Returning a Rental Car...General ???

[kristenrice]

How does it work when you return a car while the rental car counter is closed? I'm planning on returning our rental before our flight which departs at 6:50am. The rental car counter doesn't open until 9am so how will that work? I assumed that there would be a drop box or something, but what happens if the car is damaged while parked in the lot between 5:30am (when I return it) and 9am when they open?? (*This will be a small airport, not MCO)

 

[Capt_BJ]

drop the keys in a box and they mail you the final bill applied to your credit card

never had any damage but I suppose if you are stressed about it you could take pictures with some sort of a time stamp ..

when I was working I did this a LOT - dropped cars off - and never had an issue.

 

[kristenrice]

drop the keys in a box and they mail you the final bill applied to your credit card

never had any damage but I suppose if you are stressed about it you could take pictures with some sort of a time stamp ..

when I was working I did this a LOT - dropped cars off - and never had an issue.

Let me add a few more details...

It's a one-way, one day (actually only about 18 hours) rental that I would like to pre-pay with my debit card. I believe that when I pick it up, I can provide a CREDIT card that they can use for the "hold", but I do NOT want that card charged. With a pre-paid rental, is there any reason that they would have to charge my card for anything? It will be 100% fueled and presumably undamaged.

FWIW, I am able to get the rental in question for $15 (+ fees, $20.xx total) right now if I pre-pay. Our trip isn't until October so I want to make sure I can lock in this rate and not have to worry about it going sky-high.

(Sorry about all of the questions. I've rented a car exactly twice in my life and I want to make sure I have all of the details worked out before I commit to the pre-paid rental.)

 

[bdoyledimou]

just take a picture or video of the exterior of the car and drop the keys i the box

i only know of one time where damage occurred after a drop off though -- and it was all on video . those lots have every square inch covered.