Whats the deal with car rentals?

[Juls64]

I just booked the airfare for the family of 4 to Florida in June. Went to book a mini-van and WOW! What an assortment of prices. I very, very seldom rent a car. Do I just want to go with whose cheapest. Is there some fine print I need to read?

A mini-van for a week can range from $300 (Budget) to $450 (Hertz) to over $600 (Enterprise). Whats the deal?

Julie

 

[jonnythan]

Just read the fine print about mileage, driving out of state, gas, etc. Make sure there are no gotchas and that you can pick the car up at the airport or get a free shuttle.

And get the insurance.

 

[H2Andy]

in my experience renting, the prices do vary a lot. like jonnythan said, the big
things to look for are extra charges for mileage (make sure mileage is unlimited) and restrictions on out-of-state travel.

as for the insurance, check that your regular car insurance doesn't cover rentals too.
mine does, so i never buy the insurance.

Budget is a reputable outfit. i've rented from them before, never had any trouble.

 

[DPJ]

Also do you have any potential deals through your employer, organizations, credit cards or frequent traveler programs?

 

[vladimir]

A lot of credit cards provide free collision insurance.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Usually I rent from Budget when I am in Florida. My AE card covers all the extra insurance liabilities.

 

[Juls64]

They priced out well

 

[hecker-the-wrecker]

For the extra $7.00 to $15.00, buy the insurance. Just because you think your policy covers it, you could have an exemption on the policy for some stupid reason, and you might get stuck with a big fat bill, if your at fault, or not. Last month we towed a rental car that was totaled. The guy that was driving the car was hit by a guy with no insurance, and 6 drunk drivings on his record. Guess what, his company wouldn't cover it because he was hit by a guy with no insurance!! Don't take the chance!

 

[DeputyDan]

You should buy the insurance cause:

You personal auto insurance and your credit cards do cover damage (the cost to fix the car) but they do not cover loss of use. You have to pay for the car rental for the time it is out of service until its fixed. This will come out of your pocket if you don't take the insurance. Its usually about $3,000 to $4,500. So just pretend you are insuring not to have to pay this.

The credit cards and personal auto insurance do not cover these two items unless you have a rider for them.

 

[SubMariner]

Some insurance carriers allow you to transfer your own policy to a rental vehicle if your vehicle is not being used during a particular time frame.

This, in addition to the previously mentioned coverages (credit cards, etc.) might be enough to sway you from buying the additional insurance on a rental vehicle. Esp since in many cases the cost of the insurance may EXCEED the cost of the rental.

In the end, you need to look at ALL the options.