Before you rent a car for the first time, try to make an accurate assessment of what your needs are. Consider whether you’re traveling alone or with other passengers. Decide how much storage space your going to need. Do you need a compact car, a luxury vehicle, an SUV or truck? Take into account where you will be traveling and your budget for travel expenses.
After you’ve got a short list of your car rental needs, start shopping the different rental companies in your area (or the area you’ll be traveling in). It’s very simple these days to look up these companies on the Internet. All of them have websites, and most even do locally based advertising via Google Adwords.
Pick the company that seems to have the best combination of price, terms and service. Remember the old adage, “you get what you pay for” holds true in this industry as well as any other. If one company is considerably cheaper than the others, they’re probably going to have problems in other areas. It’s hard to go wrong, however picking one of the large well-known chains. If the businesses in your area aren’t any of the well known national firms, a quick call to the Better Business Bureau wouldn’t hurt.
If budget is your primary concern, look for a corporation like Rent a Wreck. They’ve been around a long time and provide very good rates on used cars.
When you make your rental reservations, you will need to have a valid, unrestricted license. You’ll also need insurance, either your own or you may buy a policy issued at the car rental establishment. Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if your insurance covers a rental. If it does, don’t buy it through the rental agency. There’s no need to pay for it twice. You will also be required to have a credit card for a deposit.
In some countries, you may need an international driver’s license.
Once you have determined what you need in the way of transportation, chosen a prospective car rental company, and gathered the information and documents you need, you are ready to book your car.
You can walk in most car rental companies and rent one on the spot, but there are advantages to booking the vehicle in advance. Making advance reservations can save you time, money and lots of headaches. Often, there are packages and special offers that will save you a bundle by planning ahead. Ultimately, you save time and reduce anxiety because you know you have it all arranged and are confident that the car rental you want is available, reserved for you. Nothing is worse than scrambling at the last minute trying to get transportation when none is available.
You can make reservations by visiting the rental location in person, by phone or online. Many people, including this author, prefer to shop online to be able to look over prices and specials at leisure. Many reduced rates are only available through an online reservation.
Arrange to arrive to pick up your rental car with time to spare. There are often unexpected delays that could cause you to miss a flight, appointment or cause undue aggravation. Avoiding these with a little planning will make a trip flow much more smoothly.
Before driving away, thoroughly check the contract, review the charges, and inspect the vehicle. If there is any damage inside or out on the rental car, make sure that the employee duly notes it on the contract and signs off on them. If anything is missed at this stage, you’ll be charged for it when you return the car.
Make sure you have the appropriate contact numbers in case of emergency or other concerns with your rental car. You never know when a breakdown might occur. If you’re in a strange town this can turn into a minor disaster without knowing whom to call.
Finally, be sure you are comfortable with the rental terms, deadlines and restrictions before you head off to your destination.
Trevor McKay is a professional contractor,and real estate investor who spends way too much time in rental cars, loves remodeling homes, and exercising. http://www.weknowcarrental.com, http://www.home-remodeling-tips-and-tricks.com, and http://www.weknowbowflex.com
I enjoy reading the tips and suggestions on finding an honest or good mechanic. These can be found on various government and consumer websites, and in a variety of auto repair articles. I think the same guy wrote all the suggestions, and for all 50 states!
You’ll be advised to check around by word of mouth (WOM), and make sure that you see ASE or AAA posted somewhere. Check out the facility—make sure it’s clean. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You’ll be acronymed and common-sense-suggested to death. Unfortunately, none of it will really help either for quality or price.
I know AAA certified shops that can barely change oil. I have worked with ASE certified technicians that frightened me with their diagnostic theories. I know shops that are considered great that have serious BBB scars.
And WOM is the worst method. I have heard clients rave about how wonderful a particular shop is when “I KNOW it’s run by a thief!”
The sad fact is that very few people know what goes on with car repair, and even less comprehend repair pricing—even shop managers and purported experts in the field know very little.
Tips and suggestions only scratch at the surface of the automotive underworld. Sure, some tips might help. But what’s really needed is experienced insider information.
The consumer needs to know what really goes on with repair “pricing” in order to make sense of auto repair costs. With the right guidance and information, the playing field can be leveled, and the automotive customer can easily take charge of car repair prices.
Traditional tips and suggestions are only a band-aid on an open, gaping wound. Relying on these is like trusting a blind man to lead you across a major interstate. You might make it, but wouldn’t you rather follow a traffic cop.
Theodore P. Olson (Ted) holds extensive certifications from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GM, and ASE. He is the author of eight books and numerous articles on the automotive service industry. RepairTrust Making Sense of http://www.repairtrust.com
Many of the gas saving devices being advertised do not work and can actually damage your vehicle.
After evaluating and testing more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices, the Environmental Protection Agency has found only a few that improve mileage and none that do so significantly.
The gas-saving products on the market seem to fall into clearly defined categories. These include, but are not limited to: air-bleed devices, vapor-bleed devices, liquid injection devices, ignition devices, fuel line devices, mixture enhancers, internal engine modification devices, fuels and fuel additives, oils and oil additives, and driving habit modifiers.
The EPA evaluates or tests products to determine whether their use will result in any measurable improvement to fuel economy. However, the EPA cannot say what effect gas-saving products will have on a vehicle over a long period of time. It is possible that some products may harm the car or
adversely affect its performance.
For example, if an “air bleed” device actually adds significant amounts of air to the air-and-fuel mixture, it may cause an engine to misfire, a condition which greatly increases the potential engine damage or mechanical failure. This is especially likely to happen on cars manufactured between 1974 and 1982, because their carburetors are pre-set for a maximum amount of air to be burned with the fuel. “Air-bleed” devices will not work at all on many cars manufactured after 1982, because these cars have “feedback” carburetors that automatically adjust the air-and-fuel mixture rendering the device useless.
Many ads feature glowing testimonials by satisfied customers. There are too many variables that affect fuel consumption, such as traffic, road and weather conditions, the car’s condition and overall maintenance, and the driving habits of the owner.
In one case a consumer sent a letter to a company praising its gas-saving product. But what was not mentioned in the advertisement was the fact that the consumers vehicle also had an engine tune-up at the time the device was installed.
Some advertisers claim that the gas-saving device is approved by the Federal government. No government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars. The seller can only state that the item has been tested by the EPA. If the advertiser claims that the product has been tested by the EPA ask to see the results or contact the EPA directly.
If you have already purchased a gas-saving product and you are not satisfied, contact the manufacturer and ask for a refund. An honest company offers a money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the company’s response, contact your local or state consumer protection agency or
the Better Business Bureau.
Keeping your car in tip top condition is the best way to get the best gas mileage your vehicle has to offer. Every vehicle come with an owners manual. Read and follow what the manufacturer recommends.
Three simple steps that will help improve gas mileage in all vehicles:
Getting a tune-up.
Checking tire pressure.
Removing any excess weight from the car’s trunk.
For over 20 more tips and one secret hint go to
http://www.apluswriting.net/gasmiles/gasmiles.htm
(c) 2004 Marilyn Pokorney