Sunday, May 15, 2011

Tricks to stay away from rental auto gas penalties and other fees

Gas costs nearly $4 per gallon average in the U.S. today. However did you know it will cost more than double per gallon needed if you do not return the rental with a full tank? This and other “hidden” fees can cost you an excellent deal of money. Equip yourself with knowledge now so that your rental auto bill won’t sting your wallet later.

Gas costs $9.29 a gallon for a rental auto

Auto rental companies at 13 United States airports were studied by USA Today. It found out that $9.29 a gallon is what Hertz charges to top off your gas tank while $8.99 a gallon is what Dollar and Thrifty charges. With low base fees, rental businesses often charge these extra fees. They can be avoided if you pay for the additional gasoline ahead of time though.

Adding on even more fees

1. Additional driver fees – Every driver on the auto adds on. It typically is about $10 per driver that is added on.

2. Insurance – Never purchase additional insurance for those who have a vehicle insurance policy of your own, particularly if you already have comprehensive coverage on your policy. See if your losses could be insured by the credit card company too.

3. Early/late return fees – It is always significant that you return the vehicle on time. Each day that you are late, it can cost $10 or more. Typically, rental companies will charge for early return as well. It costs about $15.

4. Child car seats – Make sure you bring your own vehicle seats into your rental. Otherwise, you’ll pay about $7 per day for each child safety seat rented through the company.

5. Toll bypass – Some rental corporations will sell you an electronic toll road pass. Just say no if you don’t want one or already have one.

6. Mileage – Watch the mileage limit. Are you going to be driving long distances? If this is the case, you should make sure you have an unlimited mileage rental to keep away from additional fees for going over your miles.

7. Cleaning – Clean up your mess, leave the cat with family and do not smoke as part of your rental automobile. It can cost a lot to have the vehicle cleaned.

Finding cheap cars to rent

To discover the least expensive rental vehicles, start by searching travel web sites like Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Priceline.com and Hotwire.com for deals on rental cars. You really should try planning ahead. You may get good airline ticket, rental auto and hotel deals put together. You might be able to save even more with entertainment coupon books and websites like RetailMeNot.com. Make sure you rent for what you need. Do not go any longer. As long as you do not have too much stuff, you may be okay with an economy compact which will get you there safely.

Citations

Bankrate.com

bankrate.com/financing/cars/rental-car-gas-costs-9-a-gallon/

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23471992/ns/today-money/t/secrets-renting-car-without-overspending/

Dollar Rent-A-Car was caught red-handed

youtube.com/watch?v=ZY4A-EJAbZs



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