The 3 best cheap car rental companies to use and the 3 that you should avoid!
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I love driving cars that don't belong to me.
There's just something about driving a car that is not your own that's so fun. I have a thing for sporty cars, convertibles, and just anything that's not my regular boring everyday car. Most of the time when I go on trips in the US, I get a rental because its just so convenient and usually cheaper than cabs and Lyft's.
When searching for a rental car, we all tend to head for one of the many sites that will show us multiple prices and compare companies head to head (Kayak, Expedia, etc.). I for one have a tendency to look for the cheapest deal on everything, and because of that I have learned which cheap car rental companies you should use and which ones you should avoid! Please keep in mind that all companies have their own terms, definitely read the small print before you sign. Check out my lists below.
The best cheap rental car companies:
Hertz - Top Ten Reviews gave Hertz the Silver award and a 9.13 rating out of 10. I rented that lovely Ford Mustang (pictured above) with them in Las Vegas and had a good experience.
Alamo - They are a great cheap company. If you sign up online, you get an extra 5% off of all your rental. They have an online check in process, you go straight to the section of cars pick whichever you want and go. I have had nothing but good experiences with them.
Thrifty - Thrifty and Dollar car rental are owned by one company. Another Top Ten Reviews winner, Thrifty won the Bronze Award.
*I also think Avis is a pretty good company, I had a really good experience with them on past trips, so I guess they are good car company #4.
It's just my opinion, but I would avoid these cheap rental car companies:
Fox - I rented with this company so you don't have to. Because Fox is a small company, they were not located at the airport. The last thing you want to do when you have traveled all day is wait for a shuttle to take you to your car. Once I finally made it to the rental facility, I waited in a long line to be told they did not have the car I requested. Also, they make you pay for their extra insurance coverage before you take the car, which took my super cheap deal up to more expensive than all the other companies.
Ace - Similar to Fox car rental, Ace is pretty high on the terrible scale. This company charges you a fee if you decide to return the car early. They also limit the number of miles you can drive per day, so they end up charging you extra fees. These reviews tell you everything...
Payless - This car rental company is not worth the deal. I have seen lots of complaint about dirty and messed up cars. They are known for charging more then the online quote and adding extra fees.
I hope this short post helps save some money on your next vacation. Have you had a good or bad experience with a rental car company?
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