Book a rental car: tips and tricks

For me, a real road trip includes a set of wheels, a rental car. So I am flexible on-site and can explore my travel destination individually. So that the road trip is a success and is not overshadowed by difficulties booking a rental car, I have written down my tips and tricks for booking a rental car here.

Booking the rental car

Again, the question is asked where it is best to book a rental car, on-site or from Pakistan. My recommendation here is very clear. This has several advantages: On the one hand, the booking is made according to Pakistan law, particularly important in disputes. Then the rental conditions and the rental agreement are in Pakistan. This has the advantage that there can be no misunderstandings due to the foreign language. You also have enough time to read through the rental conditions. One final point is insurance coverage. The rental car companies in Pakistani often offer better liability insurance with higher coverage.

Choosing the right class of car

When renting a car, you often have a large selection of different car classes. The temptation is great to finally drive a car that you might never drive in everyday life. Or who doesn't even want to drive through the convertible? However, despite all the temptation, one should not neglect very practical considerations.

How many people are traveling together, and how much luggage do they have with them? Even if a car has five seats, this does not mean that there is enough space for five suitcases. And nothing is more uncomfortable than driving around for three weeks with your luggage between your legs.

Is an all-wheel-drive vehicle necessary for the route? Many routes are easy to drive on with a normal car or an SUV with increased ground clearance. In Alaska or Namibia, for example, a four-wheel-drive vehicle makes sense. It is important to look at the rental conditions because even if you have rented an off-road vehicle, this does not mean that it is also allowed to drive off-road.

Will you have to leave the car with all your luggage? This is often the case on a road trip. For example, you usually leave a hotel in the morning, drive a few hours to your destination, do some activities, such as sightseeing or hiking, and only then drive to the next accommodation. Therefore, the trunk should be locked as possible and not visible.

I usually rent a full-size car when I'm out with my partner or a large SUV when the four of us drive. So everyone, including luggage, has enough space, and there is also storage space in the interior for rucksacks, cool boxes, or the like.

Which tariff is the right one?

There are different tariffs with the different rental car companies. However, regardless of which tariff you choose, it must meet the following minimum requirements:

Full insurance

Customary national liability insurance with increased coverage. This makes sense; we have all heard of the spectacular claims for damages. The higher, the better

·         Unlimited kilometers

·         Theft insurance

·         Rental car tips tricks

·         Car rental

Additional services / additional costs

In addition to these minimum requirements, some additional services are included in some tariffs or that can / should be booked in addition:

One-way rental: Picking up and returning the vehicle at different locations can sometimes lead to considerable additional costs.

Fuel regulation: There are two options for fuel regulation when renting: full/full or full/empty. In the first variant, the car is fully fueled when rented and must also be returned full. With the second option, the car is taken over in full and can be returned empty. I recommend choosing the first option here because you only pay for the gasoline you have used.

Choice of pick-up station and rental time

When booking the rental car, the rental time and the pick-up station must also be specified. When choosing the rental time, you must always pay the whole day, even if you don't pick up the car until late in the evening. It would help if you also considered whether you still want to drive a car after a long flight, possibly in a big city with left-hand traffic. So recently, I've been doing it so that I don't pick up the car directly at the airport. Instead, I take the shuttle, bus, or taxi to my hotel in town. I spend the first day in the city for acclimatization, there I don't need a car anyway, and I might have to pay expensive parking fees. Then, I'll pick up the car in town the next day and start my road trip. Sometimes renting in the city was even cheaper than directly at the airport.

Pick up the rental car

When you completely reach your destination, you pick up the rental car. If he is picked up directly at the airport, the counter is directly in the airport building;  the rental car stations are outside the airport premise at large airports. There are then free shuttle buses to the stations; the departure points are signposted.

The necessary documents (booking confirmation, ID, credit card, driver's license) are then handed in at the counter at the rental car station. The contract will then be finalized. In the meantime, the employees usually try to talk you into something, an upgrade, further insurance, etc. But if you have carefully considered everything when booking, you can refuse these things with a clear conscience.

Suppose you want to rent a car and find the best company; carlay car rental will provide you the best offer to rent a car in Islamabad.