8 things you should never do when renting a car

It is no longer just about a good resort for vacations. More and more drivers decide to part with their vehicle and choose to rent a car, either long term or occasionally. And this is what we are going to talk about here.

People do not usually use the car, or they seek to save the fixed costs of maintaining them. Getting a cheap car rental service seems like a viable option. There are several options when it comes to renting a car. We can find several companies, many models, dozens of rates and, above all, the comfort of having a car for a few hours and forgetting about everything else.

1. WHO CAN DRIVE THE CAR?

It may be that the signed contract only allows the owner to take the car. And this can lead to serious problems. For example, it may cause trouble if there is some mishap and the one behind the wheel is not the one who hired the service. It doesn’t work with them agreeing on someone else driving the car. Probably, that permission has an extra cost, and we will decide to bear it or not.

2. HOW A PLUS FOR MILE?

Here’s another source of unpleasant surprises when renting a car. It is essential to know the mileage policy of the rate we subscribe. There are offers with no limit of miles but, on other occasions, the contract allows to travel a certain number and applies an extra cost per mile extra distance. If we think we are going to exceed that limit, it is convenient to take account before signing.

3. WHAT ABOUT THE DEPOSIT?

The most common will be for the rental company to deliver the car with a full tank and we must return it in the same conditions. That is why you have to make sure of the levels before starting and expressly ask how to deliver it. Another pro tip: save the gas station ticket where it shows the refueling time, and the liters paid. They can’t say that it has not been returned as required. Same advice for the delivery schedule: if you have to leave it in a garage, save the ticket where the exact time of entry appears. This way, they won’t be able to accuse you of leaving it after hours.

4. WHERE DO I GET IT AND WHERE DO I LEAVE IT?

Car rental franchises usually have several centers, even in the same city. That’s why you have to ask exactly where to return it. It might seem that leaving it in any garage of the same franchise is enough. However, it is not always the case. Some make an additional charge for not returning it in the same place from where you collected it. They may claim that they are the ones who have to “take it to its place.” The usual: ask, ask and ask.

5. ARE THERE STRIPES, BROKEN REARVIEW MIRRORS, DENTS OR SCRATCHES?

“Well, that’s what insurance is for.” But sometimes not. Everything will depend on what we have subscribed. Normally, the lowest rates have basic insurance that only assumes what is strictly mandatory. That is why it is convenient to know what coverage we have when renting a car so as not to surprise us with any problem, even if it is not our fault.

6. CREDIT, DEBIT, OR…?

Usually, it will be necessary to pay first before taking the car. Many companies don’t give up their vehicles if the customer does not provide a credit card. Others charge an amount that can exceed four bail figures if there’s a debit. Besides, we can use that money if there is any setback without asking you.

7. HAVE I REVISED EVERYTHING?

Check everything right before you sit down. You might miss noticing that the left rear door has a dent. Later, that might be difficult for you to show that you have not done it. It is best to take a few minutes to inspect the car well, both inside and out, and inform the company if we find any damage, even asking to change the vehicle.

And above all and always, don’t have any doubt or take anything for granted. It is better to ask several questions to the commercial service provider before stamping our signature on any contract. It’s important, and you don’t want your $99.99 as promised end up multiplying by ten.

FUNDAMENTAL TIPS

Become familiar with the vehicle before leaving the rental parking lot. If any doubt, it is best to take a while longer and ask an employee to give us a hand.
It happened to me that I did not know the system with which the car engine shuts off when the car stops and starts again when we touch the accelerator. The issue was that I caught a traffic light on an uphill. It was a headache to get the car out of there because I was going backwards (with the risk of hitting the car in the back) and could not turn it on. Then I discovered a beautiful little button that overrides this system.
If I had asked before renting the car for what it was, I would have saved the bad blood that I had given myself since the car had not turned off. Like this case, I had several others. My solution was always to read the “complete” manual of the vehicle – a real waste of time.
Another thing to keep in mind: take pictures of the vehicle if it already has visible damage. Of course, show it to the person who gives us the car. Save them for a long time after returning the vehicle. In this way, we will be relatively covered before a claim at the time of return. At least we will try to defend ourselves. The truth is that companies already have photos and a report of the state of the vehicles, but for me, it never hurts.

Conclusion

Some people make a few mistakes that end up making them lose money over rented cars. What factors must be taken into account so that a seemingly low price does not end up shooting? Here’s everything you need to know so that when you rent a car, it doesn’t cost you more than taking your car.