Many people choose a rental car as their preferred transportation when visiting Los Angeles, California. This page has information on how to rent a car in Los Angeles.
Los Angelesis known for many attractions such as Rodeo Drive, Sunset Boulevard, Universal Studios, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Hollywood walk of fame. Many tourists visit the city on a yearly basis and go sightseeing. Instead of being dependent on bus/train schedules some people opt to get a rental car to get around.
Rental cars are not just for tourists though. If you are in Los Angeles on business, you can rent a car to get to your meetings. Even Los Angeles residents use rental cars. Sometimes you need a larger car to transport more people/cargo. This is where a rental car comes in handy. Or maybe you need a replacement for your own car that's being fixed in the shop. Whatever your reason is for renting a car, there are certain steps you can take to make sure you are getting the best deal.
The large car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Alamo, Avis, and Enterprise all want your business and all have competitive rates and offers out there. Making a decision on what company to go with can get quite confusing. Hopefully the information on this page will help in your decision making process.
Car rental tips - How to get the best deal on rental cars
Whether you are renting a car in Los Angeles or on the east coast of the United States, This video gives advice on how to get the best deals on rental cars. The video mentioned prepaying for gas and how to search online for the best deals. Usually one of the nationwide rental car facilities are the best to go with because they are reliable. One of the biggest mistakes people make is over-insuring their car rental. This video also talks about this. Finally it also mentions that renting a car at the airport is more expensive than at other local facilities.
Step 1: WHERE TO START
THE INTERNET: The first thing you should do when planning on getting a rental car in Los Angeles is to go online. Look on the internet at the different rates and vehicles that are available. There are many benefits of using the internet for car rentals. The internet is 'open' 24/7. A car rental facility has opening and closing hours that might not be convenient for you. On weekends they might even close sooner. Besides this, you will be able to look for different deals without having a salesperson trying to force you into a rental car. Many car rental companies offer discounts when you rent your car online.
HOTEL AND CAR: If you also need a hotel during your time in Los Angeles you can find deals online where you get discounts on rates when you book your hotel stay together with a rental car. You can often find these kinds of promotions on travel websites like orbitz.com. http://www.orbitz.com/App/DisplayCarSearch http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/
WEEKEND RATES vs. WEEKLY RATES: Try scheduling your Los Angeles rental car for a weekend. Many car rental companies give discounts on weekends. If you plan on holding onto the rental car for five days or more it can also work in your favor. Ask about the weekly rates. These are often favorable. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html
Step 2: Insurance, Booking Early & Upgrades
INSURANCE: When you drive a car, you will need car insurance. The same goes for a rental car. Car rental companies offer to provide this insurance for you, often at high rates. Their insurance covers you in case of a collision and it covers the loss of the rental company. To avoid being charged for car insurance, check your own policy first. Contact your insurance agent and see if your current insurance covers rental cars. If it does there is no need to accept the coverage from the car rental facility. It will save you some money. http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/carrental.html
BOOKING EARLY: If you know you are going to visit Los Angeles far ahead of time. Try making your car rental reservation immediately. Rental rates usually depend on how many vehicles are on the lot of the car rental company at the time of your reservation. Booking you car early has its advantages.
FREE UPGRADES: Car rental companies are quick to offer free upgrades to larger vehicles. The reason for this is because compact vehicles are more in demand. When picking up your car in Los Angeles, you might want to decline this free upgrade, since larger vehicles do require more gas.
Step 3: Hidden Costs
So you have found a car rental company online and reserved a car that you will be picking up in Los Angeles, California. There might be some hidden fees that many people don't know about.
AIRPORT PICK UPS: Picking up your rental car from LAX (or any airport for that matter) is more expensive than picking it up from a local neighborhood rental facility. This is because airport rental facilities usually charge taxes and fees.
ADDITIONAL COSTS: Keep in mind that if you need a child safety seat it is often cheaper to bring your own. The car rental company can charge anywhere from $5 - $25 per day for it. The same goes for additional items like roof racks, GPS devises etc. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2
PREPAYING FOR GAS: When returning the rental car to the lot, make sure to fill it up with gas instead of opting to pay for a full tank of gas ahead of time. The only advantage to prepaying gas is that you can return the car (half) empty. However, If you don't use up all the gas, you will still have paid for a full tank. Filling the rental car before returning it is therefore cheaper.
Step 4: Coupons, Membership And Email Updates
COUPONS: When reserving your rental car online for your Los Angeles visit, there are certain coupons you can use. Websites like rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com have many coupons in the form of coupon codes, printable coupons and direct links. Coupons might give discounts on rates, free upgrades and extra free rental days. Coupon codes can be redeemed by entering them online while reserving your vehicle. Direct links automatically apply the discounts when reserving the vehicle online and printable coupons can be redeemed at the participating car rental facility. 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.rentalcarmomma.com/cities/losangeles.htm http://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/carrental
MEMBERSHIP: The major car rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, Alamo and Enterprise have clubs you can join for free or for a yearly fee. When you join you get many perks and discounts when renting cars. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/emember/join/overview.do?learnMore=all
EMAIL UPDATES: Besides using coupons, 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
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
You might consider a convertible to see Los Angeles. Convertibles are more dangerous and noisy than sedans and with the California weather you will frequently have to apply SPF
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Fact:
Before leaving the car rental lot in your rental car, inspect the car for any damage and make sure all the lights and blinkers are all working
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Fact:
Just like when booking a last minute flight, car rental companies have last minute deals on car rentals. You can find them online
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Fact:
f you are flying into Los Angeles,, make sure to give your flight information to the company where you reserved your rental car. This way if your flight is delayed, they will usually hold on to the car for you
