies are charging such fee. This is due to the premium fees insurance companies set on the young drivers. However, some small-scale companies could negotiate with you if you don’t want to pay the surcharge. Note that these companies are located in small towns of France, so they may be a little hard to find. Also, those who were allowed to have no young driver surcharge have held their licenses for over six years already.

A lot of the car rentals France agencies also offer refunds of some excess fees. These companies offer such deals to attract more visitors. It seems one of the effective ways in enticing tourists. It was proven by France’s position being the number one country in the whole world to have the most number of visitors totaling to almost seventy nine million people as of last 2008.

Whether shopping, sight-seeing, cruising the Riviera, or just about any recreation and relaxation you want to do in France, you are in for the most fabuleux time of your life with car rentals France companies.

While each rental company will have its own contract, there are some standards that cover the basic areas of every car rental agreement. If the contract has anything different in it, the company is obligated to point this out to you, though it is still a good idea to look through any paperwork before signing it.

A car rental agreement is basically a contract between the lender of the car and the renter who will be using it. These usually favor the lender, but if you pay attention to the extras, you’ll be able to keep things pretty fair.

Standard Requirements from the Renter

Every car rental contract will require the presentation of a valid driver’s license. This is standard. Only drivers whose names are actually on the rental agreement can drive the vehicle . . . if someone else is driving and has an accident, you`ll be liable
for everything, even if you purchased insurance.

Age is another issue. While you can drive at 16, you can’t rent a car at this age. Most states require drivers to be 21 or older before they can legally sign a contract and rent a vehicle. This does vary somewhat, though and if you are traveling outside the country, you will want to find out what the standard age is.

Contract Sections Dealing with Potential Problems

There is always the risk that a vehicle will get dinged or even destroyed while in the renter’s hands. For this reason, there is usually an optional insurance that you can purchase at the same time as you rent. Many people actually have this covered under their usual auto insurance, so check this first, before buying extra insurance.

Any tickets, speeding, parking or otherwise, that are incurred during the lease of the vehicle will need to be paid by the renter. Any damage is usually fined, so it pays to take a walk around the vehicle and point out any damages that are already in existence. Be sure these are marked and signed on the contract so you have proof that they didn’t occur while you were driving.

There should also be well laid out consequences for things like returning the vehicle late or with an empty gas tank. Returning the car to a different location than where you rented it is something that often comes with a fee, as well. Be sure to read this part carefully, since you can save quite a bit of money by paying attention and making sure that you bring the vehicle back in
the proper condition.

Possible Restrictions of Use

Every contract will tell you how you can use the vehicle that you are renting. Most won’t allow you to cross a border or go off-roading. Some areas will have very specific rules, while others will depend on the type of vehicle that you are renting. Some companies will allow you to use only up to a certain number of kilometers or miles within the time period specified. If you go over this limit, you`ll end up paying premium prices. This makes it cheaper to stay in the area.

It’s important to always read through the car rental contract before you sign it, just in case there are any surprises. You won’t have any defense if you just don`t read it. Most rental forms are fairly short, so you don’t need to waste too much time checking it and learning about what your responsibilities are. This also prepares you for the possibility of problems, since you will already know how these are commonly dealt with. Car rentals are a great convenience and it helps to understand the contract.