Learning how to rent a car in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is not difficult if you just know the correct steps to take. There are many pitfalls and hidden fees that can make your car rental experience an unpleasant one. However, if you know what to look out for, you can avoid these.

Stranahan House, Everglades Holiday Park, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale are all tourist attractions in Fort Lauderdale. To visit them you will need some form of transportation. Sure public transport is available, but if you have your own rental car, you will not have to think about bus or train schedules. You can come and go as you please. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/lauderdale.htm

Besides tourists, there are many more people that use rental cars. One of them is the Fort Lauderdale resident. Whether it's to transport large cargo, or to replace the car that's being fixed in the garage, a rental car can come in handy. The business man who is trying to get to his meetings can also do this with the use of a rental car. Whatever your reason is for getting a rental car, the steps to take are all the same.

Companies like Hertz, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise and Avis all have competitive rates and many promo offers. Offers include free car rental upgrades, extra free rental days and discounts on various rates. With the many promos and offers out there it can get confusing when deciding which company to go with. Hopefully this page will be of some help to you while making you decision.

THE INTERNET: The best place to start looking for a rental car in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is online. You want to be able to see which vehicles are available to rent and what the different rates are. Car rental companies are bound by opening and closing hours and on weekends some even close earlier. The Internet on the other hand is 24 hours available and you can access it right from home at your own leisure. You can easily compare car rental rates from various different companies without being hassled by a pushy sales representative. Often you will find deals and discounts online that are only for people reserving their car online.

TIMING: When renting a car, timing is everything. Reserving your car early can make for a large difference in price. Try reserving your car at least one week ahead of time. Car rental rates are determined by how many cars are in the car rental lot. If you are going to Fort Lauderdale over a weekend, inquire about weekend rates. Most car rental companies discount their weekend rates. The same goes for weekly rates which can be applied if you keep the car for five or more days. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

There are many hidden fees your can avoid if you just know what they are. Following is a summary:

ADDITIONAL ITEMS: If you don't mind spending between $5 - $25 a day on additional items such as child safety seats, roof racks, GPS devices and ski racks, you can just ignore this paragraph. Most likely you want to save money and the way to do this is by bringing your own additional necessities instead of renting them from the car rental company.

'ARE YOU 25 YEARS OLD? If you are under 25 years of age, you might have to pay a penalty when renting a car. Some companies charge even more if you are under 21 years of age. To save some money, try going with an independent car rental company. They are more flexible when it comes to negotiations and regulations. http://www.carrentalexpress.com/tips/car-rental-independent.html

TO PREPAY OR NOT: Don't prepay for gas when renting a car. It is cheaper to just fill the car up before returning it to the lot. Car rental companies charge higher gas fees than you will pay at the pump. The only benefit of prepaying is that you won't have the hassle of finding a gas station to fill up the rental car. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2

INSURANCE: A big mistake some people make is to accept the offered insurance when renting a car. The best thing to do is to check with your own insurance agent first to see if you are covered. If this is the case, you don't need the offered insurance.

AIRPORT PICK UPS: Picking up a rental car from an airport car rental facility seems convenient because they are so readily available. However, what many people don't know is that it is more expensive to pick a rental car up from the airport. This is because taxes and fees are charged. If you can, pick up a car from a local neighborhood company.

MEMBERSHIP: Major car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, Alamo and Enterprise have 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: You can also stay up to date of the many car rental promotions, discounts and offers that are ongoing by registering your email with the major car rental companies. http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/intresImage.do?imageId=28443.4&key=996.en.US.......&page=HOM

COUPONS: When reserving your rental car online for your Fort Lauderdale visit, there are certain coupons you can use that can save you some money. Websites like rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com have many coupons in the form of coupon codes and direct links. Promo codes can be redeemed by entering them online while reserving your vehicle. Direct links instantly take you to the web page with the discount Restrictions and exclusions might apply, 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/bakersfield.htm

Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale car rental companies below.

INDEPENDENT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES:

• Sunshine Rent A Car
• 312 W State Road 84
• Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315-2546
• Phone: (888) 786-7446

This car rental company, established in 1989, rents Toyota vehicles and offer car rental coupons. They also provide a free shuttle service to and from the airport. http://www.sunshinerentacar.com/about_sunshine_rent_a_car.html

• USA Auto Rental
• 3251 Southwest 1st Terrace
• Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315-3308
• Phone: (954) 523-8146

This car rental company rents everything from standard cars, vans, SUV's, convertibles and luxury vehicles. http://www.usa-auto-rental.com/