School me on renting a car

[disny_luvr]

I hope this is okay to post here since it isn’t specific to Disney.

DH and I have only rented a car once - back in 2013 when we took a day trip to Legoland before our Disney cruise. We rented through Budget or Dollar, can’t remember which one.

Anyway, we (four of us) are traveling out west NEXT summer, flying in and out of Denver and circling up to South Dakota and then to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and then to Rocky Mountain NP. We need to rent something, preferably a mini van for two weeks. We can’t rent a car, we need more space. Last night I was looking at pricing and the only company that had pricing out for our dates was Avis. It looks like a mini van rental for two weeks would cost us about $1800. Is that the going rate or will that price come down over the next year? Or go up?

Here are some other car rental newbie questions:

1. Is one car rental company better than another?

2. DH and I will both need to drive. Is an additional driver more money?

3. We are AAA members. It looks like they have discounts through Hertz? Any other perks of using AAA for car rentals?

4. Do you buy any extra insurance? Does your current car insurance cover car rental incidentals? How about AAA? Anyone know if they offer insurance on car rentals?

5. Anything else I should know about renting a car that I may not have thought about?

I know car rentals are crazy this year so I want to book as soon as I can so I know I have something secured.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Donna M]

don´t prepay
rent a car with the best price and then keep shopping, you can cancel and rebook
prices tend to drop about 3 weeks out but have a car reserved just in case
join their club
you may be able to get a company that doesn´t charge for the second driver
we go with the cheapest company that is well know and usually at the terminal

 

[EACarlson]

1. There are some companies that are better than others, consistantly the best are Hertz, National, Alamo and Avis. That is not to say that you can't have a wonderful experience with others, but those would be my preference if prices are close. I will pay some extra for them, but not an obscene amount. I have a rental booked in October for $250 for five days, I looked yesterday and Hertz is $700, I'm not going to pay that much of a markup.

2. Almost all companies have spouses or domestic partners drive at no additional cost, the AAA Hertz rate includes one additional driver no matter who it is. I rented from Alamo in DEN last year and I know I was not charged for my wife to drive.

3. Not really, the free extra driver and no young renter fees are the biggest.

4. I don't buy extra insurance. Your personal car insurance usually covers rental cars you are driving, but you would have to check with your insurer, some states mandate it. Your personal insurance would still have your deductible and usually does not cover some of the charges from the rental car company if you're in an accident with it, like loss of use. I always pay for my rentals with my Chase Sapphire Preferred which has primary auto rental coverage, you won't see any bill for up to 50,000. AMEX also has this on some of their cards but you have to pay a small amount per rental for it. Just about all credit cards will claim to have rental car coverage, this is secondary and will only pay your deductible and loss of use.

5. Use www.autoslash.com They have saved me thousands over the years on car rentals and will take care of you if there is an issue. Rental car prices change drastically with no rhyme or reason to it. Use Autoslash to find the best price with a company you are comfortable with, make sure you read the T&Cs that you are ok with what you are doing, book it, register it with Autoslash and they will let you know if the price goes down so you can cancel and rebook. Some companies will have restrictions about where you can go, or what activities you can use your rental for.

Never Prepay.

Know that you will have to get a shuttle to and from the rental car places at DEN. They are all off site, there are a couple of gas stations that aren't gouging too badly right there also. If you've never been there DEN is probably a half hour east of downtown Denver, be aware there are a couple toll roads that can be easily avoided near the airport.

 

[JimMIA]

I'll offer three basic suggestions:

1. Look first at an aggregator website like Expedia to get a good overview of comparable pricing. But BOOK through the individual car company. (This applies also to flights, hotels, etc.)
2. Know, and consider, the TOTAL price of the rental. You'll often be in situations where you might want things (like car seats, or a one-way rental) which have surcharges. Those surcharges can change the overall cost considerably, so look at the FULL price.
3. Know what car you are going to get. Don't go by compact/midsize/full size, for example. What is a compact to one company may be a midsize (at a higher price) to a competitor. On the aggregator site, use the feature that shows the typical car for that category, and compare apples to apples (or Camrys to Camrys).

 

[Lewisc]

The rule of thumb is to rely on your personal auto policy and skip all the waivers offered by the rental agency. YOU NEED TO CHECK WITH YOUR AGENT. Coverage of rental vehicles under a personal auto policy varies by state and sometimes even by policy.

Assume all the extras like GPS rental are a waste of money.

BRING a cigarette lighter charger. USB ports on cars don't always have enough amps to charge a phone you're using for navigation. It is enough to slow down the discharge rate of your phone.

Be careful with terminology. Say no to the damage extras the agent may say something like you just want the basic coverage. That is still an extra cost.

Before you leave the rental car lot walk around the car. Look for damage. Check the windshields and windows. Pop the trunk. Look for the spare tire and jack. Check the gas gauge makes sure it is at F or above

 

[disny_luvr]

Thanks, everyone, for all the tips! They are great! I do appreciate all the help.

 

[Carol_]

 

[Capt_BJ]

just for info

National, Alamo and Enterprise are all parts of one company. They rent different cars and can have different rates but in Port Canaveral they share a shuttle bus fleet and physical office.

Same deal with Thrifty and Dollar

Hertz has been reported to be on verge of bankruptcy since beginning of COVID .....

MOST rental companies reduced their fleets SIGNIFICANTLY due to travel reductions and replacing the cars is not happening fast. Around Orlando there is a shortage at times and rates are UP. I'd get my reservation in EARLY .....

 

[Woodview]

Also Check that you have UN Limited Mileage ( You would be surprised how miles add up )

Check for Fuel Full to Full is best option ( Do you wish to Drive on Fumes to get back to airport )

 

[spiders]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that I am for prepaying if the savings are significant. My next rental is with Avis and I prepaid. The cost to cancel is $50 if you're still 24 or 48 hours out. It's a small price to pay if you ask me and prepaid doesn't mean you can't make changes. You can absolutely make changes to your rental and continue to search for lower rates and apply those if they become available. On my upcoming rental, the initial charge was $500. I ended up getting it reduced to $300 and my card was refunded for the difference the next day.

As others have already stated, most rental car companies offer an additional driver at no cost if you're a member of their loyalty program.

So the only thing I will also add about the insurance -- you mentioned there are going to be 4 of you. Now I don't know if that means you're taking your kids or you're taking friends or other family. Regardless, you obviously need to check your own individual policy. However and I know you said it would just be your husband, but if the extra two are adults then you need to absolutely make sure they do not drive the car for any reason -- even to go down to pickup food. Even if they are listed as additional drivers, your personal insurance will never cover them. The way it always works out is, let's say for example, I'm your extra and I take your car to go to McDonald's. If I wreck the car then your insurance policy is going to say they don't know who I am and you're screwed. My insurance company will say that I'm not financially responsible for the car and again, you're screwed.

As someone also mentioned, it's good to be aware of the lingo they will use at the counter. There are always three components they want to sell you -- the damage waiver which covers the car, the liability insurance, and personal effects coverage. Review your estimate before leaving to ensure those services are declined if that's what you want to do.

 

[sugliac]

Rental cars have been super hard to get at MCO lately and lots of money. Biggest tip I can give is to book as far out in advance as possible and to book the type of car you actually want, because upgrades probs won't be available. Good luck!!

 

[sugliac]

just for info

National, Alamo and Enterprise are all parts of one company. They rent different cars and can have different rates but in Port Canaveral they share a shuttle bus fleet and physical office.

Same deal with Thrifty and Dollar

Hertz has been reported to be on verge of bankruptcy since beginning of COVID .....

MOST rental companies reduced their fleets SIGNIFICANTLY due to travel reductions and replacing the cars is not happening fast. Around Orlando there is a shortage at times and rates are UP. I'd get my reservation in EARLY .....

All true, and I would also note that Thrifty and Dollar are both owned by Hertz!

 

[Lewisc]

Prey pay means a cost if you find a better deal with another agency. JMO, only makes sense if savings is huge.

You will never list a parking valet by name. There have threads on various boards regarding both credit card and personal auto policy coverage.

Some loyalty programs include an additional driver, sometimes only your spouse. Some rental booking promotions include an additional driver, sometimes only your spouse.
Adfitional driver info must be furnished, along with renters. A DMV search is done.A few drivers get declined.

Check with your personal auto agent or read your policy. Spiders interpretation isn't generally accurate, but might apply to his policy.

My personal auto policy covers me if I occassionally let my neighbor drive my car. Likewise I'm covered if a listed additional driver drives my rental.

 

[Cheburashka]

1. Is one car rental company better than another? Avoid the bargain rental companies. No matter how good the deal seems, I've read too many horror stories from people on these boards who have rented from them. I personally prefer Enterprise, but Alamo, Hertz & Avis are all fine.

2. DH and I will both need to drive. Is an additional driver more money? It depends on the company and sometimes on your travel agency (if you use one).

3. We are AAA members. It looks like they have discounts through Hertz? Any other perks of using AAA for car rentals? Not sure as I typically use either a Costco discount or USAA discount when booking. If you can get a nice discount with Hertz via AAA, then go with that.

4. Do you buy any extra insurance? The rental company's extra insurance is always secondary to your own auto insurance, and it is a well-known rip-off. Do not purchase it. If you have an American Express card, that often automatically provides free extra rental insurance to any car that was rented using the card. Bottom line is that as long as you have comprehensive auto insurance, that typically covers your rental car, as well. Check your policy- if you call in and ask they'll be able to explain your rental car coverage easily.

5. Anything else I should know about renting a car that I may not have thought about? Pay close attention during the walk-around when checking for any damage before the driving the car away- if the damage is significant, I recommend photographing it there and then (shouldn't be an issue if you're using a reputable company, but better safe than sorry). Remember to fill the tank up with gas before returning the car. If you want a GPS, it's typically more economical to bring your own even if you have to buy a new one, then to rent a GPS via the rental car company: that extra $10 - $15 per day really adds up.

Never prepay (particularly if it's non-refundable). That just isn't needed, even to get a deal. Most reservations, even with discounts, require no deposit and can be cancelled, penalty-free, even on the day of rental pick-up. Never book an online travel deal that sets you up with a mystery company. There is a big difference between different companies and the choice of which company to book from should be yours.

I agree with a PP who suggested becoming a member of whatever car rental company you choose. That, and/or rent via AAA/Costco/USAA. The idea is to be connected with either the rental car company or with a major supplier of customers that the company does business with. Imo that makes you less likely to be hassled or ripped-off than if you are just a random consumer with no connections at all.

 

[Capt_BJ]

the fine print on my USAA insurance card says, "policy coverages extend to a rental car."

in my most recent rental experiences I've been told no additional charge for any additional driver so long as they were on SAME insurance policy . . .