So you want to know how to rent a car in Cleveland, Ohio? Are you looking for a cheap rental car? Do you want to get a free car rental upgrade? Or are you trying to avoid certain hidden car rental fees and penalties? Whatever the reason is that you are visiting this page, it might just answer some of your questions.

If you are a tourist trying to get around Cleveland, it might be a hassle if you depend on bus and train schedules. Why not enjoy the independence and freedom that comes with a rental car. You can visit Cleveland attraction like the Cleveland Zoo, Cleveland Children's Museum, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum at your own leisure. To get a good deal on a rental car, there are certain factors to consider, and fees and charges that you can avoid. You will find more information on this below. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/cleveland.htm

You might think that car rental giants like Hertz, Budget, Alamo, Avis and Enterprise have the best deals because they are readily available to serve you at airports and such. This is not always true. If you are under the age of 25, you might want to consider a local neighborhood facility since they might not charge you an age penalty. The larger car rental companies are bound by strict rules and regulations where as the smaller companies have their own in-house rules. They are often also easier in negotiating rates.

Hopefully the information on this page will save you a lot of money and prevent a lot of hassle.

GO ONLINE: So you are visiting Cleveland and are in need of a rental car. You can either call and reserve a car or you can visit a car rental company and book the car of your choice. If you decide to reserve a car online, you might just find various discounted car rental rates and deals that are only valid when reserving a car online. The Internet is the best place to start when you need a rental car. Research the various rates from different companies and see which vehicles they have available. You can do this at your own leisure because the Internet doesn't know opening and closing hours. There are also no pushy sales people that you have to deal with.

COUPONS: The coupons and discounts you might run into when surfing the net include printable coupons, clickable links and coupons codes. You can find them on websites such as rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com. Promo codes can just be entered when you reserve your car online and printable coupons can be redeemed once you go to the car rental facility. Clickable links go directly to the website where the discount is given. You do want to double check the validity date of your coupon and also read the small print for restrictions and exclusions that might apply. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/cleveland.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrentals

RENTAL RATES: If you know far ahead of time that you will be visiting Cleveland, Ohio, try booking your car rental as soon as possible. The earlier you book the rental car, the better. Car rental rates are determined by the amount of cars in the lot at the time of your reservation. Try booking your rental car at least one week in advance. You can even call the car rental company as your pick up date gets closer to see if the rates have dropped even more. If they have, you can re-reserve your car.

WEEKLY & WEEKEND RATES: If you are visiting Cleveland, Ohio over a weekend, make sure to inquire about weekend rates. Most car rental companies have discounted rates on weekends. If you are staying in Cleveland for five days or longer, ask about weekly rates which are usually cheaper than day to day rates.

AIRPORT PICKUPS: Picking up a rental car from the airport might seem convenient because the car rental counter can usually be reached after a short walk through the terminal. What most people don't know is that picking up your rental car from the airport is more expensive than picking it up from a local neighborhood facility that's away from the airport. This is because airport car rental companies charge taxes and fees. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

INSURANCE: When renting a car you will be offered car rental insurance. Before accepting this insurance, you want to check with your own insurance company. They might already cover you in case of a collision in a rental car. If they do, you can just decline the insurance offer. Also check with your credit card company since they also often cover car rentals.

FREE UPGRADES: When you go to pick up your rental car another thing you might get offered is a free upgrade to a larger vehicle. You may think this is a nice gesture, but the car rental company usually gives upgrades because the compact cars are in higher demand. If you do accept the upgrade, keep in mind that larger cars require more gas. If you want the upgrade but cannot afford the gas you can see if they have a more economical car available. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

ADD-ONS: If you have young kids, you might need child safety car seats. Avoid having to pay a daily rental fee for additional items like this, bring your own. The same goes for GPS devices, roof racks and ski racks.

PACKAGE DEALS: During your time in Cleveland, you might also need a hotel. If this is the case you might want to visit travel websites like orbitz.com. They have ongoing promotions for booking a hotel stay together with a rental car. You might be able to get a discounted rate. http://www.orbitz.com/App/DisplayCarSearch

Besides the nationwide well known car rental providers there are also independently owned car rental facilities in Cleveland . Sometimes it's easier to deal with an independently smaller company. For instance, if you are under 25 years of age other companies might charge you an age penalty. Independent car rental companies make their own rules and regulations and are more flexible when it comes to negotiating. Aside from this it is also said that they provide better service and have a better vehicle selection. Following you will find information on several independent car rental companies in Cleveland, Ohio. http://www.carrentalexpress.com/tips/car-rental-independent.html

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

• Bedford Auto & Van Rentals
• 320 Broadway Avenue
• Cleveland, OH 44146-2642
• Phone: (440) 232-4265.

This car rental company has been in business over 20 years and provides cars and various types of vans. They do not provide luxury or convertible car rental. http://www.bedfordautorentals.com/index.php

• City Auto Rentals
• 13945 Triskett Road
• Cleveland, OH 44111-1525
• Phone: (216) 688-0208.

This family owned car rental company was founded in 1971 and rents to people of 23 years old and older. They require an Ohio driver's license and a $100 security deposit upfront. http://www.personalleasingco.com/CityAutoRental.htm