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Question: My family is flying to Orlando this summer to visit Disney
World. We will need to rent a car and wonder if you have any tips.
Answer: First a brief heads up. My husband and I rented a car in
Orlando several years ago. It was so crowded it took more than two hours
to get to the desk to rent the car. If you haven't already purchased
your tickets, you should ask the car rental agency what time of day is
the least busy. If you must go during peak hours, take plenty of things for your children
to do during the wait.
Renting a car can be fairly complicated. First of all, there are many
different rates and it is up to your negotiating skills to find the best
one. You also have to make choices about insurance coverage, fuel
charges, and extras.
You can rent a car through a travel agent, on the internet, by phone,
or in person. Your travel agent has access to most car rental agencies
with the exception of some of the locals with names such as
"rent-a-wreck." If you are on a very tight budget, check with yellow
pages for some of the small, local companies. Be sure to ask what to do
if you have car trouble. If you have towing coverage at home, you should
be covered in Florida. If not, the cheaper cost of the car may be more
expensive in the long run.
You can get rates and other important information and even book your
car by using the web sites of the major car rental companies. Here are
addresses for some of the major car rental agencies: www.avis.com,
www.dollarcar.com, www.goalamo.com, www.hertz.com, and
www.nationalcar.com.
There are two major drawbacks to using the internet, however. 1) If you
have coupons or memberships that give you a discount, it is not easy to
determine the lower rates. 2) You can't ask questions such as "is that
the lowest rate you have? What other memberships would give me a lower
rate?" If you belong to professional organizations, frequent flyer
clubs, or other membership groups, you will often receive coupons that can be used for
free days or other discounts. Use these coupons when shopping for the best
rates with the rental companies.
Have the family member who is the best schmoozer call to get
information about rates. After you've booked your car, it doesn't hurt
to check back just before you leave to determine if there is a better
deal.
You always have the opportunity to purchase insurance. Collision damage
waiver (CDW) can add $10 to $15 a day to your car rental price. For most
people this is a duplicate of coverage they already have through their
automobile insurance. Check with your insurance agent before you leave.
If you are covered, you can decline CDW with confidence. Some credit
cards also provide coverage. Rules do change, so check again with your
credit card company before your trip.
Homeowners and renters insurance policies often cover you if your
belongings are stolen. Most likely you will not need to purchase
personal effects coverage.
There are lots of extras to choose from such as "additional driver"
charges. This can add another $5 a day to your rental charges. Airport
fees may be extra if the company is located at the airport. Other
companies located off the airport grounds may not charge these fees.
Don't take the option of buying gas from the car rental company when
you return the car. It is often outrageously expensive. Instead, stop
just before you reach the car return and fill up.
Keeping vacation costs reasonable certainly adds to your appreciation
when the bills start coming in.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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