Car Rental Information

Recently I have been asked alot about car rental deals. Here are a few hints and tips.I have found the best prices are generally found with Alamo if you are travelling to any of the Hawaiian Islands. If you are travelling to Las Vegas I have found Advantage Car Rentals to have great pricing as well. If you are travelling to Orlando, Florida another great company for prices is L&M Car Rentals we were given that recommendation by a Westjetter.

As for car rentals in other locations within Canada and the US, the best suggestion that I can give is to shop around. Rental prices fluctuate a lot, so watch the prices and rebook as necessary, it is very easy to book online, and cancel if necessary when you find a better deal. Another hint is to look at the rental car discount page, often they will have coupon codes for $20 off or free upgrades. Another way to gain discounts it if you are a member of AAA or a union you should receive discounts at many of the major rental car companies, check your handbooks.

An important note about rental car companies, the additional insurance that they are selling you (sometimes rather forcefully, using scare tactics etc..) is often not necessary. If you insure your own vehicle at home, you generally are covered under that insurance. Also check into what credit card you are using to pay with as many of these cards cover all your insurance needs, so check your credit cards information. Often times if you receive extended health benefits with work there is coverage under that as well. As these additional costs of insurance through the rental car companies will cause your rate to suddenly be doubled.

Recently many rental car companies have offered the gas option, where you can return your rental car without filling up and you then receive the gas at a discounted price per litre or gallon. At first I was thinking this sounds like a good deal, until I asked further questions and read the fine print. They pre charge you for an entire tank of gas at this discounted rate, its not based upon how much gas you actually require when you return the car. So if you return the car with half a tank of gas, you are actually paying for the cost of a full tank, and at today's very high gas costs that really adds up fast! Essentially we have learned that whatever additional items car rental companies are offering you are going to cost you more money in the end, therefore we decline them.

The more money we can save while travelling the more travelling we can do!