Car Rental Tips for an Affordable and Memorable Vacation: 8 Tips and Tricks

For the holidays, you would like to rent a car but you don’t know where to start. How to choose the most economical offer? How to avoid overcharges or insurance problems? Here are some tips and advice that can make a difference.

Find the best car rental website

The first step is to surf the net to find the car rental site that will allow you to make a good deal. For that, Google! Just do a search with keywords such as “rent a cheap car” or “cheap rental car”, followed by your destination. Compare the results obtained and do not hesitate to search on the websites specific to the country visited. You can easily rent a car and enjoy your holiday with Yolcu360, the world’s leading car rental platform.

Read the rental and cancellation conditions

Once you have chosen the offer that suits you best, take the time to read the general conditions of the rental agreement before finalizing the reservation. A few points of attention:

Give preference to offers that offer interesting and flexible conditions for cancellation / refund / modification of the reservation. If you are a young driver, you will need to make sure you are of the required age. In most countries in Europe and North America, the age requirement for renting a car is 21. But there are some exceptions: in the Scandinavian countries, it is enough to be 19 years old and in the United Kingdom, it will be necessary to wait 23 years. Remember to find out if you are traveling around the World.

Make sure you can provide all the documents requested by the rental agency before finalizing the reservation. Know the amount of security deposit you will be asked for and the authorized payment cards. Some rental companies (especially abroad), only accept credit cards to block the amount of the deposit. If you only have a debit card, you could be refused the rental or required to pay for the often expensive additional insurance. Also check the availability of your payment limits. Carefully review the warranties and coverage included in your contract in the event of a breakdown or dispute.

Reserve your car at least 24 hours in advance

Start the search for your future car by filling in the various fields available, just like for an Airbnb accommodation search. Wondering when to rent a car for the holidays? Contrary to popular belief, last-minute reservations are not the most economical solution.

Take out an insurance option

Your rental agreement will include basic cover by default. It is still advisable to take out an additional insurance option: in the event of a glitch – even minimal – it could prove profitable, because the billing amounts climb very quickly!

Your bank card may already insure you! Do not hesitate to contact your bank before booking your rental car: some bank cards offer insurance for car rental.

Check the general condition of the vehicle before hitting the road

When picking up your vehicle, bring your passport, credit card and driver’s license. Are you abroad? You may need an international permit like in Bali!

Before setting off to attack the asphalt, the golden rule is to check the condition of the car. It is possible that the renter will do this with you, but in any case, carry out a thorough examination yourself. Note the scratches, shocks and other possible damage, better: take a picture of them. All these remarks must be noted on the rental sheet of the vehicle by the agency. These precautions are crucial to protect your liability when handing over the vehicle.

Avoid additional fuel costs

Normally pick up and drop off is with a full tank. This is the most advantageous solution for you, because you only pay for the fuel consumed and return with an empty tank. This rule is not to your advantage: you have to pay for the first refueling on the spot at a high price and plus service charges, while the remaining fuel will not be reimbursed. Be careful, this formula is often associated with offers at very low prices… which are not in the end! It is therefore preferable to choose a classic offer, which provides for the collection and return of the vehicle with a full tank to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Properly manage the handover of the vehicle

If your contract stipulates that you return the vehicle with a full tank, find out in advance about nearby gas stations. Don’t forget to keep the fuel tank ticket. You must report the condition of the vehicle. If it is not possible for you to return the vehicle during opening hours, it is essential to take photos of the vehicle, to avoid possible complaints from the lessor.

Rent a car with unlimited mileage

Are you planning a long-term rental for your trip? Make sure you have unlimited mileage to ride without any distance restrictions. Sometimes, the vehicles available for hire have a mileage package: if you exceed it, the bill may be salty. Renting a car without limiting kilometers allows you to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the trip!