Anyone who has ever rented a car in the United States will know that things do not always go smoothly and you can easily end up with more problems than you ever bargained for. Imagine the problems which you might run into therefore when you try to rent a car while you are on holiday overseas. If you are visiting a major western city then you may not run into any more problems than you would here at home, but if you are trying to rent a vehicle is a small town holiday destination then you need to know exactly what you are doing.
The first thing you should try to do if you can is to use an international car rental agency and book you car before you depart for your destination. Calling in at the local office to rent a car once you arrive should always be your second best option because you will not always find the same level of customer service that you are used to here at home. A large international agency will make the reservation for you online or by telephone and you need to make sure that you take a copy of the booking form with you, clearly showing the name of the booking agency, the make and model of the vehicle that has been reserved for you, the dates of the reservation and the price agreed in both US dollars and local currency.
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When you pick up the car the rental firm will probably require you to pay by credit card and will run your card twice. The first run will be to take your payment for the rental period and the second run will be as a precaution against any damage to the vehicle on return. Although they will run your card a second time they will not normally process the charge, unless the vehicle is damaged when you return it, and so you need to make sure that they return the second charge slip to you when you take the car back, or destroy it in your presence. In some cases rental firm will allow you to pay in cash but, in these circumstances, they will normally require you to lodge a cash deposit with them to cover possible damage.
When you pick up the car you should inspect it carefully and do not accept the vehicle unless it is in good condition. If there is any minor damage to the car then make sure that this is noted by the rental firm in writing and that you retain a copy of any condition report. It is also a good idea to drive the car around locally as soon as you pick it up so that if it is not running properly you can take it straight back and get the problem sorted out. Having rented many cars over the years I can attest to the fact that it is not uncommon with smaller rental companies abroad to find that the air conditioning does not work or one of the headlight bulbs is out.
It is also very important to check to see exactly what your position will be in the event of accident or breakdown. Make sure that you are fully insured and, if necessary, be prepared to pay a little bit extra to get full cover insurance. The last thing you need is to be caught up in a nasty legal legal battle abroad because you were not adequately covered. Breakdown can also be a major headache if you intend to travel any distance from your vacation hotel and especially if you intend to travel out into the countryside. Make sure you know what to do and who to call if you do break down.
As long as you use a reputable international broker to make your reservation and follow the steps outlined here when picking your car up you should have a trouble free time driving abroad.
How to Avoid Car Rental Nightmares Overseas
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