Hidden Fees that Can Be Disguised in Rental Car Prices

A rental car is a great way to travel on business or for leisure on vacation.

It is also a great option for those who have a broken down car and need a reliable means to get around as temporary option.

However, it will cost you a little bit of money but, for our perspective, it’s worth it.

Anyway, in front of your rental cars price, you may be wondering…

are all fees included in the rental car price?

There are numerous factors that go into figuring out the prices of rental cars.
You are not buying a car, obviously. You are renting it but from the looks of some rental car companies and the hidden fees, the start off price that you think you are getting may not be the one that you actually receive.

When you ask yourself “are all fees included in the rental car price?“, well the answer is typically no. Renting a car online and thinking out your rental car plans in advance can definitely help resolve some of these issues so that you can see what various hidden costs might be lurking in the fine print rather than when you are actually at a rental car agency and are anxious to get out so you just sign by every “X” that requires your signature. You need to take time to read about all possible fees.

A rental car will not just include the price of the car but there is also a sales tax. Also, you should note that when you go driving your rental car, it is actually a really bad idea to bring back your rental car and drop it off with no gas left in it.

The rental car agency will charge you a really high fee to fill up the rental car’s gasoline tank. However, if you were smart and read, you can opt for a prepaid tank option which works really well and in that case, you should run out as much gas as you can and take advantage of what you have already paid for. If you require extra car insurance, the bill will also increase.

Though these are some of the most common expenses that are accrued, these are not the only ones to consider when asking yourself are all fees included in the rental car price? There have been several incidents where people have been taken advantage of because they did not take the time to read some of the fine print when they signed off when they picked up and dropped off your car. The problem is that you likely gave the rental car agency your credit card information when you reserved your car so they can charge up that credit card bill in no time.

One hidden cost is an authorization hold and many consumers are not made aware of this when considering whether or not are all fees included in the hire car price. They may put an extra few hundred dollars as a hold fee on a credit card or debit card that is beyond the rental fee price. They will then credit the money back to you when you turn the car back in.

However, that hold fee can be a burden when you find that a couple hundred dollars are not available in your funds when you are budgeting. If you use a debit card, it could even take several days to get the money back into your bank account after you have turned over the keys. This hold fee is in case you have made a mess in the car while it was under your care.

There are also charges for possible damages. You could even be charged for damages for the car that you did not even create. There are some bad examples in the circumstance that a cigarette hole was already burnt in a car’s seat. You as the current renter may have not done it nor did you notice it existed. However, whenever you drop off the car, the staff may say that you were the one responsible for the burns. To keep costs from building up and for you to stay responsible only for damages that you might have caused, be sure to check the car thoroughly when you pick it up, both inside and outside. Use your cell phone to take pictures too. Then, again when you go to drop your rental car off, check it with the same thorough care as before. When you pick up the car and notice that there is some damage, do not just take note of it yourself. Make sure you tell a staff member too that it is there so that they note that you are not the one responsible. The fees can be ridiculously expensive.

Also when considering the issue of rental cars commissions, you need to think about any cancellation fees. If you realize that you do not need a rental car after all, you will be charged a fee for cancelling.

If you expect for a rental car company to pick you up at the airport, they will put a premium fee for doing that too. If a driver is underage, you also have to pay a penalty. It is not uncommon that there is a large daily fee for any car rental driver under the age of 25. If you want to split up the driving of the rental car with someone else, there will be charges for an extra driver. You might also be charged for returning a car too late. On the contrary, you can also be charged an early return fee if you return it too soon because they consider that a breaking of the contract that you signed. Also do not be surprised by a vehicle licensing fee which is also known as a road tax. This fee is unfortunately unavoidable. However, it is a daily fee and is the rental car company’s way of passing on their costs to their consumers.

How to avoid all these fees?

Well, some of them are mandatory. But a good answer could be: book online. You will pay what you get, in advance. With no more suprises…