Opt Out Of That “Ripped Off” Feeling When Renting A Car!

I’m taking a little trip to the West Coast (of Florida that is, which is only an hour’s flight from my pad) next weekend for a little fishing with the guys!

Your old penny-pinching buddy (that’s me, I hope) isn’t going to drive there either (even though it would be much cheaper … I must be going insane)! That’s right I’m hopping a flight over, because I just got a great deal on my tickets (thanks to my one guy [see above] and his sweet job in the travel industry). So anyways, I’ve just spent the last couple of hours trying to book everything and I know better than to get the hotel/car rental package, because that’s a pure crock of s$%t that most people are still falling for (important note: you should be getting these two services separately if you want to save).

Being ripped off is a common occurrence in this day and age of customer service, and I think it stems from companies not caring about the ones who keep them in business anymore! First off, they continue to pay rude people minimum wage salaries (this is a deadly combo in itself) and then they carry on the tradition of lying about what they can and can’t do to solve any problems that you might run across while you’re dealing with their lousy disservice. This is why most travelers still operate under the delusion that car rental rates are all the same, and that shopping around is just a huge waste of time and resources. But guess what … these rates DO vary greatly between companies and destinations!

Watch out for these little money makers (for the rental agency, not you) that everyone else seems to fall for when renting a car:

Always bring the car back with a full tank! You will pay a ludicrous price per gallon if you don’t [think Summer of 2008, Then double that])!!! Another thing to consider: when you prepay for gas, you’ve agreed that you will pay to fill the entire gas tank as if it were empty. If you’re not going to use all of it, then why pay for all of it (sounds bass ackwards to me)?

Never rent a car at the airport. Studies show that travelers are charged over 30% in taxes and fees when renting at an airport location, while being charged under 15% percent at non-airport locations. If you can arrange a hotel shuttle from the airport to your hotel, chances are really good that you’ll save a bunch of money in the process.

Companies make big profits off of insurance fees. Before going to the rental car counter, check your insurance and credit card coverage. Most insurance policies offer both comprehensive and collision coverage, while most decent credit card providers have a built-in protection for rental car insurance. Clerks are trained to make you feel like a scumbag for declining theirs, so tell them to f-off when they do!

Most Americans don’t like compacts! Rental companies know this, and they usually order more mid-size and full-size cars, so on most days they’re not going to have any compacts at all when you get there. In this case, they are obligated to give you a free upgrade. Remember: you can usually pay an upgrade fee anyway if they call you out on this trick. What I’m trying to say here: always order a compact, smart guy!

Now that you know the ropes, here’s the perfect time to order: pick up the car on a Thursday, even if you don’t really need it until Friday. Friday rental rates are going to be horrible, and Saturdays are going to be much, much worse. And if you’re looking on sites like Priceline or Travelocity, you better be checking out the standard rates listed on the rental company’s website, because they’re actually going to be cheaper about half of the times (I am not kidding).

Well, I can’t wait for some friendly deep-sea fishing in the Gulf — I’m glad I’m not going to get my wallet “hooked” before I get there. Wish me luck!