Saturday, May 14, 2011

Tips to stay away from rental automobile gas penalties and other fees

Today, the average cost of gasoline in the United States is $4 per gallon. However did you know it will cost more than double per gallon needed if you do not return the rental with a full tank? Do not let this and other “hidden” fees burst your spending budget. Go to the rental car counter armed with knowledge and conserve.

Paying $9.29 a gallon for rental vehicle gasoline

Dollar and Thrifty is charging $8.99 a gallon to top of the gasoline tank while Hertz is charging $9.29 a gallon on average according to a USA Today survey of 13 large U.S. airports with rental auto businesses. With low base fees, rental corporations often charge these extra fees. They can be avoided if you pay for the extra gasoline ahead of time though.

Other rental vehicle add-on fees you need to beware

1. Additional driver fees – About $10 per driver is typically charged by rental businesses.

2. Insurance – You have no need to buy additional insurance if you already are paying for it every month. This is especially true when you have comprehensive on your insurance. See if your losses can be insured by the charge card business too.

3. Early/late return fees – It can cost $10 or more every day you are late, so return the vehicle on time. Generally, rental corporations will charge for early return as well. It costs about $15.

4. Child auto seats – Make sure you bring your own car seats into your rental. Otherwise, you’ll pay about $7 per day for each child safety seat rented through the company.

5. Toll bypass – There are rental businesses that make an effort to sell even more. They want you to purchase an electronic toll road pass. If you already have one of these for your daily commute or are not worried about this choice, just say no.

6. Mileage – Watch the mileage limit. Are you going to be driving long distances? If this is the case, you should make sure you’ve an unlimited mileage rental to avoid extra fees for going over your miles.

7. Cleaning – Clean up your mess, leave the cat with family and don’t smoke as part of your rental car. It can cost a lot to have the vehicle cleaned.

More tips for finding a cheaper rental vehicle

To discover the least costly rental cars, start by searching travel sites like Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Priceline.com and Hotwire.com for deals on rental cars. You may want to try preparing ahead. You might get good airline ticket, rental auto and hotel deals put together. You may be able to save even more with entertainment coupon books and online websites like RetailMeNot.com. Make sure you rent for what you need. Do not go any longer. As long as you do not have too much stuff, you might be okay with an economy compact which will get you there safely.

Articles cited

Bankrate.com

bankrate.com/financing/cars/rental-car-gas-costs-9-a-gallon/

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23471992/ns/today-money/t/secrets-renting-car-without-overspending/

Dollar Rent-A-Car was caught red-handed

youtube.com/watch?v=ZY4A-EJAbZs



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