Tips for Saving Money on Car Rentals

Tips for Saving Money on Miami Car Rentals

If you are planning on flying into Miami sometime soon, you may be in need of a vehicle to get you around town. You can obviously look to Miami car rental airport to provide you with that kind of service. Knowing that you need a car is not enough though because sometimes the price of the rental is too much to bear. You can always find a solution within your budget, but you have to know what to look for. Listed below are some helpful tips that may provide you with some good rental deals to enjoy.

Book Early

You may be able to save money on your Miami International Airport car rental by booking your services well in advance. This is a wise idea regardless because it ensures that you will not forget to book, but it could also save you money in the end. This is especially true if you plan on flying in during a busy part of the year. Rental companies sometime charge higher prices for last minute reservations because there is a high demand for their vehicles. If you get in before everyone else does, you should be able to reserve the specific car you want at a price you can afford.

Make an Extended Reservation

If you know you will need the Miami rent a car for a decent amount of time, you might as well reserve it for the extended stay. Sometimes the company from the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) will cut you a break if you book for a week, two weeks, a month, etc. More car rental deals come up the longer you use the vehicle. You may not have the option to extend your car for more than a couple days if you decide not to book for the whole time because other people may have the car reserved. You will have to take what you can get at that point.

Get a Car with Good Gas Mileage

You might want to think about getting a car with good fuel economy. You should have a full tank of gas when you get the vehicle, but chances are you will have to fill up once or twice during your trip. If you get a car that gets great gas mileage, you may not have to spend as much when you go to the pumps. Most car rental companies will also offer discounts on these kinds of vehicles because they can keep them in their inventory for a long time. You save them money by renting this kind of car.

Shuttle to/from the Rental Car Center (RCC)

You do not have to pay for a taxi cab to get you to and from the rental car station. You can take a shuttle bus from the airport to your destination. You may also have the option of getting your car brought to you at the Miami International Airport, depending on what company you decide to work with. A shuttle bus service may cost a bit of money, but it should be free for the most part. The only thing you have to worry about is riding around with other people.

Pay with Credit

Some rental car companies will charge more money if you pay with a debit card. This may not be a significant price difference, but it is something to consider. If you pay for your Miami rental car with a credit card instead, you will be able to get the vehicle you need without having to pay a larger fee. This also gives you the option to add a few days onto your rental if you decide you need it for a longer period of time. As long as the credit card is valid, you should have no problem getting the Miami Airport car you need.

Come during the Off Season

If you are simply planning a trip to Miami for the fun of it, you should avoid coming during the busy times of year. There will be less people to worry about at the Miami Intermodal Center at that time, and there will be more vehicles for you to choose from. Summer months and times around Spring Break tend to be crowded, but there are not nearly as many people around during other times in the year. Luckily, Miami remains beautiful no matter what month it may be. This is the same with airfare, hotel charges, and anything else associated with your trip. If you reserve a vehicle during a time that no one else will be looking for it, you will have a much better chance of getting a good deal on your rental service.

Ask about Discounts

You would be surprised at how many discounts you may be able to get on a car rental Miami Airport has to offer. You could get a senior citizen discount, an AARP discount, a military discount, a student discount, or just about anything else you can think of. Of course, some rental car companies will offer more deals that others, but it never can hurt to ask if there is a way for you to save money. Rental car companies are there to help you out, and they will do what it takes to make that happen.

Shop with Loyalty

Sometimes you can save money by working with the same Miami rental car service several times over. You may try to work with a company you have already worked with in the past, or you may try to establish that loyal connection this time. That way whenever you go back to Miami, you can look to that group for a better rate for your rental car needs. It is a good idea to establish this kind of relationship anyway so that you can actually work with people to get the right car for the right trip. Your customer service representatives should be able to help you out in that regard.

Think about Your Needs

Even though you may automatically be attracted to the cheapest car you can get, you need to think about what you actually need out of your rental car. How many people does it need to seat? Do you need navigation? Do you need a lot of storage space? These kinds of questions need to be addressed because they will ultimately determine how much you enjoy the rental car you get. Sometimes paying a little extra money will go a long way towards making your trip an enjoyable experience. Look over every option that you have with your rental car company and you should be able to find the perfect fit for you.

Conclusion

There is no reason to assume that you have to spend a fortune on a Miami car rental. The fact is that you can get a good deal on a good car, and then you will be able to ride around the city in style. No matter what your needs are or what time of year you plan to book your trip, you can get a rental car that you need. Inquire about discounts and always be on the lookout for a good deal in the Miami area. There are plenty of them to choose from.

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Google Buzz
  • Christy Williams

    Excellent post! Thanks for all the wonderful tips on saving money during renting a car.

    I rent out cars quite frequently. From my experience I have learned that renting a car for linger days are much more economical. There are a few more ways to save money on car rentals other than those listed on this article. For example, it is cheaper to rent out a car and refueling the fuel tanks by yourself. The rental agencies usually charge higher than what you actually pay at the fuel station. Another thing to note is that if you rent out a car and leave it in a place where the rental agency has to pick up the car, it would cost you a few extra dollars. Hope these tips help.

  • Jeffrey Adair

    While renting cars can be sometimes a necessity, ways to save a few dollars come very useful. Check your credit card company whether they have arrangements with rental agencies for their customers to avail discount or not. Also check at the same time whether your card company extends any car insurance. Both these features are a great way to save money while renting a car from the rental agencies. If you do not need a luxury car, go for the most regular cars that are cheaper to rent and also more fuel efficient.

  • Katherine Wan

    This is a very well written and informative post. I travel a lot and therefore need to rent out a car very frequently. With experience I learned that there are many ways one can save some money while renting a car from the rental agencies. Regular cars usually cost less to rent. Rental agencies offer discounts to the senior citizens as well as to people from certain professions, such as doctors. The rent price varies for cars with and without GPS navigation. You will end up paying $10 or a few dollars less per day for the GPS navigation, which you might have hardly used.

  • Maxine White

    Good post. Thanks for sharing. I always prefer to hire a car from an agency that I have previously hired a car from, even if it is in a different state. Most agencies have their branches in several states. This is advantageous, since they consider me to be their loyal customer and offer me a discount. On top of that they also give highest priority to me over my preference than others. Apart from these two, they also provide me with some extra facilities, such as pick up and drop off service, for free.

  • Cecil Stewart

    There are several ways you can save money while renting a car from the rental agency. One simple way is to pay with your credit card. Most credit cards are eligible for a certain percentage of discounts. Another way to save is to check whether your own car insurance policy is extendable to a rental car. If it also covers rental cars, you can save money that you would otherwise pay to buy insurance from the rental agency. Hire a car according to your need. Luxury or exotic cars or the SUVs cost higher than the regular sedans. So if you do not need a SUV, do not hire it.

  • Ryan Mason

    Thanks for this great article. I specially appreciate the part where you said it is better to pay with a credit card. I always thought I will have to pay extra if I pay with a credit card. Because of this, I could never book a car online. And I also had to carry a pretty large amount of cash when I had to travel. I never felt safe with carrying that much cash and I was never sure how much is going to be sufficient. Now, I understand that paying with credit card is a lot easier and it gives me a little more flexibility