Our annual US roadtrip gives us the chance to hit the open road in an SUV. Before we start, my top tip for hiring a car in the US is to consider whether you need a car at all on arrival at the airport. If you’re starting your journey in a big city, you may want to wait until the next leg of your roadtrip to pick up your hire car. This can be beneficial from both cost, time and general happiness! You won’t have to stand jetlagged in a long airport hire car queue with irritated children (hop in a taxi/public transport straight to your city destination). You won’t have to stress out driving on the wrong side of the road and figuring out where to park in narrow roads (I’m looking at you Philadelphia). You will save money on both car hire and in general, getting around a big US city via walking/uber/public transport is generally a doddle. Research the closest car rental to your accommodation and pick it up later at a more convenient date.
5 Tips On Hiring A Car In The US
- Consider in advance the type of insurance you need on your car rental so you don’t pay additional hefty fees at the rental desk. Car rentals in the United States are not insured so any damage to or loss of the rental car will be your responsibility. Rental car companies make most of their profits by trying to sell you add-ons and extras. These are usually very expensive and cover you for very little. You might find it cheaper to purchase in advance through a different company. Check closely for the inclusion of Collision Damage Waiver / Loss Damage Waiver. So in the case of car damage or theft you won’t have to pay.
- Bring the required documentation! Whilst this sounds straightforward, on a recent trip to Italy my husband forgot to bring the physical credit card he’d booked the car with. He had the card stored in his Apple Wallet but the rental compan required the physical card and it was a long ordeal! Typically you will need to be age 21+, have a passport with valid visa, have a driver’s license and credit card.
- As soon as you get the car, inspect it thoroughly for blips and dents. Take photos so you have proof and don’t be shy to question any serious issues before you leave with the car.
- Bring your own GPS. This does depend on your mobile data package. We used to always pay extra for the car rental sat nav. However, we love to use the Waze traffic app. So if we are on a decent phone package, we stick with using our own phones for car navigation. If you are doing so, you may want to bring your own car phone holder, in case of no apple car play etc.
- Pack your own cleaning wipes! On recent occasions my rental cars have been sub par on the cleaning front. On one occasion I actually had to request a replacement vehicle as the car was filthy. But these days I pack my wipes so I can wipe down the parts they haven’t cleaned properly inside the car.
