Car rental rates in 2011 to stay low.

According to the leading car rental industry experts and our insider sources, the car rental rates will stay low in 2011 due to the increased car rental fleet.

2010 shortage of rental cars was caused by tightening lending conditions in the after-math of Global Financial Crisis. Car companies were forced to use its fleet longer than usual because they simply couldn’t buy more cars and some car manufacturers halted production in 2009/10.

Since then, the lending conditions have softened and all car rental companies have increased their fleet in 2010. There is certainly no shortage of supply and now most of the companies have more cars in their yards than they can rent out.

A good indication of where the prices are headed in 2011 is a number of generous promotions ran by major players – Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget and Thrifty.

Hertz is currently offering 2 days for free on its weekly rental, which is a good deal considering you would only pay around $40 for a small car.

Thrifty launched a special in metropolitan cities starting from just $35 per day. And if you’re a member of RACV you can take up to 20% of your car rental bill.

Europcar cut its prices by 10% on 3 day car rentals and 15% on 5 day car rentals.

Avis and Budget currently give-away double Qantas points on all rentals over 3 days, so if you’re a frequent flyer, you can still take advantage of this offer until 28 February 2011.

So, what are you waiting for? Go to a supplier of your choice and get a bargain car rental!

What’s the lowest price you’ve seen advertised? Please provide a source, if possible.

What to watch out for when returning a car?

I bet some of you haven’t heard before that you might get charged more for returning your rental car earlier than expected. Every company sets car hire rates which could be broken down in the following classes: weekday, weekly and weekend rates. There are also monthly car rental rates, but this is considered mini-lease and we will leave for another article.

So, let’s have a look why you might get charged more that as per your original car rental contract. For example, you’ve rented a small automatic hire car for 5 days over the weekend at a daily cost of $30 per day. However, than you’ve changed your mind and decided to return a car earlier, after 4 days. When you return a car you should be aware that your rental contract was for 5 days at $30 per day. If a rental company has a daily rate of $50 a day and you kept the car for 4 days only, you will end up paying $200! This is just a rough example of what you should look out for when dropping off a rental car earlier, to avoid additional charges.

 

Always read the fine print of your car rental contract and it doesn’t hurt asking if there might be additional charges for bringing a car earlier.

Have you been charged before by a car rental company for bringing your hire car earlier? If so, which company?

Which car rental company to choose?

Well, that’s a tough choice that you have to make in case you don’t have any brand preferences. According to the latest statistics, more and more people are choosing various online aggregator websites that compare prices over traditional car rental company’s websites. Turning to internet to compare prices is not a new trend, it has been done before with the hotel, think Wotif, and airline industries – e.g. Webjet.

So, what can you expect from an average online aggregator website? First of all, all of them promise Lowest Price, Exclusive Deals and everything else that they could find on the pages of various eCommerce textbooks. However, when it comes down to business, all they do is simply act as a middle man and receive commission from an actual car rental company. We suggest checking the aggregator website first, however then double checking directly with a chosen supplier to make sure you are actually getting a better deal.

Most aggregator websites are user-friendly, easy to compare and offer some extra benefits, like special coupon numbers (e.g. Upgrade, Money-off, Time-off deals, etc).

However, keep in mind that car rental companies don’t ask for payment until you bring the car back, so those aggregator websites who ask for online payments are simply trying to make sure that you show up to pick up your rental car. And if not, they might charge you a cancellation fee. STAY AWAY FROM THOSE WEBSITES!

Have you booked a car through an aggregator website before? Which one?

Getting cheap car hire is a perfect start to a perfect holiday?

Hiring a cheap rental car in Australia is one of the best ways to ensure you will have the freedom of movement to get from one place to another. The majority rent cars to be able to cover long distances without much hassle. Car rental is the most reasonable way to get this done. You just have to do a bit of research in order to find a company that offers cars for rent at a moderate cost. These companies usually have a number of options available for the client to choose from for their comfort and convenience. There are a number of factors that you have to take into consideration before getting cheap car rental in Australia.

Perfect Rental Car?

The first thing that you have to bear in mind is that distance that you will want to cover as well as the destination. Those two things are essential to making the right choice. Another essential factor is the reason you are hiring a rental car in the first place. It could just be a means of getting from one business meeting to another or it could be for that well needed family trip. Many of the cheap car rental services in Australia will be able to accommodate the various needs of the client as well as provide certain discounts and offers to appeal to the customer.

And remember, always look for a car rental company which is totally transparent with their offerings. With a little research you will be able to find a supplier that is trustworthy and offers great deals. There are quite a number of locations that one can get a car to rent in Australia. Services can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide to name just a few. If you are flying into one of the major airport, chances are you can get a rental car at the airport. It is not an impossible feat to find cheap car rental in Australia. The earlier you get it done the better your deal will be.

Do you get the cheapest rental car available when you go on holidays?

Can bad car rental experience spoil your holiday? Just ask Carrie Underwood!

It was reported by Montreal Gazette that famous country singer Carrie Underwood said she won’t return to Montreal after her bad car rental experience. Her car got broken during her recent visit to Montreal. “We had to … call (the rental company) back and be like, ‘We’re sorry! The car is broken,’ ” the American Idol winner told Minneapolis radio station K102 Thursday, according to Us Weekly. She added: “So that was fun. I am not going back to Montreal.”

Bad car rental experience

While no one can be protected from occasional problems with rental cars, we suggest renting the lowest kilometre vehicle of a reputable brand. Sometimes, it is worth paying extra couple $$$ for an upgrade, if rental agent promises to put you in a low kilometre rental car.

Please share your bad car rental experiences with us…

Car rental secrets revealed by industry’s insider…

 

Car Rental Companies

Dear Readers,

This blog is a collaborative effort of a group of individuals immersed in car rental industry.

We’re determined to provide our readers with best car rental tips and some industry’s secrets that car rental companies wouldn’t want you to know!

Keep an eye on this blog, there is a chance we’ll help you get the most out of your rental car and at the same time ensure you have a pleasant experience with a car rental company of your choice.

Until next time

Industry’s Insider