Being a wise consumer has always been important, but it has become even more important with our current economic state. If you are making a purchase that requires a signature agreement, it is very important that you read through all the details of the agreement carefully, before putting your name upon it. With everyone being in a rush, now a days, and the fact that some of the information is not understandable without a law degree, this is become a fatal mistake in a lot of peoples lives. There is no exception to this, not even when you are renting a car.

As a consumer, when renting a car, you will search all of the available rental agencies to find the best rate you can for the car you want at the time you need it. When you are searching for this rate, though, what many consumers do not understand is that this is just the base rate for the rental, and it does not include many of the fees that will be added on at the time of the rental. Car rental companies are aware of the fact that most consumers are not doing enough research to uncover the hidden fees, so they make their base rates attractive, to attract as many customers as possible, and then disclose the additional fees when you are picking up or returning your car.

Some of the additional fees that car rental companies added to the base rental rate are airport fees, a fuel charge to fill the tank when the car is returned, undisclosed taxes, and even extra insurance for the vehicle. All of these fees are clearly spelled out in the rental agreement, but again not many people bother to read the entire agreement before signing it. One tip when renting a car is to always return it with a full tank of gas, since the fuel charge car rental companies apply is much higher then the actual price of gas per gallon.

As for other fees to watch out for, be careful of airport fees and keep in mind that one way travel in a rental car with a drop off at a different car rental location can cost you as much as $1,500. Be sure to ask about this charge prior to your rental, because this is an additional charge that they add when you drop it off, and can be very costly.

Try not to rent a vehicle from an airport car rental agency if at all possible. Normally you will find that this can be more expensive and that you will pay for the convenience. Most hotels will provide you with a shuttle service to their hotel and usually you can pick up a vehicle for much less near your hotel than in the airport.

And of course the biggest thing that you can do in order to avoid getting caught in a hidden web of car rental extra fees is to make sure that you read and re-read the car rental agreement before you sign it. Ask for clarification if you need to, but don’t sign until you fully understand your bottom line.

Budget Rent a Car is the best site to log onto if you are searching for a car rental Surfers Paradise. They are the leading rental car company in all of Australia. This and other unique content ‘car hire queensland rentals’ articles are available with free reprint rights.


Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

  • #1 in Identity Theft Protection

061908 / 60766 / 08032009 / 44386 / 111109 / 4097