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5 Keys to Getting the Right Rental
Power Trip · January 18, 2004

To most travelers, a rental car is an afterthought — as in, "Oh, will I need a car while I'm there?" at the end of a reservation.

And that's unfortunate.

True, the auto rental only accounts for 9% of the average corporate travel budget, according to Runzheimer International. But over several trips, that can add up to a lot of money.

In an earlier column, I explained how to avoid the most common car rental traps. I also helped you sort through the best and worst car rental companies. Now it's time to determine which rental company to actually do business with.

Here are the five things to consider, plus my insider tips on how to make these strategies work for you.

Go ahead, shop by price. According to Forrester Research, 18% of the traveling public only cares about one thing: price. It calls these frugal folks "mercenary" travelers because of their single-minded obsession with the bottom line. Even if you're not a Conan when it comes to costs, you probably look at the rate very closely before pushing the "book" button. And you may wonder how two identical cars from two companies can have such different prices. Well, no one knows the answer to that, but this we do know: It's more or less the same car. So why not try to find the least expensive one? "I shop by price," says Mark Shannon, a professional sports official who travels throughout California. "Nothing beats value." (One caution: See No. 3 below.)

Tip: Reserving the cheapest car won't just save money, but it could also land you in a bigger car. Auto rental companies frequently run out of the little cars and are forced to upgrade you into the next available class of car. Now that's a deal.

By all means, use your frequent-flier miles. Frequent-flier points are so addictive that I've often referred to them as the crack cocaine of the travel industry. Even though I've cautioned against becoming too hooked on miles, many travelers remain happily addicted. If you're one of those point-collectors who can't say "no," then you definitely shouldn't miss this opportunity to get what's coming to you. Car rental companies reward you with miles on your choice of airline and often sweeten the pot by giving you bonus miles for booking on their Web sites. "You have to factor in the frequent-flier miles," says Gregory Plagmann, a property manager from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Tip: Double-check with your car rental company before you collect your points. You could pay a 7.5% excise tax on the cost of your airline miles. If you're talking about a few hundred miles, it may be more expensive to collect the points than to leave them be.

Avoid no-name brands. Stick with a brand (or brands) you know and trust. This is a not-so-obvious one, given our admitted fascination with price. But it's something worth considering. "When I rent a car, there's no question in my mind about who I'm going to rent from," says Lyn Greenhill, an engineering manager from Roseville, Calif. He prefers Hertz because it consistently offers the service he's looking for, especially when he's pressed for time. "The #1 Club Gold [express check-in] is very convenient and I've never had any problem with it — something I can't say for the other guys." Brands are important, especially when you're comparing a budget-rental company with a "blue chip" one. If customer service and amenities mean a lot to you, then consider the brand.

Tip: When it comes to brand loyalty, be flexible. But given the choice between a no-name car rental company and a well-known one, go with what you know. Do so even if the no-name brand gives you the cheapest price.

Choose comfort, and reject a car that doesn't have it. Customers are so fixated on cost that they often forget that the cars you'll find in a given class aren't all the same. What's the difference between the Chevrolet Cavalier, which is Alamo's featured compact car, and the Ford Focus, which is the comparable auto at Budget? "I select something comfortable," says Brian Todd, a lobbyist from Bakersfield, Calif. I was recently faced with the same decision at a Hertz rental counter in Los Angeles. My agent told me there were no more Ford Tauruses available, but would I be interested in a convertible Mustang? It was only after he handed me the keys that I realized that the back seat of a convertible Mustang is no place for a toddler and five pieces of luggage. Lesson learned.

Tip: Class doesn't always translate into comfort. Some midsize cars have more legroom and trunk space. Look at the vehicle descriptions carefully before making your choice.

Rent from a company with an airport location. This is particularly important if you're picking up your rental car at the airport. "Does the car-rental company have an on-airport location?" asks David Farnham, a tax preparer from Roanoke, Va. If so, it cuts your time from gate to counter by minutes. If not, you could spend a long time in a van, in traffic, in transit, or just waiting by the curbside. It's worth asking your rental company how far the ride is from the airport to the car rental facility.

Tip: Watch out for extra fees associated with on-airport locations. They're often called consolidated car rental facility fees, because the rental companies must pay for their prime location near the airport. But you could also be subject to transportation fees for your airport courtesy van. Don't ignore the fine print.

By taking more than just price into consideration for your next car rental — and mulling convenience, comfort, brands and the potential reward you can get from patronizing a given company — you'll have a much more rewarding driving experience. Take it from a guy with windblown hair and an 18-month old with the sniffles.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.

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