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Rental Vehicle Policies

What car rental company accepts debit? How long can you keep a rental car without paying? How old do I have to be to get a rental car? Are just a few questions customers ask before renting. Let us at Autorentals.com breakdown and explain how different car rental company policies work when renting a vehicle of any size or brand.

Rental Vehicle PoliciesReserving Your Auto Rental

Changing Reservation Dates

by AutoRentals.com
written by AutoRentals.com

Plans can change on purpose or unexpectedly, make sure your vendor can accommodate potential date adjustments.

Drivers that add or remove days will experience price fluctuation. But, drivers that need to move their reservation, without adding or removing days, might be able to keep their original quoted price. It all depends on the vendor’s policy. Check with the representative during the booking process and ask about the effect of date adjustments on price. If they agree to freeze the quoted price, make sure the vendor representative sends a confirmation email stating that the price will stay the same even if the dates change.

Vendors have different price tags for different dates. Some dates are popular for traveling therefore vendors will increase their prices because of high demand. High traffic days are influenced by local events or holidays when people are most likely traveling in and out of town. Ask the vendor rep about rates leading up to and following the original reservation dates. Knowing the cost difference in advance can save the shock of a surprise price fluctuation if your trip gets moved up or pushed back on the calendar.

Using a third party site? Third party sites get prices from their vendors so rate changes will still occur. Making drastic date changes might require a phone call with the specific vendor to discuss the details with a representative. Ask the vendor rep if they can update the reservation and freeze the original rate. Also, talk to representatives about their date change policies to prepare for the possibility of a date change. Like mentioned earlier, any verbal agreements discussed with a representative should be reiterated in a confirmation email. If trip plans are not completely solidified then date adjustment policies should be a deciding factor between car rental vendors. Pick a vendor that can freeze quote prices or a vendor with low rates on the days surrounding the original dates.

Ask the right questions, prepare for any situation and get driving!

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Rental Vehicle PoliciesReserving Your Auto Rental

Planning One-Way Trips

by AutoRentals.com
written by AutoRentals.com

One-way trips
are good option to consider when exploring new cities, moving or planning a
road trip and flying home.

Benefits

One-way trips
can potentially save money by being cheaper than flying. This is something to
consider for out-of-state trips or moving. Those who want to explore new cities
but don’t want to pay for a round trip flight can rent a car for a one-way trip
and fly home. An economy sized vehicle for $60.92 per day (Autorentals.com). Renters who drive with a group can split the cost and save
money getting to their destination.

Those who are
making a big move to a new state can rent a truck instead of flying and hiring
a mover service. For example, hiring a long distance moving service can cost, on
average, $769. This price can fluctuate with moving distance, amount of
furniture and number of boxes required. In addition, one-way flights cost, on
average, $340 according to the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics. Again, this price will
fluctuate depending on the time of year, number of people traveling and number
of bags being checked.

For example, if
two people are moving from New York, NY to Tampa, FL, the average economy-sized
rental costs $60 per day. If those same two people moved via flight, the
tickets will cost about $282 (Delta.com) before checking bag which
is an addition $25 per suitcase. In addition, they would need a moving service,
which costs $750 (newyorkfloridamovers.com). The
entire move, at minimum, adds up to $1,032.

Booking a
one-way trip can sometimes come with rental discounts if your drop-off location
needs more vehicles in their lot. The supply and demand of rentals at all
branches will fluctuate throughout the year. If you’re traveling somewhere that
is low on cars, you may be able to get a deal on your one-way trip. Inquire
with rental suppliers and compare prices on third party sites, like AutoRentals.com, to save money.

Concerns

Some rental
suppliers charge one-way fees. This fee depends on the rental company, the
pickup/drop-off locations and time of year. Renting during a busy travel season
may increase the fee because there is a high demand for rentals.

While the law of
supply and demand can save money, it can work against you and cost money. If
your one-way trip follows a popular travel pattern then the drop-off location
may have a surplus of vehicles in their lot. This scenario may require branches
to have to relocate their vehicles to other destinations, which will translate
into a fee for the consumer. Compare prices and speak with branch
representative to avoid a high fee.

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Rental Vehicle Policies

Considering Bringing a Cat, Dog or other animal?

by AutoRentals.com
written by AutoRentals.com

It’s time to plan a trip! This typically exciting time for a family usually becomes bad news for one family member—the pet. We understand, whether you have a beloved family pet or an adored service animal, you want to take your furry friend along. A happy pet makes a happy owner and bringing your dog on vacation is preferable to a few nights in a kennel.

Let’s get to the bottom of it. Car rental vendors don’t initially include pet fees upon pickup. Rental car companies assess the damages when the car is returned to see if the vehicle needs cleaning. If the car is returned with obvious damage like odors and stains, the vendor will need to deep clean the car which comes with a $250 fee (before taxes) on average. This fee will be charged regardless if the animal is for service and support.

Why? Well, rental companies want to rent out your vehicle quickly after it’s returned. Anything that slows down that turnover, like a deep cleaning, will translate into a fee for the previous renter. This is the same way rental companies handle smoking. Vendors are mindful of their customers’ allergies and comfort so pet hair and strong odors put the car on hold from being used.

Rental Car Pet Policies

Since this is a common concern, pet policies are typically found on a rental company’s website. If you’re using a third party site, like AutoRentals.com, do some research on different companies’ pet policies on their personal websites before renting. Trips With Pets is a good online resource for pet-friendly rental companies—check it out here.

The common thread between all pet policies is to return the car clean. Some major vendors have more requirements. For example, Alamo and Enterprise only allows pets in their rentals if they’re kept in their crates; service animals are excluded from this rule. Companies with specific pet policies, like Budget, are open to forgiving damages (depending on severity) for service animals only. Other vendors, like Avis and Hertz, have no requirements other than to return the car in the same condition as you picked it up.

Can’t find the Pet Policy?

If you cannot find a company’s pet policy online DO NOT ASSUME it means there is no policy. If you are unsure, call your exact pickup branch and ask about their stance on pets. Make sure this is done before you book so you can prepare yourself and your pet for the trip. Also, if the rental company is not pet-tolerant then you have enough time to find another vendor for your needs.

In a Nutshell

To keep it simple, if a car is returned with an animal odor, pet hair, soil stains or other interior damages, you will be hit with a cleaning fee.

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