4 Factors That May Affect Your Car Rental Rates

Whether you are on vacation with your family or a business trip, you need a rental car while you are away from home. There are many different rental car companies who want your business and will tell you that they have just the car you need at the best price available.

However, there are certain factors that need to be considered before renting a car. Being mindful of them will guarantee you get the car you need at the price you deserve.

1. Party size

The amount of people you are with will greatly influence the car that you need to rent. You want to make everyone as well as all pieces of luggage can fit comfortably into the vehicle.

If you are alone on a business trip, you can probably get away with a smaller compact car but if you have a large suitcase, make sure it can fit into the trunk or back seat without issues. If you are traveling with your family, friends, or multiple colleagues, a larger economical vehicle or van should be considered. That way, everyone will be able to travel with lots of space and everyone’s bags can be accommodated.

2. Rental location

You have done some research and have settled on a specific company to rent from. You make a reservation and you choose to pick up the vehicle at the airport you are flying into. While this is by far since the most convenient option it may cost you significantly more money.

It is a proven fact that renting at the airport costs a lot more than if you were to go off-site. This is because company kiosks at airports have surcharges that they add on the costs to rent their vehicles. The costs difference between the airport and renting off-site is well worth it with some travellers reporting that they saved up to 50 percent by doing so. Therefore, if you are able to get someone to pick you up and take you to a rental company location away from the airport or take a taxi, this is the recommended option. 

3. Booking method

When a car rental is needed, most people choose to book online. This is because aggregate sites allow users to specify their information and compare prices of all major companies all from one page. However, there are also advantages to picking up the telephone.

There is nothing wrong with getting prices from different companies via the internet but you should not settle here as you may be able to do better price-wise. Calling different rental companies and informing them of the prices you found online may yield better results as customer service representatives will try their best to get your business and beat the prices you have already been quoted at. This may result in a noticeably better fee for a better vehicle.

4. Company reputation

When you rent a car, most options will be comparable which may make it difficult for you to decide which company to go with. If this occurs, a deciding factor should definitely be the company’s reputation.

Before settling on a company to rent from, go online and read reviews posted about them. These are from people who have used them in the past. Therefore, they will be brutally honest and you will be able to trust what they say. Also pay close to attention to their customer service when you deal with them. You want a company that is friendly and helpful because they will be able to assist you if anything goes wrong with your rental. An employee who is rude and disengaged may not be there for you when you need them.