On this page you will find information on how to rent a car in Durham, North Carolina while avoiding some of the many pitfalls that come with the car rental industry.

Rental cars are often associated with tourists and vacation. Whether you use a rental car to visit Hugh Magnum Museum of Photography, Museum of Life and Science or if you are just going dining and shops in Brightleaf Square, a rental car can get you from one to the other at your own leisure. It's not just tourists that use rental cars though. Durham residents use rental cars for instance when their own car is in the shop or when they need to transport more people than fit in their own car. Even for a night out on the town or to drive long distances people have been known to use rental cars. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/durham.htm

Companies like Hertz, Avis Enterprise, and Thrifty have competitive rates and try to win your business with offers like free car rental upgrades, car rental discounts on various rates, free pick-ups and extra free rental days. They are very accessible and have locations at most airports in the United States. However, if you want to save some money on a car rental it's sometimes better to go with a smaller independent car rental provider. You will find more details about this, and other important car rental topics in the information below.

Whether you are a small business traveler, a tourist or a Durham resident, the steps towards getting a rental car are all the same. Hopefully the information below will help you get the best deal on your Durham rental car.

ONLINE RESEARCH: Before you decide to just walk into a car rental facility to rent a car, you need to do some research. If you don't do this research, you can easily end up paying more for your rental car than necessary. The best place to do research is on the Internet. Not only is it available 24/7, but often it can also be accessed right from home. You want to look at this variety of rental vehicles that are being offered and you also want to compare rates of various different companies. Without a pushy sales agent pressuring you, it will be easier to decide which company is the right one for you.

BOOK EARLY: If you know early on that you will be visiting Durham, NC you should reserve your rental car immediately. Just like with air fares, the earlier you reserve it, the better rate you will get. Try to aim for at least one week ahead of time to make your reservation.

WEEKLY & WEEKEND RATES: If you are staying in Durham over a weekend, inquire about weekend rates. Many car rental companies have discounts on weekends. If you are staying five days or more, weekly rates may apply. These are also cheaper than if you were to pay day to day rates. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

Don't get caught up in the many car rental pitfalls. Arm yourself with the following car rental knowledge and you should be able to avoid some unexpected charges and fees.

AIRPORT PICKUPS: Picking up a rental car from an airport car rental facility might seem convenient since after landing, the car rental counter is usually a small walk away. What many don't know, is that airport pickups are more expensive than picking up a rental car from a facility away from the airport. Airport facilities charge taxes and fees.

CAR RENTAL UPGRADES: When picking up your rental car in Durham there is a big chance you will be offered a free car rental upgrade to a larger vehicle. This seems like a great deal, but it's really more expensive because larger cars require more gas. To save money, decline the offer or ask for a more economic car instead.

ADD-ONS: If you have a small child that requires a child safety car seat it is best to bring your own. Car rental companies charge daily rates to rent additional items like car seats, GPS devices, roof racks and such. If you want to save some money, bring your own add-ons.

ARE YOU 25 YEARS OLD? Some companies in the United States won't rent to people under the age of 25 years old. Some companies charge a fee if you are under the age of 25. If you are under 21 years of age, this fee might be even higher. Independent car rental companies make their own in-house rules and are often more flexible when it comes to things like this. To save some money, try looking into renting from a smaller company.

GAS: When you rent your car, you will be asked if you want to prepay for your gas. The only benefit here is that you will not have to find a gas station to fill up the rental car before returning it to the lot. However, if you choose to do this, you might end up paying more than was needed. If you return the car with half a tank, you will still have paid for a full tank. On top of that, car rental facilities often charge more for gas than you would pay at the pump. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2

UNLIMITED MILEAGES: Another thing to inquire about before driving off the lot is unlimited mileage. Some car rental companies charge you if you go over a certain amount of miles per day. You want to make sure this restriction doesn't apply to your rental car. You want that unlimited mileage. If you forgot to ask about this, make sure to read the fine print on the rental agreement, or call the rental company.

DROP OFF CHARGES: When renting a car make sure to calculate how many days you will need the rental car for. You don't want to end up dropping the car off too late or too early because you might get charged a fee for this. Early drop offs might make it so you didn't rent the car for the entire week which means your weekly rate will have to be adjusted to match the amount of days you actually used the car. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2

INSURANCE: Before accepting the offered car rental insurance, check with your own insurance company since you might already be covered through them. Also check for coverage from your credit card company. http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/carrental.html

COUPONS: Car rental coupons, promos 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.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrentals http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/durham.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrentals

CLUB MEMBERSHIPS: The major car rental companies all have car rental clubs you can join. Membership can be free or cost a yearly fee. Benefits of joining include usage of the members' line at the airport and faster service. You also get discounts on various rates. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/emember/join/overview.do?learnMore=all

EMAIL UPDATES: If you would like to stay updated on the promotional offers, car rental discounts and deals from the larger car rental companies, go to their websites.You can usually register your email address. Once you do this you will start receiving updates on new vehicles, car rental promotions, discounts and offers that are currently ongoing. http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/intresImage.do?imageId=28443.4&key=996.en.US.......&page=HOM

Besides the nationwide well known car rental providers there are also independently owned car rental facilities in Durham . 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 Durham, North Carolina. http://www.carrentalexpress.com/tips/car-rental-independent.html

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

• Priceless Rental Cars
• 2715 Chapel Hill Road
• Durham, NC 27707-1902
• Phone: (919) 490-7368

This car rental company doesn't have a website like many of the smaller independent car rental facilities. However, they are conveniently located in Durham, NC.

• Classy Transportation
• 2200 Glengate Circle
• Morrisville, NC 27560
• Phone: (919) 368-0659

This car rental company rents luxury 'special occasion' vehicles. Some of the cars include Rolls Royce, Excalibur, Hudson, Mercedes-Benz. http://www.classytransportation.com/id5.html

Besides the nationwide well known car rental providers there are also independently owned car rental facilities in Durham. 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 Durham, NC. http://www.carrentalexpress.com/tips/car-rental-independent.html

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

• Classy Transportation, LLC.
• 2200 Glengate Circle
• Morrisville, NC 27560
• Phone: (919) 368-0659

This car rental company rents luxury 'special occasion' vehicles. You can find cars like Rolls Royce, Excalibur, Hudson, Mercedes-Benz. http://www.classytransportation.com/id5.html

• Priceless Rental Cars
• 2715 Chapel Hill Road
• Durham, NC 27707-1902
• Phone: (919) 490-7368

This car rental company doesn't have a website like many of the smaller independent car rental companies. They are however conveniently located in Durham, NC.