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Renting a Car! Chicago O'Hare Airport
MegaMan001
CRNARochester, MNRegistered User regular
CRNARochester, MNRegistered User regular
Renting a car for the first time for a business trip (which will be reimbursed, so this isn't actually a huge deal), but I had some questions.
1) I am using my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card which has insurance coverage for cars and I also have my own State Farm Policy - so I will be denying their insurance coverage when offered, correct?
2) Why are the prices so variable from company to company? Dollar / Thrifty Car Rental is approximately $50 for four days while Budget / Enterprise are closer to $100. Again, I'm being reimbursed, but I'd rather not jack the company without doing my due diligence.
Any horror stories to share of things to do / not to do with my first rental car?
1) I am using my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card which has insurance coverage for cars and I also have my own State Farm Policy - so I will be denying their insurance coverage when offered, correct?
2) Why are the prices so variable from company to company? Dollar / Thrifty Car Rental is approximately $50 for four days while Budget / Enterprise are closer to $100. Again, I'm being reimbursed, but I'd rather not jack the company without doing my due diligence.
Any horror stories to share of things to do / not to do with my first rental car?
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Car "classes" are weird and that might be part of it and also if they offer things like unlimited miles or if you have a certain amount a day. Also, gut instinct is that Enterprise/Budget cater to business who have higher standards of "nice".
Return it with a full tank of gas. Like, when you pick it up note a nearby gas station and resolve to stop there before you drop it off. They will charge you super duper double cash per a gallon if they have to fill it.
If you want to be super due diligance-y then pull out your phone and take good photos of each side of the car showing the condition you received it in. While you're doing that make sure if you look for any damage and get them to note it before you take the car.
If you have an EZ Pass like device normally remember you won't have it in the car. Not that I've ever done that....
Solid advice. Get the iPass if you're doing a lot of tollway driving. It can make the difference between getting to location x in 20 minutes or 40 minutes, especially on 290/294.
Yes decline the insurance and go with one of the better companies mentioned here. A bad car rental is like a bad hotel; you'll pay for it later.
I always suggest the stand by "If the streets have numbers instead of names GTFO".
because they like to double tap whenever someone hits a sign post
*If* your card covers it all, DO NOT get their insurance, even if they pressure you (I've done this for 7 years and sometimes they do). They may say its required by law, that is a bullshit lie. Your card is your coverage. Deal with it.
-Make sure to read over all the expenses upfront, and that it is what you are paying for when you sign the paper work. I was complacent once and I a 200$ rental turn into a 2000$ rental. Luckily, my company and I fought it so long that the rental co. defaulted on their side of the legal dispute, so everything nullified, thankfully.
Get the rentals on a per day unlimited mileage basis, so you are not charged or limited by mileage, that can bite you if you get too low mileage.
Opt to refill the gas tank yourself. Don't bother with their fuel plans because, "yes, you do get gas at 2.50$ a gallon, but we only charge for the full tank. No we dont do it by the 1/4 or 1/10th of a tank, because that makes too much sense."
If you are going to be traveling a bunch, invest in your own GPS device (beyond your phone, depending on your data rates). 12$ to 26$ a day adds up *fast*.
And yes, always get the IPASS or SunPass or whatever Toll road pass. So many times I'd have been ding'ed for 50+$ because I accidentally hit a toll road that didn't have cash/atm pay.
That's about it from my experience.
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I think taking the liability on your personal CC vs fronting the cost of the PLW/PDW is easy calculus ... very likely there will be no accident or cause for concern, but if there is then I wouldn't want to be on the hook personally.
I'm not gonna say this advice is total shit, but it's total shit to offer advice and then provide the caveat of "I wouldn't do this".
Pretty much all this. Just call the credit card and ask about insurance. They will tell you.
My default line if they bring up any additional addon/insurance charge is "the company I work for told me to decline everything." It shuts up all but the most irritating counter person. The only other scummy thing that I've learned to just ignore is when they bring up other sized cars. It won't be as cheap to upgrade when you are at the airport. Sometimes they are fishing for the upgrade because they don't have any of that size available. I've ended up with a Maxima instead of a Focus because they don't have the cars.
Where did I suggest that I wouldn't do what I am advising?
Edit: If I were on a business trip and it got expensed and I gave a shit about how much money my employer has to spend I'd go shitty car, and whatever per diem cost for a liability waiver. It minimizes cost while making sure all bases are covered in case something bad happens.