Renting a car requires more than just showing up, signing on the dotted line and grabbing the keys. Pre-rental research can save time and frustration.
Here are some tips to make your next car rental experience quick and easy.
Why Rent a Car?
Besides needing a ride from the airport for your next trip, there are many reasons you might consider renting a car.
- Your car is going to be in the shop for a week and you don’t want to rely on family, friends and ride share services. Your insurance may also cover car rental fees up to a certain time frame or amount.
- If you are taking a road trip and have more cargo or passengers than your own car can hold, or you want to avoid racking up miles on your vehicle.
- The luxury car in your garage might not be the best choice to take on muddy forest roads when you go camping.
- You are in the market for a new car, but you’d like to assess it for more than 15 minutes. Rent the model you are interested in for a few days and test it for grocery runs, soccer practice and in stop-and-go traffic when you commute to work.
- Moving? Rent a box truck or pickup truck to cut down on the number of trips.
Car Rental Savings
Save up to 20% on the base rate of your next car rental.*
*Terms apply.
Book TodayCar Rental Do’s and Don’ts
Do: Research rental companies for price and convenience. Hertz, for example, has more than 10,000 airport and neighborhood locations across 145 countries and six continents.
Don’t: Go in blind. Doing your homework in advance will save you time and money in the long run.
Do: Reserve early, especially if you need a particular kind of vehicle like a van or SUV.
Don’t: Wait until the day before your trip to book you car. There may not have as many options available.
Do: Consider if you need rental car insurance.
Don’t: Go without speaking to your insurance agent and/or credit card company to see how you may already be covered.
Do: Investigate your state’s minimum age for renting a car if you are a younger driver.
Don’t: Worry if you are under 25. There is a common misconception that drivers need to be 25 years or older to rent a car. Some states do have strict requirements on car rental age and many also charge an extra fee for being a young driver. However, you can be 20 or even 18 in some cities to rent a car with Hertz – plus, the young driver fee is waived for AAA members ages 20 to 24. Learn more.
Do: Research types of cars based on your requirements. Do you need a lot of cargo space for all your stuff? A car seat? Is an EV the right choice for a long trip?
Don’t: Arrive at the rental car agency and say, “So, what have you got?” It’s also a good idea to avoid automatically picking the cheapest option. If you rent from Hertz and make the wrong choice, you can modify your selection with your Hertz rental dealer at least 48 hours before a scheduled pick up.
Do: Make sure you know all the requirements, paperwork and the proper location for returning your rental car.
Don’t: Return the car on E. You will be hit with a refueling charge. Also, don’t forget to remove all your belongings and clean up any garbage or messes left behind.
For more information, see Hertz’s Ultimate Car Rental Guide.
AAA members get exclusive Hertz discounts, including up to 20% on Hertz rentals.
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4 Thoughts on “Car Rental Do’s and Don’ts”
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I recently rented a car and had a couple of unexpected hiccups. Be aware that most car rental agencies require a significant ‘hold’ fee on your credit card, and even higher fee if you are paying with a debit card. The hold is in addition to the rental amount, and will be released a few days after you return the car. The details should be in the fine print of the rental agreement and is applied when you pick up the car. Additionally, if you pay online you will need to have the card you used to book online with you to pick up the rental (note, Apple cards do not have a number physically printed on them, so when you book you need to go into ‘Additional Card Numbers’, not the ‘Virtual Card Number’ that shows in the initial card number details screen).
Research the cost of an additional driver. It can be expensive which I see little justification for.
Find a company that can add an additional driver complementary – Costco for example.
DO: Look for discounts, like AAA, AARP or perhaps professional organizations you may belong to. If you’re still employed, ask for the company discount code that may also allow for personal use.
1. See if the car has dents and scratches. If so, make sure this is noted by the car company.
2. If you’re driving in hot weather, open the hood, and check that the coolant is not low.
3. Check the tread on the tires to ensure the tires are not worn.