10 Signs You Are Overpaying For Your Rental Car – 2021 Guide

10 Signs You Are Overpaying For Your Rental Car – 2021 Guide

July 14, 2021 0 By Draga Mihalkov

The current generation is highly invested in renting out cars as opposed to purchasing their own, especially when they are in the infant stages of their careers. Gen Z as well as the younger millennials are also found to travel more often than the previous generations, hence raising the need for rental car services.

Due to this reason, it is very important for the majority of the population, especially those who don’t own cars, to be aware of the signs that denote one is paying more than they should to avail car rental services.

Below are mentioned 10 factors that indicate an individual is overpaying for a rental car.

1. Booking Last minute

img source: rentalcars.com

With life being as unpredictable as it is, it is very common for people to make last-minute plans or maybe just procrastinate organizing their plans and wait until the last minute.

The majority of the companies that are known to provide good quality as well as at a good price are high in demand. Availability of their services at the last moment is next to impossible as they are constantly booked, especially during peak seasons. Companies tend to take advantage during these times.

Henceforth, always book in advance that’ll help ensure you get your rental car at a great price, a good quality car as well as a good offer including a discount as well.

2. Booking at Airports

Booking your rental car at a vehicle is a big scam as the rental car companies located there tend to take advantage of the tourists and foreigners who tend to land in the country.

Tourism taxes, as well as other surcharges, add to the cost making it a costly service.

To avoid falling into paying a higher amount for your rental car services, take an Uber or taxi service to the rental depot a bit further from the airport from which getting a rental car can save you quite a bit of money.

A great car rental service that you can trust is adremlimburg.nl, that not only provides good quality but also offers their services at a great price.

3. Paying more without membership advantages

img source: glueup.com

Many times people have signed up for a variety of memberships but don’t study the various benefits that come along with it. Memberships come along with various partnerships that offer the individual the car at a cheaper rate. Many customers are unaware of this and tend to pay more.

Always look into rental car services that have a partnership with memberships that you may have.

4. Cancellation fee disadvantage

Considering the current times, cancellation of services has become quite normal, may it be booking airline tickets to renting out cars. Companies are taking advantage of this and are charging the customers high cancellation fees.

This fee is something that can be avoided by the customer avoiding pre-payment for their rental car.

5. Using the wrong credit card

img source: financialpartnersblog.com.au

Using a credit card to book your car rental service enables one with some extra benefits that many aren’t aware of. One such benefit is the primary insurance that some credit cards provide. Car rental services don’t tell their customers this in anticipation of making profits.

Look into this aspect very carefully while renting your next car. If you are a regular user of rental services, ensure that you own a credit card or obtain a credit card that comes with the benefit of primary insurance.

6. Booking through the wrong means

A lesser-known fact about booking car rentals is that it is cheaper to do the booking via a car rental website as opposed to doing it in person or through the car rental’s own website. Many aren’t aware of this fact and end up paying more for the service.

This is because the car rental sites come along with discounts as well as other promotions, offering the same service with the same quality at a better price. Online coupons can also be availed from these websites making the overall price budget-friendly.

7. Overlooking bundle deals

img source: upgradedpoints.com

If a car company doesn’t offer you their services through a bundle deal, they are clearly trying to profit from the clients. Bundle deals are one of the most budget-friendly options when it comes to renting out a car, especially if you are a tourist.

These packages usually include a stay at a hotel, airfare, and a rental car, all at reasonable rates. Furthermore, some bundle packages provide the rental car offered as a free option.

8. Renting a child seat

Many travelers, especially when traveling as a family, tend to hire the child seat which the rental car charges extra. Many times, the car rental service charges way more than the actual child seat costs, ripping the customer off their money.

If you are traveling with a child, make sure to carry your own child seat. If this is not possible, buy a second-hand child seat or a cheaper one that could be available at shops at your destination.

9. Toll fee disadvantage

img source: washingtonpost.com

The toll fee that has to be paid when traveling is done by the customer and not the car rental service. Car rental services take advantage of this when it comes to creating the bill as they rack up the fee more than it actually is.

The solution to this is paying the tolls in cash if possible. Paying via credit card or online payment gives these rental car companies the benefit to bill you for the rented car at a higher price.

10. Ignoring damages

Many times, individuals may notice the damage done prior to them using the rented car but do not mention it to the company. The company may charge such customers extra assuming they did this.

Thus, it is very important to take pictures of such casualties or damages done so that you can show them as proof to the rented car company. Also, ensure to give the car a quick check before renting it just to be on the safer side.

Summing It Up

Many of us tend to rent a car at some point in our life and it is very important to take precautions whenever possible.

The above list of signs would help enable one to make the right decision when it comes to renting a car at a price that benefits them.

We hope the above-mentioned content would help you in some way the next time you choose to rent a car.