The Car Rental Agency – A Used Car Dealer’s Best Kept Secret

A car rental agency is the best place to buy good quality used cars at great value. It’s the secret that used car dealers don’t want you to know. They buy used cars from a car rental agency’s old inventory and sell it to you at a higher mark-up. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to save money by buying a used car from a car rental agency yourself. But what is it with car rental agencies that make them so attractive to used car dealers?

That’s because car rental agencies do the same amount of work that used car dealers do. Only they do it better and they do it for (almost for) free.

Car Rental Agency Versus a Used Car Dealership

When you think about buying a used car, the first place you usually think of going is a used car dealership. But what you don’t know is you might get better value and better deals at a car rental agency. These are the reasons why you may get a car cheaper from car rental agencies.

• Used car dealerships often focus on the appearance of a car, hoping they’ll able to sell it off. Whether the car works or not is secondary to them. For a car rental agency, the overall condition of the car is important to their. So they invest time, money and resources to make sure that their cars look good and they’re working in tip-top condition.

• A used car dealer would buy a car from anyone as long as it looks good and it has good resale value. They don’t care what the previous owner did in that car. They don’t care whether the interior was regularly kept clean or if they transported pets, or if there are cockroaches in it. It’s something they could easily camouflage. Car rental agencies often have strict rental polices. You can’t smoke in their cars, bring pets, and you’re not allowed to take the cars off road. They also regularly clean and shampoo their interiors. So if you’re finicky about cleanliness, go with a car rental agency.

• A car rental agency doesn’t just go into a dealership and buy whatever is on display. Before buying a car, they do a lot of research. They go for cars that would give them the best value for their money and would give them the most amount of business. This means they would normally go for cars that have good track records. They would buy models that are reliable, durable, good mileage, and would suit the needs of most of their clients. The selection in a car rental would be limited compared to a used car dealership but you’re assured that what they have is the best on the lot.

• Lastly, car rental agencies only use cars up to a certain point. Once a car reaches a few thousand miles, the rental sells them off. You’re not sure exactly how much wear and tear a used car gets. Unlike a used car dealership, they could tamper with the odometer and get a car that’s more worn that it actually is.

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Car Rental Costs – The Truth Behind Hidden Charges

Car rental costs are so exorbitant these days that sometimes the cost is no longer worth the convenience. We all know that the high cost of gasoline has something to do with the rising costs of rental cars. What most people don’t know is that a bulk of what’s being charged by car rental companies is actually hidden charges. These hidden charges are so high; they can actually contribute to half of your car rental bill.

Some of these charges are unnecessary and optional, but car rentals won’t tell you that. We’ll show you what these hidden charges how and how you can save money by having them taken out on your next bill.

Hidden Rental Car Charges

• Taxes and Airport Surcharges. You pay these surcharges for the convenience of having your rental car bought at the airport. That’s because car rental companies have to pay taxes to the local government and concession fees to airports. These taxes and surcharges can contribute to about 10% of your bill. To avoid these charges, pick up your rental car from an off-airport location. See whether the airport or your car rental agency has a free shuttle service you can use and take advantage of that.

• Insurance. Car rental companies refer to this as collision damage or Loss Damage Waiver. You pay an extra $10-$25 a day to avoid liability for any damage on the vehicle, provided it wasn’t caused by gross negligence. This may not be necessary. Some regular car insurance and credit cards includes rental cars in their coverage. So you don’t have to pay this if you regular insurance covers it.

• Gasoline charges. Most people think that paying for gasoline charges is a good way to save money. They get their rental car with a full tank and return it with as little or as much fuel as they like. No need to bother with the high cost of gasoline or going to the gas station to fill up the tank yourself. The problem with gasoline charges is that you don’t get a refund if you don’t use up all your fuel.

• Drop-off fees. You could get charged extra if you drop off your rental at a different location from where you got it. If you drop-off your car in a different state, it could cost you as much as $1000. To avoid this, just return your car from where you got it.

There are many more hidden charges and they’re mostly the result of not following your rental policy. To avoid any extra costs, make sure you understand the policy and make sure to read the fine print. Ask your car rental on anything and everything that’s not covered in your policy. It’s better to go through the trouble of studying your policy now than paying a lot of money for the consequences later.

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Car Rental Deals For Retirees and Seniors

Car rental companies offer great discounts for retirees and senior citizens. In order to take advantage of these discounts, a retiree has to be a member of the American Association of Retired Persons. This association currently has arrangements with six major car rental companies. Membership to the American Association of Retired Persons costs sixteen dollars a year. You can sign-up for several years to get a discount on your membership.

Getting Car Rental Deals

The American Association of Retired Persons has a website wherein their members can take advantage of car rental discounts. All members need to do is go to the “Discounts” page and look for the “Travel” section. From there, click on “Car Rentals”. The next page will then display the six companies that offer discounts for retirees: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.

Just select which car rental company you want to hire and click on their name. You’ll then be taken to car rentals website to book a reservation with the discount automatically factored in your bill.

For senior members who don’t know how to use a computer, they are provided with toll-free numbers that they can use to rent their car.

Car Rental Discount Rates

All six companies offer discount rates for retirees. The rates may vary depending on the season, location, and the car rental policy.

Alamo, Avis and Hertz offers up to 25% discount off the daily, weekend, weekly and monthly rates. Budget and National offers up to 20% discount off their standard rates. Enterprise also offers a discount but this is not specified on the website.

The American Association of Retired Persons also provides tips for their members to help them maximize their discounts. There are numerous ways that seniors can get more discounts in addition to their membership discount.

They recommend members to call all six car rental companies before booking a car. Even though some companies offer a bigger discount than others, their base rates and surcharges may be higher. And the discounts may vary by season or rental policy.

They also recommend members to look for other travel discounts. These discounts maybe combined with the discounts offered by the association. Or the discounts offered may be bigger than those provided by the association.

They also recommend their members to be on the lookout for car rental coupons that they can combined with their membership discounts. They can combine car rental coupons with the discounts available. They can get coupons online from coupon sites or from the Entertainment Book.

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Car Rental Agency and Hotel Partnerships – Quality and Convenience

Partnerships between car rental agencies and hotels are quite common in every part of the globe. The relationship between car rental agencies and hotels is one that’s based on trust, reliable service, and great value for its customers.

Whether you’re staying in a hotel for business or pleasure, having a rental car will certainly make your stay more comfortable. Car rental agencies that are affiliated with hotels are often more expensive. If you want to save money and you know your way around the area, you can easily rent a car from other agencies at a lower cost. But there are certain advantages to renting a car from an agency that has a partnership with your hotel.

Car Rental Agency Deals With Hotels

What you get mainly by renting a car from a car rental agency recommended by your hotel is the convenience. If you’re not used to renting a car, or you don’t have the time to look for a car, your hotel can make the arrangements for you. Just tell your hotel concierge what type of car you need and they can talk to the agency for you.

Another thing you’ll get from car rental agencies that are affiliated with hotels is quality service. Hotels usually want to partner with business they know would give great service to their clients. Their name and reputation depends on it. Sure, it will cost more. But you’re sure that you’ll get a good reliable car and on call support from both the hotel and the agency.

A car rental agency will be more flexible in the rental policies with their partner hotels than with any other customer. This means you can pick up and leave your rental car with the hotel. The agency may give you a longer grace period when you want to return your car.

Lastly, if you ever leave behind any items in your rental car, like your passport or you phone, the car rental agency can easily contact you through your hotel. They’ll even bring it to your hotel so you don’t have to make the trip yourself. With an agency not affiliated with the hotel, there’s a risk you may not get your things back. The agency may not be aware that you lost things in the car until you report it and by then it may be too late. And if they do find your things, they may not immediately inform your hotel.

Car rental agency and hotel partnerships surely cost more than if you shop for an agency yourself. But if convenience and quality is important to you, go with the rental agency affiliated with your hotel. It’ll give you one less thing to worry about and make your trip a more comfortable and memorable experience.

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