The last thing you want is to be caught up paying tons of fees on mileage. I have a few questions every car/van/camper rental agency should pass before you had over your credit card.
Are miles unlimited?
This is especially vital if you plan to a do a long road trip on a rented car. Most car rental agencies these days give you unlimited mileage. My personal favorites are Enterprise (sign up for the rewards program) or Hertz (best for under 25 renters with AAA coverage). Most campervan rentals I’ve come across do charge anywhere between 30-60 cents per mile, a cost that will add up greatly even with the convenience of saving on accommodations.
Does The Car Have To Be Returned With A Full Tank of Gas?
This question weighs heavy on my frugal mind because some rental agencies are offering to let you return the car at any fuel level for a pre-determined price. Basically, they price out a tank of gas and round up a bit I’m sure and then tell you to just bring the car back at any fill level and that will cover the tank. Of course, to get the most bang for your buck you want to return it closer to empty, but that also stresses me out. I usually opt out of this option, finding it cheaper to just fill it up myself (plus I get the gas station reward points).
What Extra Fees might I incur with this rental?
Expect them to cover the damage and cleaning fee and ask what the cleaning expectation is. Additionally, you’re asking this to make sure taxes and service fees have already been included in the quote you’re being given. Sometimes the unexpected happens, find out if they charge for a late return by the day or by the hour and how much the fee is.Keep in mind some car companies charge some or all of the following fees: one way trip fee, under 25 driver fee, senior driver fee, admin/processing fees, and rental date/time change fees. Some of these fees are unavoidable while others are unnecessary. This conversation may also be where they pitch you on insurance, see below:
Does My Insurance Cover This?
Less a question for your car rental agency and more for your car insurance policy. A lot of car rentals sell their own insurance but few drivers realize that their car insurance likely already has insurance built in for when they rent a car. Get with your insurance agent and find out what options you have. While your at it sign up for their (or AAA) road side assistance program before you get on the road, most only cost a few dollars per month.
Now you’re almost ready to rent a car and get on the road. Before you do, here are a few bonus points:
- Oftentimes cars can be driven across state lines without issue but rarely can they be driven out of the country. If you’re unsure, check with the rental agency.
- If you’re considering a campervan or RV you need to take a long hard look at your route and make sure your vehicle is suited for the drive. This includes considering the terrain, how steep some climbs may be, any narrow and sharp turns that may be difficult to navigate, and in some cases making sure pull through/adequate parking is available.
- Accidentally run through the wrong toll lane in your rental? I did once! The Golden Gate Bridge’s times toll entry outsmarted me and I went through at the wrong time. Turns out they just bill your rental company who in turn bills you. It’s government though, so in my case that fee pop up nearly a month after it was incurred.
- Be aware of the return process and the hours of operation. I’ve learned the hard way that not all online rentals block off times they are closed for the return. Thankfully the kind rental agent waived my late fee when I explained what happened, but it’s best to get ahead of that one.
Now that you’re Rental Ready, you need a place to go! Whether you have half an idea of what you’d like to see and do or no clue at all I’m ready to plan the best road trip ever for you!
I have several awesome plans for every person and I’ll completely customize each one so you can have the most epic adventure you want.
Good luck with your next rental!
Taysia