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What a fantastic weekend!
We just got back from attending my cousin's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and celebration. So happy we went.
Getting a Deal with Our Car Rental
After running the numbers for plane tickets and taxi fares for six people (my mom and sister came too), renting a car made the most sense.
We scheduled an extra couple of days and made this a family road trip.
I want to share tips to help you snag the best deal on your next car rental!
Don't Be Loyal to a Brand
When it comes to finding the best deal, you're better off shopping around between the different companies.
To give you an idea, here are the prices for a compact car that I pulled from Priceline (one of my favorite sites to use).
With so many travel comparison sites and tools out there it is even easier to get several quotes quickly.
Unless a brand has a reputation for bad service, I'm considering it when looking at car rentals.
Rent Only What You Need
With the screenshot I grabbed this morning, you can see there are big differences with certain classes.
As a rule of thumb, the smaller the car the lower price you have to pay. If you want the best deal, rent a car that fits your needs.
When it was just the two of us, we went with a compact car. Even as a family of four we've been happy with compact sized cars for the most part.
While not guaranteed, we have been able to upgrade our cars depending on availability. One trip we drove up to Chicago in a Ford Mustang, but was paying the price for a Focus. Score!
Winning Bids on Car Rentals
Since we've been saving money by bidding on our hotels on Priceline, we also use them for our car rentals.
I've found three things that has really helped us:
- Start early. Since Priceline makes you wait 24 hours between similar bids, give yourself a buffer.
- Be reasonable.We love getting a good deal, but we also like saving time. Priceline does let you see recent bid wins which give you a ballpark idea.
- Be a little bit flexible. While still only focusing on just the size we need, sometimes I've been able to get an extra bid in by changing up the car class. For example, every day I made bid on a mini-van and then I made one for a full sized SUV.
The best thing I like about using Priceline is that by prepaying, I come out ahead than if I went directly with the car companies' sites.
Avoid the Needless and Pricey Extras
The rental company can make some more money by upselling extras.
Some of them may be handy, but there is no need to pay twice for something.
For example, you may already have rental car coverage with your insurance.
Go ahead and give them a quick call to check. It can save you a ton of money.
If your current provider doesn't give you that coverage, it may be time to shop around for a better deal on car insurance.
Car seats are another fee that can tacked on, so it's probably a good idea to just use your own. You should check out Consumer Reports' guide on car seats and car rentals.
You can also skip on the extra fees for satellite radio and navigation as you most likely already have devices to take care of those functions.
Thoughts on Car Rental Deals
I'd love to get your take on car rentals. How many of you rent cars for vacations? Any more tips on scoring the best deal?