Knowing how to rent a car in Brookhaven, New York is not difficult as long as you know the correct steps to take. Car rental coupons, car rental discounts, car rental promos, car rental insurance, car rental fees and car rental upgrades are all subjects that can come up when deciding on a rental car.

Today rental car are not just used by tourists. Sure, a rental car is easy to get around in on vacation, but even the Brookhaven resident can use a rental car at times. For instance, if your car is being fixed in the shop, a rental car can still take you from A to B. Even for a night out on the town a rental car can be a nice change from the norm.

Hertz, Avis, Thrifty and Enterprise all have competitive rates and have many promo offers out there like free upgrades, discounts on various rates, extra free rental days and even free pickups. This may sound great, but often these major car rental companies have strict rules and regulations. Sometimes the independent car rental companies are more flexible when it comes to negotiating rates and bending the rules. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/

If you are thinking of getting a Brookhaven car rental, hopefully this page will be of some help to you.

GO ONLINE: To find the best rates on a Brookhaven car rental it is recommended to go onto the Internet. The Internet car rental websites are open 24/7 and often be accessed right from home. Look at the various rental cars available and compare the rates of various different companies. You will find many car rental promo offers on the larger car rental websites. If you are looking to rent a luxury exotic car like a Ferrari or Lamborghini, you want to look for websites like exoticcarrental.com that specialize in these. The rental cars you will find at the regular car rental facilities range in category from economic and compact cars to SUV's and minivans. http://www.carrentalexpress.com/tips/auto-rentals.html

BOOK EARLY: If you know at least a week before visiting Brookhaven that you are going to need a rental car, try reserving the car immediately. Car rental rates depend on how many cars are in the car rental lot at the time of your reservation. Reserving a car early will result in a better rate. Weekend and weekly rates are also cheaper compared to daily rates. Depending on the length of your stay, you might want to inquire about these. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

WEEKLY & WEEKEND RATES: If possible, try scheduling your Brookhaven visit over a weekend. This way you will be able to take advantage of the weekend discounts that many car rental companies offer. If you are staying a whole week, inquire about weekly rates because these are cheaper than when you are paying a daily rate. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

INSURANCE: When picking up your Brookhaven rental car you will be asked about car rental insurance. The car rental provider offers insurance that covers you in case of a collision and the insurance also covers their loss. Insurance rates offered by car rental companies are usually high. They can be anywhere from $10 - $25 per day. Check with your own car insurance company to see if your policy covers you in case of a collision in a rental car. If they do, you don't have to accept the offered insurance. Credit card companies often offer coverage also, you might want to contact yours to see if they cover you. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=1

CLUB MEMBERSHIP: The large car rental companies often have car rental membership programs you can join. When you do this, you will enjoy discounts on rates and faster service. You will also be able to use the special members' line at airports instead of waiting in long lines. https://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/enterprisePlusPickYourPath.do

COUPONS: Brookhaven Car rental coupons and deals can often be found on the Internet on websites such as retailmenot.com and rentalcarmomma.com. Coupons are either coupon codes, direct links or printable coupons. Promo codes can be redeemed by entering them online while reserving your vehicle. Direct links will take you to the web page where the discounts is applied, and printable coupons can be printed, clipped and redeemed at the participating car rental facility. Some coupons might only be valid when used on a certain kind of rental car of for a certain number of days. Other restrictions and exclusions might apply also, so check the small print on the coupons. Also, expired coupons are not accepted, so make sure the coupons are valid before redeeming them. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/newyork.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrentals

HIDDEN FEES: Following is a summary of some hidden fees and expenses that you need to watch out for when renting a car:

1. Airport rental car pickups are more expensive than local neighborhood pickups due to airport taxes and fees.
2. Bring your own child safety car seats, GPS devices and such because renting them will cost a lot.
3. Drop off the rental car on time. Early and late drop offs can result in fees.
4. Don't get charged for mileage. Make sure you have unlimited mileage
5. Fill up the rental car with gas before returning it. This will be cheaper than prepaying the gas.
6. Do not accept the offered car renter's insurance before checking with your own car insurance company.
7. Check damage to the car before driving it off the lot. You don't want to get charged for something that was not your fault.

Brookhaven doesn’t just have nationwide car rental companies, but also independent car rental companies. When picking up a rental car, you might just want to skip the airport facility and go for a cheaper independent company. Airport facilities charge taxes and fees and you will end up paying more by renting from them. The independent car rental providers are also easier in rate negotiations and negotiations regarding their rules and regulations. Since the major car rental companies are easily found online and at airports and such you will find details on some independent Brookhaven car rental companies below.

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

Brookhaven, NY doesn't have many independent car rental companies. One nearby indepent car rental provider is:

• A-Car Auto Rental, 66 Montauk Highway
• Blue Point, NY 11715
• Local Phone: (631) 363-5300
• Toll Free: (877) 296-2277

This small independent car rental company is 16 minutes from Brookhaven, NY and offers Macarthur Airport Pickups and drop offs. They charge $0.20 per mile after your daily allotted mileage of 75 miles has been reached. http://www.acarautorental.com/