Just like when making airline reservations, there are several tricks to use when reserving a rental car that will help ensure that you get the lowest rate possible. For starters, reserve your rental car as far in advance as possible (seven days in advance, minimum), and if you can, try to get the weekly rate instead of the daily rate offered by the car rental company. Most rental car companies will apply their weekly rates to five-, six-, or seven-day rentals.

Finding the Best Rate

Especially in tourist areas, like Orlando, the various rental car companies are always running special promotions, so be sure to ask about them, and keep your eyes open for ads from the rental car companies in your local newspaper and in your favorite magazines. In addition, many of the rental car companies provide a discount to AAA members, so after getting the rental car company's best rate, ask for the AAA member discount. The Entertainment Book (described later in this book) also has discount coupons and special offers that apply to many of the popular rental car companies. Finally, visit the various travel-related Web sites (such as www.travelocity.com, www.priceline.com, or www.hotwire.com) for great deals on rental cars.

Some popular credit cards have special promotional deals with the major rental car companies, so call the customer service phone number listed on your credit card and inquire about what deals they offer for renting a car. While you're on the phone with the credit card company, also ask if your credit card automatically provides rental car insurance if you use that credit card to pay for the rental. American Express, Diner's Club, and virtually all Visa and MasterCards (issued as part of an airline's frequent-flier program) automatically offer rental car insurance.

If you think you've found an awesome rental car rate, reserve the car, but continue to shop around. Call three or four other rental car companies and see if they'll beat the deal you've been offered. Many travelers believe that the best-known rental car companies are always the most expensive, but this isn't always the case. You'll often be pleasantly surprised to discover that companies like Hertz, Avis, and National offer highly competitive rates once you take advantage of their special promotional deals, airline frequent-flier discounts, and/or the AAA (or any auto club) member discount.

When making a rental car reservation, make sure unlimited mileage is included in the rental price. Some rental car companies charge by the mile, in addition to the daily rental fee, so make sure you understand what's included in the price you're being quoted. Extremely low daily or weekly rental rates often do not include unlimited mileage, and once you travel above the allowed miles, you're charged a hefty fee per mile.

Insurance

No matter what hourly, daily, or weekly rate you're quoted by the rental car companies you call, these rates do not include the various types of optional insurance choices that are offered, nor is tax included in the quoted rate. If you choose to pay for all of the different insurance options, the quoted rate for the rental car often more than doubles. What most travelers don't know, however, is that they do not need all of the optional insurance, because their own regular insurance policies, as well as the travel insurance provided free of charge by some credit card companies, offer more than adequate protection.

Prior to renting a car, call the customer service number for your auto insurance company as well as your homeowner's insurance company. Ask if rental car insurance is automatically offered under your existing policy. If so, you probably don't need any of the insurance offered by the rental car companies. If you rely on your existing insurance, however, and you're forced to make a claim due to an accident in the rental car, your regular insurance rates could go up in the future.

Rental Car Companies

The following are rental car companies in the Orlando area:

When reserving your vehicle, make sure the rental car company offers airport service (either a pickup at the airport or a free shuttle to their nearby pickup location). All of the nationally known car rental companies including Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo, and Budget are located within a five-minute free shuttle-bus ride from the Orlando airport.

Renters must be at least twenty-five years of age, have proof of insurance coverage, and have a major credit card in their name.

Special Services

Most of the rental car companies will provide child safety seats, either free of charge or for a small daily fee. These seats must be reserved in advance. This will save you the hassle of having to bring your own child safety seats with you on your trip. However, you must bring your own if you want your child to sit in one on the airplane.

If you're a nonsmoker, be sure to ask for a nonsmoking vehicle when you make your reservation. Otherwise, you could get stuck with a car that reeks of smoke.

When you pick up your rental car at the airport, computer-generated driving directions and maps are often provided free of charge from the airport to virtually any location in Florida, including all of the popular hotels and attractions.

When you pick up the rental car, ask about the rental car company's policy for additional drivers. Typically, when you rent a car, only the person whose name appears on the rental agreement is legally permitted to drive the car, unless additional paperwork is completed. Some rental car companies charge to add additional names to the rental contract, allowing for multiple drivers. The following are often exempt from additional driver charges (but check with the rental car company): the renter's employer or regular fellow employee when on company business; the renter's spouse; the renter's mate, life companion, significant other, or live-in; and disabled renters who have completed a special form.

Final Suggestions

Before leaving the rental agency, ask if you're required to return the car with a full tank of gas, or if you're paying for the gas in advance. If you're required to return the car with a full tank of gas and you fail to do so (which many people do), you'll be billed up to three times the going rate per gallon of gas needed to fill the tank. Before returning the car, find a low-priced gas station and fill the tank with basic unleaded gasoline (the cheapest stuff you can find). This will fulfill your obligation to return the car with a full tank of gas.

When you pick up the car, ask what time the car must be returned to ensure that you won't be billed overtime hours, and ask what the overtime rate is. For example, the policy may state that if you pick up the car at 3:00 P.M., you must return the car before 3:00 P.M. on the day your rental agreement ends or you'll automatically be billed for additional hours at a high rate.

As soon as you pick up your car, before leaving the rental car company's parking lot, make sure there is nothing obviously wrong with the vehicle. If there's a problem, report it immediately. Once you leave the rental car company's parking lot, if you notice a problem, call the rental car company and report it. Likewise, if you get stuck on the road, call the rental car company and report your situation. Free assistance, often including towing services, will be provided, and you'll often be given a replacement rental car.

When returning your car, plan on arriving at the airport about ninety minutes (or even two hours) prior to your scheduled flight time. You will most likely be returning your car several miles from the actual airport, and you'll need to allow ample time to return the car, take the complimentary shuttle bus to your airline terminal, check in at the airline terminal, check your bags, and get to the actual gate. It's a common problem for travelers to miss their flight because they didn't allow enough time to return their rental car, so plan accordingly.