Car Rentals
Renting a car in New York City is expensive. If you are flying in, your best bet is to pick up a car at the airport and try to get a package air/car deal. Also try the Internet for rates. From about $70 a day to $400 a week (prices vary greatly with the day of the week and date, size of car, location, and add-ons such as GPS and infant seats), a car in the city can be costly, with tolls, gas, and parking costs added to your rental expense. There is also insurance to worry about, which can run an additional $15 to $20 per day if you are not covered under your own policy or the credit card you rent the car with. And finally, there is a 13.375 percent tax on car rentals.
Knowing that driving in the city can be difficult and that parking is hard to come by, you might consider renting a car for only part of your stay if you want to venture outside of Manhattan. Make those rental arrangements before you arrive, and use the Internet, AAA, or any other memberships for discounts on rental cars. You should also book in advance, and be careful to reserve your pickup for a time you are fairly sure you can make — many Manhattanites don't have cars, so they rent on weekends, which means that New York City car rental companies do not hold cars past the scheduled pickup time, especially on weekends in the summer. Be sure to choose a major rental company with a good reputation and a good service record. Here are a few suggestions:
Alamo Rent A Car
1-800-327-9633
Avis Rent A Car
1-800-331-1212
Budget Rent A Car
1-800-527-0700
Dollar Rent-A-Car
1-800-800-4000
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
1-800-261-7331
Hertz
1-800-654-3131
National Car Rental
1-800-227-7368
Thrifty Car Rental
1-800-847-4389
If you are a member, you can rent a Zipcar in New York City. Zipcar (which recently merged with Flexcar) is a car-sharing network in more than a dozen cities in the United States and Canada. It is available in cities and college towns where people want to be able to drive but don't want to deal with the hassles of owning or leasing a car, paying for insurance, and finding parking. For information, visit
You must be at least eighteen to drive a car in New York City. Many rental companies will either not rent to anyone under twenty-five or will add a surcharge to drivers under that age, so call to check on this policy. You also need a major credit card. Children under five or under forty pounds are required to ride in car seats, which you can rent from the rental car company (usually $10 extra per day). Have your reservation number ready when you get to the rental car window at the airport or at the rental car office. Don't let them talk you into a host of unnecessary extras.
If you can, fill the gas tank in advance (if the deal offered is a good one) rather than agreeing to the traditional “return the car with a full tank” routine, since finding gas stations in Manhattan is difficult. If you plan to pick up the car at one location and deposit it at another, arrange this with the rental car company ahead of time, particularly if you are traveling to another city. Sometimes there are drop-off charges.
