Having your personal car would help you go to different places with ease. With a car, you don’t have to face the harsh commute and allow yourself to have a private mode of transportation without worrying about the schedule and fees. However, if you don’t have your own car, renting a car would be an excellent resolution.
If you need to go on a trip and have a personal car to help you go to different places conveniently, renting a car is your best choice. You can check car rental websites like kosmos-carrental.com to see a car appropriate for you and your trip.
Doing so, you might catch yourself with many surprises as there are plenty of things you may not know about. Moreover, listed below are the car rental tips you should know for your first-ever trip:
1. Choose The Right Vehicle
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As you choose to rent a car for your first-ever trip, you need to ensure that you pick the perfect vehicle that can accommodate all of your travel needs. This will include the seating capacity, along with the trunk size. When bringing plenty of things with you during your trip, you might want to consider getting a pick-up truck or an SUV wherein you can fold the last two seats for more spacious trunk space. Moreover, you should also decide which kind of vehicle would fit your needs.
If you’re only traveling to a city, renting a sedan or hatchback would suit you well. However, if you’re planning to go to a rural area, an SUV or off-road car would be your best option. You should look for a fuel-efficient vehicle that’ll help you save on fuel.
Additionally, if you have enough budget, you might want to consider renting your dream car, as you’ll get to drive it without burning your pockets. This will help you tick off your bucket list and finally drive your dream car.
2. Inspect Vehicle During Pick-Up
After choosing your rental car, make sure to check the vehicle’s state as soon as it’s in your hands. Inspect all exterior and interior parts of the car carefully before you drive it away and head to your destination.
This will include tires, car paint, windows, seats, and other parts. You might also want to check the state of what’s under the hood. Don’t forget to take pictures of the car’s current status, as this may help you dispute any damage or concerns once you’ve returned the vehicle.
If you notice anything faulty in your car upon inspection, you should inform the rental company right away and look at different models instead. This will prevent any issues and keep you at peace knowing that your car is in its mint condition. However, for minor defects like scratches, you might want to give it a try. Just ensure that you inform the rental company about it.
3. Check Hidden Charges
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The initial price that you see in the advertisement about the car rental might not be the only amount you’re going to pay to rent out a car. It could be the vehicle’s base price, excluding any professional fees and other charges. To prevent yourself from spending more than your allocated budget, you should check the fine print and confirm everything they might charge you with.
Reading the contract for the rental car may help you avoid hidden charges. As you read your contract, thoroughly inspect them to see which factors they might charge you for. This could include costs for extra days, upgrade charges, processing fees, and even charges for young drivers, senior drivers, or even one-way trips.
The more you know about any fees that a rental company carries, the more you can see if it’ll be the best option for you.
4. Fill The Tank
Most rental companies require their renters to bring back their vehicle with the same amount of fuel as they received it. With that, you need to ensure that you fill the tank before returning it to the rental company, as they might deduct your security deposit if they notice that you didn’t refill the tank at all.
While some people would prefer to let the rental company deduct from their security deposit so they could save time with refilling it, it might cost you more. Rental companies would charge more than the local gas price as you’re causing inconvenience and disobeying their rules and regulations. To save on costs, refill the tank before heading back to the rental company.
5. Consider Buying An Insurance
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Buying insurance is optional, especially if you’re only taking the car for a short trip. However, if you caught yourself in the middle of an accident, it might cause lawsuits, forcing you to spend more to clear your name.
Insurance will help you cover any expenses if you get yourself in an accident. The existing insurance from a rental company might not suffice as it can only carry a small number of fees. With your insurance, you don’t have to worry about burning your pockets as they got you covered. Moreover, rental companies will continuously remind you to get one as it’ll benefit you. While they’re optional, the benefits they’ll bring to you would be worthwhile.
6. Bring Your Own Extras
Apart from paying for the car, giving your security deposit, and paying for any fees, you might catch yourself paying for more as you’ll be availing yourself of some add-ons for your rented car. To help you save on costs, you might want to consider bringing your own extras and avoid any unexpected charges from the rental company.
You can also ensure that yours will be in the best condition and avoid paying for more in case they break under your care.
Ideally, you should bring your car seats, GPS, and radio. While they might be small things, rental fees can also be pricey, especially if you plan to rent the car for days. Moreover, bringing your car seat can guarantee hygiene, as you’ll never know what the car seat has gone through. Getting your travel essentials would help you save on costs and allow your trip to be more personalized.
The Verdict
Renting a car isn’t a walk in the park as you need to inspect and read plenty of things before taking them out for a spin. But with the right company, you won’t have many problems dealing with car issues as they can provide you with a well-maintained car. But there’s nothing wrong with inspecting them, as you can guarantee your safety and avoid any unexpected charges.
