Do all car rental co. charge xtra for car seats?

[dtsaos]

Got a really great rate for a rental through ez rent a car, but they charge $7 per car seat per day! We have 3 young kids, although for the oldest we could probably just bring his booster seat. I don't want to have to bring the other two car seats though because it seems like such a pain. We will be taking amtrak and can check the car seats in as luggage if desired. What should we do? I've also read some people complaining that the rental car co car seats are usually filthy. Anyone else experience that?

 

[safetymom]

I would bring your own car seats. 80% of people use car seats incorrectly. The start of your vacation is not the time to be learning how to use the new car seat correctly. You also don't know the history of the seat.

 

[bytheblood]

To answer your question, no, they do not all charge. Sometimes the first one if free, but they charge for additional one. Sometimes there is a charge for all. It depends on the company.

I have never used a car seat from a rental company, so I am unable to vouch for the dirtiness. I am very retentive and easily grossed out by things, so I would always bring my daughter's seat and if I had to use one, I would bring a blanket or two to cover the seat. I always think of things like did a kid pee in it, get poop or mucos on it or did a kid that have lice sit it it. Yea, it's bad, but I am just a clean person - can't help it.

 

[tjmw2727]

I would say most if not all charge - I have not run into one yet that dosen't charge. That said - I rented from the rental agency exactly once - and that was for about 20 minutes, the time it took to drive to wallmart and get a decent seat for dd!! FWIW the $$ was well spent as the rental seat was that bad and we put it in my dh's car when we got home!

My advice is to go to wallmart or babies r us, get a carseat bag and pack your own. They have one that is a backpack and a higher end model that is a backpack and a roller, at $7-10.00 per seat, per day, times three for the rental agency, the bag pays for itself. In addition you will have three CRS's that you already know how to install properly, are safe for your children and know your children will be comfortable in.

HTH
TJ

 

[disney funseeker]

I would bring your own car seats.

Although it will be a bit of a pain, especially if you also have a couple of strollers to bring too, it will be worth it.

The only time you will have to deal with the hassle is carrying it to check in on the Amtrak departing and returning. Once it's in your rental car you won't have to worry about it.

If you end up deciding to rent the seats, find out weather there is a max. charge. I think it was $35 per seat. So if you had the seats for more than 5 days you shouldn't have to pay more than that.

I have rented once(satisfied with it), brought 2 car seats a couple of times, and took a town car another time(wasn't impressed with the seats). Taking ME this year.

 

[smart cookie]

some companies, like Hertz offer coupon codes for a free car seat like the one found here