Renting a car: tips and tricks

Enterprise is good. I took a Taurus from TX to NC for $30 plus gas without even providing a major credit card (they accepted my debit card!). Plus they'll deliver the car to you if you like. Would rent again from Enterprise.

Nice. Yeah, I am hoping these guys will accept my debit card.

I pretty much just always go with whoever has the cheapest rate whenever I need a car. I never get insurance.

Enterprise is good. I was even in a car accident in one of their cars (I rear-ended a guy), and everything was taken care of even though I didn't buy their insurance.

I've never driven a rental car across state lines so I don't know how that works.

Enterprise is usually my go-to company, but you'll need to shop around a bit depending on how long you need the car for. Budget sometimes has amazing deals going on.

I've never driven a rental car across state lines so I don't know how that works.

Ask up front when you make the reservation. Enterprise here in CA limits you to AZ & NV other companies/locations will have different restrictions.

Ten years ago, I rented from Alamo and drove 11,000 miles through 20 different states and they didn't bat an eye at all.

YMMV and all that.

If booking over the net, don't click on the snow cover option if hiring in a sub-tropical city with no recorded snowfall in history like some morons at the company I work for did once.

there may be a gps transponder in car so they know if you've left the state. that's the only way that could work.

The only real problem I've had with Enterprise is they ALWAYS try too hard to upsell me when I am standing in their damn parking garage waiting for my car (after the interminable amount of time filling out everything at the counter). Your personal car insurance policy will generally not cover any damage to a rental car without a special rider, but the credit card you rent the car with will offer some coverage. If you rent with a debit card, they will generally put a hold on the full amount they expect your rental to be, so you will not have access to that money from your account if you need it. Taxes and fees at the airport can close to double the daily rental charge in some places; there is no way around that except maybe to rent from an off-airport location (but then you still have to get there to pick up the car). And, buying the full tank of gas when you rent the car can be a good deal if you can be sure to bring it back with less than 1/4 tank.

I'm way good at killing the upsell, no worries there. You just say "no" as many times as needed. Salesmen look for people who can't say "no."

What is a special rider?

I don't mind if they retract the whole amount from my debit card; I have it budgeted out and that's kind of how I expect debit cards to work! (And if I get some back then yay! I never expect to get back a deposit or the equivalent.)

I'm doing it off-airport, getting a friend to drop us off at the business place (or I guess they come pick you up).

Good words, Jaq, thx!

Some companies are putting GPS on their cars to tell if they've been taken out of state and charging astronomical sums, by the mile. They're also doing this to tell if you've been speeding!

Call you car insurance and ask if you have rental coverage. If you do, don't buy their insurance.

Riders are like special pages added to a standard insurance policy, like kate78 says just call and ask if you are covered. Also, your debit card is maybe a Visa card too and may have some automatic coverage. The rental car places make A LOT of $$ on the insurance coverage - it's such a gamble, how likely is it that the car will be damaged while you have it (not very), etc etc.

trick: snowy parking lot + e-brake = funtimes!

Your personal car insurance policy will generally not cover any damage to a rental car without a special rider, but the credit card you rent the car with will offer some coverage.

FWIW, my personal insurance agency (Allstate) had no problem covering my stupidity and is paying to repair the rental and the other guy.

No special riders either.

That's good PP. I had a massive accident in a rental car - rearended someone on a freeway outside Sacramento and caused a 6 car pileup with injuries. The only reason State Farm covered it was because I had a rider. I rent a car on average 24 weeks of the year for business, so I continue to pay for the rider.

Jaq OTM re: Enterprise hard sell on CDW/add'l insurance. Always annoying when they walk you around the car when you bring it back to make sure there's been no damage.

Having said that, it's always a good idea when picking up a rental car to note any nicks or dents in it -- I had Avis write me up once for a *tiny* dent over the wheel that I know wasn't mine.

If you're renting for business, always check with your company's travel department for advice on taking/declining the extra insurance -- my company rents enough from Avis that we effectively have no deductibles even if we decline the coverage.

Don't get me started on State Farm. They wouldn't insure my house because the breaker box was in the closet. (???)

the 25+ rule is so stupid