When we planned our trip to the USA, we didn’t even think about whether it was worth renting a car or not. The experience of traveling around France, Spain and Portugal showed that there is hardly any other way that is comparable in efficiency and convenience by which one can see the maximum number of places in the shortest possible time. Well, this is even more true of America - the distances there are huge and it’s unlikely to get to the distant nooks of national parks by public transport.
But besides, as practice has shown, traveling around the US by car is a real pleasure! The roads are magnificent, wide and straight, the traffic outside the cities is minimal, the drivers are neat, in general, go, I do not want.
In general, the scheme of renting a car in the States is almost the same as in Europe, but still, there are some peculiarities, we will tell about them in this article.
We took the car in Las Vegas, and planned to just spend there a couple of days at first, and only then, after the wedding ceremony, to go traveling in national parks. In the city itself, we didn’t need a car, so we rented it not immediately, but still, it turned out to be more profitable to take it at the airport. So this is the # 1 life hack - compare rental points in the same city, even in the same rental office prices may differ depending on the specific item.
And maybe it is that in the next town the prices will be even cheaper and if the issue of economy is urgent, it will be more profitable to go there and take the car there.
The second interesting point that pleasantly surprised us was the opportunity to choose a particular car. We took the car twice - first the Ford Mustang, and then the crossover, and both times we were not just given a certain car, but sent to the parking lot with a proposal to choose the appropriate color, and in the second case even the brand. But perhaps this is not a common practice in the United States and we were just lucky.
Regarding the choice of the rental office, there are two ways - to browse the websites of international and American companies (like Hertz, Dollar, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Alamo, etc.), or, more conveniently, to use the OneTwoTrip reservation service. In this case, in any case, the contract will be concluded with one of the rolling offices.
What you should pay attention to:
1. Insurance. We recommend taking full coverage without a deductible. Most often, insurance is included in the price, but it is better to clarify. Of course, there will be a certain overpayment, but it doesn’t compare with the cost of repairs, if something happens. For example, in Death Valley, when we tried to get to Sliding Rocks, we broke the wheel, and it was so serious that it was not subject to repair and needed a complete replacement, but since we had full insurance, we didn’t have to pay anything extra. By the way, read the insurance terms carefully, most often the insurance coverage does not apply to glass and wheels.
There are two types of insurance - SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance) and LDW (Loss Damage Waiver), these are analogues of our CTP and CASCO, respectively.
In addition to insurance, which was included in the rental price, we already issued another one (Roadsafe) at the rental point — something like an emergency commissioner, where you can call a special number at any point in the country and you will receive help. It is very actively "vtyuhivayut" managers, apparently for them this is an additional sale with good commissions, so be careful, without this service, you can just safely do.
2. Mileage. If you plan to drive a lot, then check that there are no restrictions on mileage (over the limit will have to pay extra). This is not a very common practice, but nevertheless, it occurs.
3. Documents. Theoretically, in the US, our usual driver's license (plastic card) should be valid, but in many places it is the international B / L that requires it. Therefore, in order to avoid misunderstandings, we recommend that you arrange it before you travel, all the more so it is inexpensive, IDPs are done quickly, and now you do not need to receive a medical certificate for registration.
4. Optional equipment. If you need something special - car seat, navigator, chains on the wheels (well, you never know), you should indicate this when booking, otherwise something may not be available. Most often, it will be necessary to pay extra for it already in place.
5. Age and experience. If you are a young driver, or recently received a license, then the rental price for you may be higher.
6. Payment and deposit. In addition to directly the money that you pay when booking, at the time of registration of documents in the office, a certain amount will be additionally frozen on your bank card. In many companies, the card must belong to the one who is registered as a driver (by default, this is one person, for the 2nd, 3rd, etc., you need to pay extra). Cash as a deposit is most often not accepted. The deposit will be unfrozen a few days after the car is returned and the damage can be deducted from it (if they are not covered by insurance), as well as possible parking fines, speeding, etc.
7. Return. Some companies allow you to pass the car in another office or even another city (with an additional charge). In some cases, this may be advisable, for example, if you plan to take the car in Los Angeles, and surrender to San Francisco and do not want to drive it back.
8. Gasoline. Each company may have its own fuel policy - somewhere they give a car with a full tank, and you need to pass with an empty one. Somewhere you can choose empty or full and pay for fuel on the spot - most often it will not be much, but more expensive. It is cheaper to refuel yourself. By the way, keep in mind such a moment that in different states or regions the price of gasoline may differ significantly. So, we didn’t refuel before going to Death Valley, where there were very few gas stations, and firstly, we were nervous that we would be stuck in the middle of the desert, and secondly, when we finally reached the gas station, we had to fill up with expensive gasoline.
If you take a car at the airport, then at the exit, specify how to get to your rental office. Most often, there is a shuttle from the airport, which stops at different companies.
Another little trick - the default on car rental sites is 12:00 booking time. Many people forget to change it, so at this time there may be a crowd, it is better to choose some other time.
