How To Rent A Car In New York City

If you are planning on visiting New York City, you will need transportation to get around. How to rent a car in New York City is one of the things you will need to know.

Using a rental car in New York to get around has its benefits. For instance, you won't have to be dependent on bus or subway schedules. Even though New York City is known for its busy traffic, many tourists opt for the comfort of a rental car. Whether you are visiting the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park , or the American Museum of Natural History, a rental car will get you from one to the other. http://gonyc.about.com/od/bestofnewyorkcity/tp/topattractions.htm

Rental cars are not just for tourists anymore. People on business trips in New York use rental cars. Even New York City residents use rental cars. A rental car can be uses for many different reasons. Some people use rental cars as replacement cars when their own car is in the shop. Some use rentals when they are driving long distance so they don't put the ware and tare on their own car. There are even people who just rent a car for a night out on the town.

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. Some offers include free upgrades, extra free rental days and discounts on various rates. http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/

Whatever the reason is that you might need car rentals in New York, the following page will hopefully be a help to you when deciding on which company to go with.

Saving Money While Getting Better Car Rentals

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This video gives information about questions you should ask when renting a car. This way you won't be unpleasantly surprised with hidden costs. Ask if there are drop of charges. Some companies charge when you drop cars off too early or too late. Ask about refueling charges. If you want a 'fun' car like a convertible, hummer, or a PT Cruiser, make sure to ask if the car rental company can provide this. If you don't ask questions, you won't know.

Step 1: Where And When to Find A Rental Car

THE INTERNET: One of the first things you should do when looking for a rental car company in New York City is surfing the Internet. Find out what vehicles are out there for rent and what rates they are going for. You can rent a car in person at the rental car facility, by phone or online. Car rental companies all have opening and closing hours and on weekends some of them even close early. When you use the internet to reserve your car, you don't have to worry about hours of operation because car rental companies on the internet are 'open' 24/7. Beside this, if you reserve your car online you will be avoiding that pushy salesperson that's trying to get you into a rental car. Some car rental companies even offer discounts when you rent your car online.

CAR AND HOTEL: During your time in New York City, 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 http://www.rentalcarmomma.com/

WEEKEND RATES vs. WEEKLY RATES: If possible try to schedule your New York City rental car for a weekend since it might save you some money also. Car rental companies are known to give discounts on weekends. If you are holding onto the rental car for five or more days, make sure to ask about the weekly rates since these are often favorable also. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/116640/article.html

Step 2: Upgrades, Insurance & Booking Early

FREE UPGRADES: Sometimes when picking up a rental car, you will be asked if you want a free upgrade to a larger vehicle. This sounds very tempting, but keep in mind that larger vehicles require more gas, which translates to more costs for you. The reason why you are being offered that free upgrade is because the compact vehicles are more in demand. If you are on a budget, you might want to consider declining this offer.

INSURANCE: When reserving a rental car you will be asked if you also want rental car insurance. The insurance covers you in case of a collision and it covers the loss of the rental company. Car rental companies often have insurance for high rates. Before agreeing to take their insurance, check your own insurance policy first. You don't want to make the mistake of being covered twice. 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: Car 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 therefore has its advantages. If you know you are going to visit New York City far ahead of time. Try making your car rental reservation as soon as you can.

Step 3: If You Only Knew

AIRPORT PICK UPS: If possible, opt to pick up your rental car from a local neighborhood facility. If you pick a rental car up from the airport it is more expensive because taxes and fees are charged.

ADDITIONAL COSTS: If you have kids, don't forget to bring your child safety car seat. If you forget to bring it, you might end up paying anywhere from $5 - $25 per day to rent a car seat from the rental facility. The same goes for additional items like roof racks, GPS devices etc. http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=29&category=2&page=2

PREPAYING FOR GAS: If you agreed to prepay for gas when renting a car it might cost you more than necessary. Prepaid gas covers one full tank of gas. If you don't use up all the gas when returning the car, you will still have paid for that full tank. It's better to fill up the car before returning it to the lot. Car rental companies often charge a lot more for a gallon of gas than you would pay at the pump when filling up the car.

Step 4: Membership, Email Updates & Coupons.

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

EMAIL UPDATES: 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: Coupons for New York City car rentals are available online at websites such as rentalcarmomma.com and retailmenot.com. Coupons are either coupon codes, direct links or printable coupons. 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 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/view/thrifty.com