4 Guidelines to Booking a Rental Vehicle
When you need to rent a vehicle, there is nothing worse than getting one that ends up not meeting your needs or expectations at all. This ends up making your trip uncomfortable and you will constantly be inconvenienced whenever you need to use your vehicle. To avoid this, it is beneficial to take a few things into consideration before booking a rental vehicle. Doing so will increase your chances of making your excursion as efficient and trouble-free as possible.
1. Size of party
When renting a vehicle, you obviously want it to be able to accommodate everyone with you as well as all luggage comfortably. Failure to do so will mean everyone will be crammed into a vehicle that is not big enough which can be tight, frustrating, and against the law if there are not enough seatbelts available for everyone.
If you will be travelling with friends or family for a holiday, take inventory of everyone who is going as well as room for luggage. If more than 2 adults are attending, you may have enough space in a smaller car but trunk space may not be sufficient for luggage. In this instance, you may want to consider a bigger car or a van.
If you are looking to rent a vehicle for when you are away on business, you can probably get away with a smaller car because it only needs to accommodate your belongings.
2. Location
You would hate to take a vacation and rent a vehicle that is inappropriate for where you are. To prevent this, you need to research where you are going before you leave to ensure you get the vehicle that meets your needs perfectly.
If you plan on taking lots of road trips during your vacation, a smaller car with better gas mileage may be best if you are able to make it work with the amount of people you have with you. This will allow you to save a significant amount of money on gas. If you will be travelling on rough terrain through mountains or deserts you may want to consider a bigger vehicle with bigger tires and four-wheel drive.
3. Extras
Airlines are notorious for charging steep fees for luggage that is overweight and any oversized belongings that will take up excessive space in the airplane. Therefore it is beneficial to pack as light as possible.
It is possible to find car rental companies who can provide items that you may be unable to bring with you on your trip. However, not all companies provide the same things so you need to take inventory of what you need and make inquiries to the company before you book. For example, airlines fees for your child’s car seat would be costly, but most if not all car rental companies can provide you with one.
You are probably unfamiliar with the area that you are going to. In this case, some rental companies can provide you with a GPS. If you have a lot of luggage or some larger items such as a stroller, wheelchair, or skis, you may want to confirm that the rental company has vehicles with racks for easy transport.
4. Driver
When booking a rental vehicle, you need to take into account the one or two people who will be doing most of the driving during your trip. You definitely do not want them being uncomfortable with the vehicle that is booked as this can lead to anxiety and potential accidents.
If you will be the principle driver, booking is easier because you are obviously able to reserve whatever vehicle you are comfortable with. If you will not be driving, make sure the driver is part of the booking process. Allow him/her to specify which type of car they are comfortable driving. Pay close attention to transmission type as you do not want to book a manual one if the driver does not know how to drive it.
