Since car rental companies pay their agents a commission, the agents are highly motivated to get you to pay more. That means you need to be on the lookout for potential rip-offs.
- Check for your car. If you think the agent is pushing an upgrade for costs only, take a look at the lot to see if your car is there. If it is, talk to the manager and let them know you want the upgrade for free, since you were lied to.
- Reserve ahead of time. You’ll get better rates if you have already booked the car before you get to the counter.
- Take photos. During the pre-rental inspection, things can be missed and these can cause serious problems when you come back and they decide to charge you for the damages, even though they were from a previous client.
- Ask questions. It’s tempting to just grab your car and go, but you need to be alert and watch out for mistakes being made.
- Read the contract. It’s dull and you just want to get to your destination, but if you don’t read the contract, you could end up paying far more than anticipated. Read it, ask your questions and make sure you understand everything before you sign.
Car rental companies are out to make some money, so be aware of this and beat them at their own game. You just have to pay attention.