Renting a car makes traveling easier and gives you the flexibility to really explore your new surroundings. Unfortunately, renting a car can also be expensive and quickly drain your vacation budget. Follow these helpful tips to save money on your rental car:
If you are looking to rent a car in Karachi, contact Carlay Car Rental. It is a well-known car rental company.
Today, Bring it yourself!
We all rely on the convenience of GPS navigation, which is especially useful when traveling. However, many rental cars charge an additional fee for GPS. So if you have a portable GPS device at home, simply take it with you. Another way to save is to bring your own child seat from home if you are traveling with children.
Check for damage and capture on video.
Make a short video on your mobile phone focusing on any damage to save money on your rental car. This takes little time and gives you the peace of mind that you won’t be charged for other people’s accidents. Then make a second video when you return the car to prove that you return the car in the same condition as when you rented it.
Check fuel policy.
Fuel policies can vary widely. A common fuel policy requires renters to rent the car full, pay for the full tank of fuel at the rental location, and return the car empty. This policy can be quite costly, especially if you don’t plan on using a full tank of fuel. It may be worth looking out for a rental place with a more lenient fuel policy. Many car rental sites list their fuel policy on their website, and most also list it on the rental papers.
Save on fuel by doing your homework.
If you plan to refill the car yourself, you can save money by doing some research on the average prices of fuel in the area you are traveling to. If you have smartphone, you can download a fuel app that shows you the average fuel prices in your area and also points you to the best fuel deals.
Just say no to extras!
Sometimes the base rate for a rental car is a great deal, but you’re going to be broke when it comes to costs and extras. Always read the fine print and decline the optional fees where you can. Examples of avoidable costs include toll payment channels and fees for renting directly at the airport.
Save on insurance.
Car rental companies really seem to be pushing their own travel insurance policies on customers by scaring them with stories of expensive accidents. Be prepared by doing your homework beforehand. Your regular auto insurance policy may cover rental cars, and if you book with a credit card, your credit card insurance may even cover collisions. If neither is the case, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance. In addition, an external company will be cheaper than the car rental company.
Rent somewhere other than the airport.
While it can be convenient to rent your car at the airport, it can also often be expensive because most car rental companies charge airport fees. An easy method to get around this is to see if your hotel offers an airport shuttle. In that case, you can rent a car from a location near the hotel. Another option is to ask a rental car company near the airport if they offer a shuttle service for their customers.
Keep an eye out for discount sites.
Many travelers book airline tickets and hotels through discount sites such as Orbitz, Priceline, etc., but forget that they can do the same for car rentals.
Watch out for arrangements.
Many of the discount travel websites offer great packages. If you need to book airline tickets and/or a hotel, always check the packages that include a rental car. In many cases, the discounts are so great that the rental car is eventually included for almost free.
Rent a compact car.
A compact car not only makes it easier to find your way in a densely populated urban area that you don’t know, but it also saves you money on fuel costs and sometimes even on rent.
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