Keeping Rental-Car Fees Under Control
Renting a car is expensive enough on its own, but when you add in fees and extras, it can quickly get out of hand. Here’s how rental-car companies try to squeeze you for more…from our Bottom Line Personal travel expert Christopher Elliott.
Rental-car companies operate on thin margins, so their profits come not from renting cars but from the extras they can get you to agree to. Rental-car fees (and taxes), which are included in the price you see when you make your reservation, generally are not negotiable. It’s the add-ons that matter. Your friendly rental-car agent is not evaluated based on your satisfaction, but on how much that price tag increased during your check-in as alluring extras were laid before you.
Companies pay for coveted space in airport rental facilities, then hoist that cost onto renters in the form of a concession recovery fee. Unfortunately, this fee is baked into the price of your rental car and is not negotiable. Best: If you can find cheaper pricing at a nearby lot, go for it…but calculate and consider the hassle and the price of transportation to the other rental place. Note: Some people get confused and think there’s a technique called “concession fee recovery,” but that’s just a different name for the same fee.
“You’re on vacation. Why not treat yourself to a convertible? It’s only $20 more.” That’s the come-on. Reality: There’s an upgrade fee—of $20 per day—added onto the basic cost of the convertible, meaning that you’ll pay more than if you had just reserved the convertible to begin with. Best: Choose the car you want at the outset.
Your own auto policy is almost always sufficient. If you don’t have one, go online and purchase a rental policy…right at the counter, if necessary. It’s instantaneous, and cheaper than the rental-car company’s offering.
Why pay for music these days? Put a good playlist or podcast on your phone, and plug it into the car.
This option, which relieves you of the hassle of returning the car at exactly the fuel level you rented it at, pays off only if you bring the car back running on fumes. The per-gallon cost the rental-car company charges is significantly higher than you’d pay at the pump.
Unfortunately, camera technology means cash tolls are a vanishing option. Most rental-car companies now pay tolls on your behalf, then bill you for the service so you end up paying much more. Best: Discuss the company’s toll arrangements in advance. If you have an RFID transponder for tolls on your personal vehicle, bring it with you (and tell the agent)…or set your navigation to avoid tolls.
If you’re traveling with small children, bring along your own car seats even if you’re flying. Airlines won’t charge you for them as checked luggage, and you can use them on the plane. The seats you rent from rental-car companies are expensive and usually filthy. Plus, even if you request one ahead of time, they may not be available when it comes time to pick up the car.
