RENTING A LARGE OR SMALL VEHICLE

Car rentals have become very popular and people now opt to rent a car rather than buying one. Car rentals were popular among travelling businessmen but now vacationers are also looking for good car rental deals, since it helps them to save a lot of time and money. Even people looking for office transportation are now willing to hire cars.

The reason for hiring a car, whether large or small, varies widely. Some people want more flexibility in the way they travel to and fro, while others would like to arrive at a party in style. Personal occasions call for luxury car rentals. Go out for a dinner on the anniversary evening or take the little one out on her birthday in a luxury car. Renting car for business purposes is very feasible. Whether you have to pick up clients from the airport or you have to take the delegates to a corporate dinner party, you’ll find a car for all occasions.

Cars of various types, sizes and styles are available at the rental agencies and you have to pick the one that suits you the best. A compact car would be sufficient for a family of four, while a 12 or 15 passenger van would be ideal for a large group. Even if you are shifting base, you can rent a truck or van and move to the new location without hassles.

Car rental is very affordable since the rates are quite reasonable and the benefits are many. You can drive your favourite car at half the cost which would be required to own the same car. You do not have to worry about the maintenance and repair costs. If you’re lucky enough, you can drive a luxury car at the cost of a compact car. The only thing that has to be taken care of is, the car rental agency should be chosen with great care. Good car rental agencies like Yes Car Rentals, will never rip off their customers and they will assist you with each step. A good car rental company has an extensive fleet of cars, so you have a wide range of cars to choose from.

Choosing the Rental Car – Select the Right Size and Type

Thinking of renting a car? Car rental companies offer an overwhelming choice of cars ranging from small, medium and large vehicles. Most people consider the price, comfort, safety and fuel economy of a car when choosing a rental car, but it is extremely important to choose the right type of car to ensure comfort and peace of mind while you are on the go.

You should choose the car rental very carefully. No decision should be taken at the spur of the moment. You will have to drive the car at least for a few days and the choice can make or break your entire trip.

Before you hire a car consider what the purpose of the rental car is? Why you need it, how many people will be travelling, what amount of luggage needs to be carried? Here are a few important factors to be considered when hiring a rental car:

·         Car rental companies offer a huge range of choices which range from compact cars to luxury sedans to pickup trucks. Once you have identified your travelling needs, it is recommended to shortlist 2 to 3 types of rental cars that will satisfy your travelling needs. In case the one type is not available, you can go ahead with the other. 

·         Next, you have to compare the rental rates from different agencies and choose the one that offers affordable rates. Beware of the hidden costs while comparing the costs. Look for coupon codes and discounts. 

·         Check what insurance coverage is already available and what additional coverage is required.

·         Before signing the contract make sure you check the rental car thoroughly for dents, marks, scratches and other defects. If possible take pictures so that later you are not held responsible for these.

·         Other considerations that need to be taken care of are – the age of the drivers, number of additional drivers, mileage restrictions, etc.

Choosing the right type of car is vital, since a sports car will not be appropriate if you are going on a family vacation. On the other hand if you choose a compact car for a group of people attending a family function, it will be the dumbest decision ever. So it is essential that you have an in-depth understanding of the size and type classification of the rental cars. To help you make an informed decision here are the details about the car classifications:

·         Economy & Compact Cars: Compact cars are the most popular choice among travellers since this is the cheapest of all. These cars are suitable for a family of four and a few standard sized luggage. Economy cars are best for small groups who are looking for fuel efficiency. Remember, most small cars are driven by petrol, so the fuel cost can be more than you expect. Compact car models include Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Accent, etc.

·         Premium Cars: Full sized premium cars are typically 4 door sedans that offer more leg room and luggage space than normal compact cars. Five people can comfortably fit in a premium car and it is not too expensive. If you want more room for the people travelling along with you, you can choose a full sized rental car. Popular models in the premium category are Nissan Altima, Chevy Malibu, etc.

·         Luxury Cars: Lincoln Towncar, BMW, Ford Mustang Coupe, etc are included under this category of rental cars. These are luxury cars in true sense – they look elegant and stylish and are very expensive. Ideal for one-day rentals, these are great for special occasions like weddings, anniversaries, etc. you can consider hiring a convertible if you are driving along the coastline.

·         SUVs and Vans: A mini-van, SUV or full sized vans are suitable for people with large space requirements. If you are travelling with a large group of people or are shifting to a new location, you may consider hiring a van. You can accommodate many people along with all luggage. There are sun-categories of SUVs and Vans, so make sure you get the details from the car rental agency.

Choosing the right type of car is crucial to stick to your budget. Renting a luxury car in place of a compact car can add hundreds of dollars to your rental bill. Moreover, the cost of the extras, driver charges, etc becomes expensive with luxury models. So take out some time to evaluate your travelling needs and decide on which type of car is suitable for you.

Unique Car Rental Saving Tips

Recession has hit all sectors very hard, but the car rental industry has found out ways to survive this falling tough situation. They have cut down the range of cars, lowered desk hours, etc. This also indicates that the car rental fees are on an all time high. Among all other services in the travel industry, automobiles are potentially scarce. You can find alternatives to hotel rooms, you can book flights later or earlier, but since the inventory of the car rental agencies have gone down considerable it becomes very difficult to find a vehicle when you need it the most and even if you get one, you have to pay high prices.

Oftentimes you have to face harassments at the car rental counter, which is the last thing people would like to worry about after a long tiring flight. There has to be a way out in which you can find the most suitable rental cars at the most affordable rates. Here are few tips that will help you to find a good car rental deal without burning a hole in your pocket:

·         Book a Car Early: As the peak season approaches, more reservations pour in and the most affordable and popular car models run out. As the inventory goes down, the prices go up. It is recommended to book your car rental well ahead of time. The more in advance you book the car, the more are the chances to get your favourite car at affordable rates.

·         Book Too Late: There can be a lot of risks associated with booking a car late. Many people with flexible travel plans take risks to book a car real late, as late as the night before travel, and are lucky to find a car at affordable rates. In many cases, the car rental agencies are unable to sell their inventory and they have too many cars sitting back at the office. This is the situation, during off seasons. If you are too choosy or have a strict travel plan, this might not be a suitable way out. But if it is otherwise, you can try out your luck.

·         Search Liberally for Discounts: The car rental fees vary with individual car rental agency and there is no law that restricts them from doing so. The agencies offer several packages and many times taking these packages can help you save a lot of money. Weekend packages are often cheaper than daily rentals. There are many car rental websites that allow you to compare rates, offer discounts and coupon codes and allow you to tweak the various aspects of car rental (pick up and return times, rental location, etc.) to see which is the most affordable option.

·         Coupons and Affiliations: If you have memberships with clubs, associations or other bodies, you can check the membership details for know whether they offer car rental deals and discounts or not. You can use these discounts when the prices are high.

·         Book the Most Affordable Models: Even if you get enticed by the stylised pictures of luxury cars, have control over yourself and hire a compact car, if too many of you are not travelling together. Oftentimes, you will not get luxury cars and you’ll be upgraded to a larger car for the same cost. So even if you pay higher, you do not get to drive your dream car.

·         Get More Hours for Free: Earlier the rental agencies offered one hour grace period to the renters on the day they were supposed to return the car, which is now slashed down to half an hour. For this reason, people who return cars after this period have to pay an extra day’s fees. Is there any way to get out of this dilemma? Yes there is! Many credit card holders are eligible to get free hours when you use their cards to hire cars from specific rental agencies. For example, American Express Platinum cards holders get 4 hours extra if they rent from Hertz.  

·         Carry a Printout of the Reservation: Many people complain that they are charged more than what was quoted during the reservation. The most common excuse for this from the car rental staffs is the change in tax structures, even if you had booked just a few days ago. To prevent such situations, you can carry a printout of the reservation with the price quote and other details. Show this when the contact is being prepared and make sure no extra charges are added.

There are several car rental rip-offs and it is necessary that you remain alert at every point when renting a car. Being able to save on car rentals will allow you to spend on other essential things.  Other things to be considered are carrying your own set of extras, get GPS system along with you, return the car with full tank and make sure you review the existing auto insurance for the coverage on rental cars.

Why Hire a Van?

Hiring a bigger vehicle is necessary, when your family car or a rental compact car isn’t sufficient for the commitment you have. You may be travelling with other colleagues for a business trip or may have a weekend plan with family members. Instead of hiring many compact cars, you can hire a van which is an economical, convenient and affordable option. Vans of various capacities are available so you can choose according to your travelling needs. If there are 12 people travelling together, you can hire a 12 passenger van; if there are more people you can hire a 15 passenger van.

One more advantage of hiring vans over several compact cars is that, you don’t have to worry about co-ordinating many cars at a time. All of you travel in the same vehicle and have enough time to bond with each other. Some other reasons why you would like:

·         Advantage of More Space: when you hire a van, you don’t have to worry about space. There is enough room for luggage and the people can comfortably adjust within the vehicle. You can also hire a van if you wish to move bulky supplies or heavy luggage. You can hire a 15 passenger van, even if 15 people are not travelling together, to make more room for luggage and supplies.

·         Cheap Fuel Costs: Fuel costs are down by a considerable amount and large vehicles are mostly driven by diesel, which costs lower than petrol. So you are planning to travel long distances, you can save considerably by hiring large diesel vehicles like vans or SUVs. Fuel costs make up a significant percentage of the total travel costs, to save as much as possible on fuel.

Who would want to hire a van? Hiring a van is not only a good option for a group of people going on a vacation, but many other can find van rentals a feasible solution. Here are some events which call for van or large vehicle rentals:

·         Moving Bulky Items: Hiring a van can be a good option if you have purchased bulky items and want them to be delivered to your home. One alternative is to hire professional movers, but they are going to ask for expensive delivery charges. To save this amount of money, consider hiring a van and moving the items yourself. Vans are available in various sizes, so the items, whether large or small, can fit perfectly without being damaged. Van rental is helpful for people shifting base. Newlywed couples or bachelors do not have too many belongings, so hiring a mini-van is ideal to move their belongings to the new location.

·         Hiring a Van for Business Purposes: Hiring a van for businesses is a cost effective way of managing the transportation costs. Being a business owner you do not have to own vans of varying sizes or do not have to worry about the depreciation costs. Van rentals offer the flexibility to choose the size and type of van according to the requirement and you only pay for the time when the vehicle is being used.  There are no maintenance or repair costs that have to be taken care of.

There are several other occasions when hiring a van proves to be the best solution. Go around and shop for   the best deals and add mobility to your daily life. Musicians going on a concert carrying musical instruments, a sports team going to attend a match, and many other similar situations call for van rentals.

Hiring Van for Business

Oftentimes, businesses have to decide between owning and hiring a vehicle. For business dealing in supply of products and items, this decision is vital. For start-ups having tight budgets, leasing a van is the most feasible solution than buying a van. By hiring or leasing a van, these companies can use good quality vans in return of an affordable monthly price. This is cheaper than owning a van, since in the later case you have to pay a hefty upfront amount. The van rental fees is decided based upon the estimated depreciation of the vehicle during the lease period and the agreements are available for 24 months or more.

Owing to the current economic conditions, it may be difficult for many businesses to invest in large vehicles. So hiring a van is a cost-effective solution since businesses can deal with all their transportation requirements without actually owning a vehicle. In many situations hiring a van makes financial sense for your company. Here are some reasons why van rental is a smart move:

·         Hiring a van does not block your capital that would have to be used to buy a new or even a second hand vehicle. If you took a loan, you had to pay interest above the actual loan amount. So the expenditure increases.

·         Owning a vehicle means you have to worry about the depreciation, which ultimately means you are losing money since the value of the vehicle diminishes with time.

·         Vans are available in various types and sizes. Owing a fleet of vans is ideally impossible for any business, which means you have to stick with the type of van you have, no matter what the transportation need be. Hiring a van gives you flexibility to choose the type and size of vehicle most suitable for your business.

·         Owning a van or vans mean, you have to take care of all the administrative costs. Think of all the insurance, road tax, regular servicing, etc – are you prepared to take the burden? By hiring a van you just have to pay the monthly and the rest will be taken care of by the rental agency.

·         The average lifespan of a vehicle lasts for a decade and in between lot of maintenance and repairs are required to maintain the vehicle in good condition. Taking the van to the repair shop is time consuming, expensive and most importantly your business suffers since the vehicle is not available for quite some time. 

Hiring a van give you peace of mind since you don’t have to worry about the repairs and maintenance. In case the vehicle breaks down, it will be replaced for another vehicle in most cases.

Buying a van means you have to pay a lump sum amount at a time, whereas hiring a van spreads the costs throughout the year. The best thing, there are many car rental agencies that offer van rentals and will happily offer you packages at the most affordable rates.

Things to Consider When Hiring a Van

Vans are essential for us whether we are planning a family outing or shifting base or moving freight from one location to another. Unluckily most of us can’t afford buying a van so we resort to van rental services. Hiring a van can be helpful in many ways but there are a few things that should be considered before signing the contract. These are:

·         As mentioned earlier, variety of vans are available, so you should choose the right type of van depending upon your travelling needs. If you moving to a new location, consider the number and size of the objects that need to be shifted and choose the vehicle accordingly. A van required to transport people would definitely be different from one that moves objects. So be sure of the purpose of the van rental and make the choice accordingly. 

·         Know about the documentation that will be needed to hire a van. This might differ with each rental agency, so make sure you talk to the rental staff and carry them along when you visit the rental agency.

·         As the saying goes, ‘haste makes waste’, so it is wise to shop around see what the various rental agencies have to offer. It is quite possible that you find a better deal at cheap rates by shopping around and comparing rates and facilities. Have enough time to do research before you make the final decision.

·         Check the condition of the vehicle carefully before you drive away with it. Check the tyres, engine, oil and dents (if any). You will have to pay for damages that are made to the vehicle. Moreover, if you are hiring a van for business use, you don’t your reputation to be maligned by using a damaged vehicle. Take a test drive to make sure the van is in good working condition. Tyres are vulnerable to wear and tear, so make sure you click before and after pictures of the tyres so that you have a clear idea about the damage made to them.

·         Driving a van is quite different from driving a car, so decide who is going to drive the rental vehicle, taking a test drive will also help you determine whether you can drive it comfortably or you need a driver who can drive you around.

·         As with any other car rental, there are many hidden costs with van rentals as well, so make sure you read the fine prints and ask about the extra charges, if any. One way to prevent such rip-offs is to read the contract well and discuss the points that are unclear to you. Finalize a deal only when you are satisfied with the clauses on the leasing contract.

Choosing the right van is important to have a good rental experience. Plan ahead and choose wisely to get the most out of the money that you pay for van rentals.

Cars, whether large or small, are crucial for us. Whether you are planning a vacation or are relocated temporarily by your employer – you will need a car every time. Driving your own car might not be feasible due to many reasons, so hiring a car is just the right option. Many people choose car rentals because it gives you peace of mind and it is a cost-effective to add mobility to your life.

If you have to attend meetings and conferences worldwide, it is never possible to drive your own car. The best alternative is to hire a car at the destination and return it before taking the flight back to home. When on a vacation, you can save more by hiring a car rather than travelling in taxis. One of the biggest benefits of car rentals is that you have the flexibility to choose a car according to your needs. Hire a luxury car while going on a date or hire a compact car to drop your children to the college or hire a van when moving things from one place to another.

Conclusion

Car rental agencies like Yes Car Rentals, have huge fleet of cars, which include both large and small cars. You have the flexibility to choose the car as per your requirements. One thing that everyone is worried about when driving a car is safety. With car rentals you can be sure that you will have the best cars since they are maintained well and are available in good working conditions. Even if you are a person who loves to drive your own car, there are times when you have to hire a car. Your car is old and you are not sure whether it can survive the long drive or your car has landed in the repair shop and you are not sure when it will be back. All these and similar other situations call for hiring a car.

At times you will need small car while there are situations that call for a large vehicle. It is not possible to own a fleet of cars, so hiring a car is the most suitable option. Hire a compact car when needed and switch over to a van or mini-van when required. You have the freedom to choose any type of vehicle. To make the most of your car or van rental, make sure you strike the right deal. Compare the rates, identify the travelling needs and make an informed decision. Renting a car can make your travelling comfortable and easier, so make sure you plan ahead.

Whether hiring for personal use or business use, it is recommended to make the booking well ahead of time to make sure that you get the desired vehicle. Whatever it is, car rentals have our lives much easier and we can get hold of a car whenever we one. So next time you need to drive, consider renting a car!

Author Bio: Vineet Agarwal has been long associated with V1 Technologies which offers world class Website Design, SEO & PPC, Domain & Hosting, Mobile AppDevelopment and other similar services. Aside from being a dynamic entrepreneur, Vineet is an avid traveller and loves exploring new countries and culture. Discount car rentals interest him largely and he has been extensively sharing his knowledge with friends and peers about discount car rentals and mistakes to avoid when hiring cars.