Daytona Beach Car Rental | Car Rentals In Daytona Beach

Flying is slowly becoming a pastime of the wealthy, just like it in the fifties and sixties. With the increase in fuel prices, failures of airlines and the general malaise of the travel industry, it’s no surprise that many of us are going on “staycations” or driving places more. Even though the increased fuel prices affects motoring too.

If you are planning on driving instead of flying this holiday, and are planning on renting a car to do it, then we have a few tips to help you save some money. Spending a little time and effort preparing and researching the best deals will save you time and money when it comes to the holiday.

First tip is to research. Use the internet to compare prices and deals and weed out the most expensive. The car rental business is a cutthroat one, and there will always be a company trying to better all the others with a special offer or deal. Bear in mind the time of year you’re going, the type of vehicle you’re going to need and how far you plan to drive. All these factors will influence the cost of the hire. Researching, and booking online should ensure you get the exact car you want, booked in advance. All of the details will already be in the company’s system so the check out process should be much quicker. Just make sure you read all of the small print and take all the required documents with you when you go.

It’s also worth checking to see if your own insurance company will cover the rental. This can often cost much less than having the car rental company’s own insurance and offer automatic CDW or Collision Damage Waiver, which renters charge for.

Before signing the contract, read it carefully. Some companies are not above adding small print that ends up costing money. Don’t leave yourself open to a surprise when you try and return the car. Make sure things like excess mileage, cleaning costs and any other charges are clear and you’re happy with them before putting your mark to paper.

When collecting your car, before you even get into it ensure the odometer says what the condition sheet says. Not implying that the company would attempt to rip you off, but mistakes can happen. If a discrepancy isn’t picked up, you will be paying for that mistake. The same applies to the condition. Ensure that any scratches, bumps chips or any other marking on the car is marked down on the condition sheet. Checking this before you leave the rental yard could also save you money.

Following these simple tips should prevent you spending money needlessly and protect you from any administrative mistakes or sneaky small print. Hopefully ensuring your holiday is as stress free and as enjoyable as possible. Car rental isn’t a complicated business, neither is it difficult to arrange. With a little research and attention before time it can be as easy as anything, and nowhere near as expensive as it may initially have been.

Car rentals are not only a convenient way to travel while on holiday, but also a great way of trying out a car before buying it. I wanted to test drive three different cars before buying one of them. Nobody I knew had what I wanted so I couldn’t borrow one. A ten minute test drive down the road and back just wasn’t going to cut it when spending over thirty thousand dollars on a car.

Admittedly it wasn’t my idea, but my moms. She suggested finding an exotic car rental company and have each car for a day or so to find out what they’re really like. Seeing as I really couldn’t bring myself to spend the money without having a proper test first, this is what I decided to do.

The contenders where BMW Z4, Volkswagen R32, and Nissan 350Z. All were pretty fast cars, with a hefty price tag which is why I wanted to drive them alone. I didn’t want a salesman frowning at me every time I planted my foot on the floor or tried to see how fast it could corner. These cars all needed pushing to assess their capabilities and no dealer in their right mind is going to let a test pilot loose on their machines.

So the search began. Out came the Yellow Pages and Google and after a couple of hours of phoning around I had a Z4 and a 350Z. The Volkswagen was harder to come by. There were plenty of Golfs around, but I already knew about those, I wanted the four wheel drive and the V6 to play with. I couldn’t find one to save my life so I went ahead and booked a day with the 350Z and the Z4 for two days after that.

The 350Z is a beast, a thirsty beast. All that power comes at a price, 300bhp at the cost of an average 17 miles per gallon. A bit of a downer really when you consider both the BMW and R32 get around 30 miles to a gallon. But the ride was awesome. It comes with a decent stereo but I never used it. I drove for the whole day with the windows open so I could hear the engine. That was my soundtrack for the day. A V6 symphony that brought a smile to my face as soon as I could plant the foot and burn away.

A couple of days later it was time for the Z4. A BMW three liter roadster with 261bhp coming from the rear wheels. Another car with a great soundtrack that I had awesome fun in all day. Like with the Nissan, it came with a decent stereo, but I didn’t even turn it on. I had the roof down and the pedal down as much as possible. I loved that car so much that I bought one the next day.

I might have loved the R32 more, but I didn’t get the chance to drive it. Nothing beats a roadster in Florida anyway, especially one a little bit different like the BMW. Car rentals aren’t just about families, or holidays. They can be a lot more than that if you have the imagination.