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Author Topic: How to rent a car out of state? Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 04-10-2006 12:05 AM                        I'm visiting Virgina next month and need to rent a car. I've never rented on before so I need some advice. 1)Are there any extra fee's if you do get a car and go across state line (i'm also going to Washington DC) 2) Do I REALLY need to buy insurance? 3)I have a spotless driving record (contrary to popular belief, some women are good drivers haha), will this make the rates go down, or is that wishful thinking.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 04-10-2006 12:31 AM                     Don't have much car rental experience myself but I gotta wonder-how would they know you took it out of state anyway? Regardless, I don't think its prohibited.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-10-2006 12:53 AM                    You do have to disclose if you go out of state in case you get into an accident. If you have car insurance it covers the rental, so dont buy their insurance, its a rip off. Make sure you DO walk around the car and note EVERY irregularity aka scratches, paint chips, dents, window cracks, and go over the interior VERY closely as well for any kind of cigarrete burns or rips and tears. Those companys will try to pin everything on you. If you have comprehensive coverage, it might be wise to pay a little extra for the week or so you have the rental, and get the $0 deductable, so if they do find a scratch or something you didnt notice, your insurnace will cover it and your not out any cash. Just words of advice from someone who's been there, done that.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 04-10-2006 01:14 AM                        quote: Allison Parsons 1)Are there any extra fee's if you do get a car and go across state line (i'm also going to Washington DC) 2) Do I REALLY need to buy insurance? 3)I have a spotless driving record (contrary to popular belief, some women are good drivers haha), will this make the rates go down, or is that wishful thinking. 1. Depends on the rental. Some companies don't want their cars to leave a state without extra fees. So you'll need to tell them your travel plans and see what rates they give you. And most big companies have transponders and LoJacks installed on their fleets now so they definitely can tell if a car leaves an authorized area. They can also tell if you've been speeding in one of their cars. 2. Depends on your insurance and credit card. Does your insurance cover you when driving a rental? If not, many credit cards have automatic insurance coverage for rental cars if the card is used to cover the rental. If yours does it can be much cheaper to decline the company's coverage and use your card's. If you actually have a problem and need to make a claim using your card's coverage, things can get really sticky though. But it is definitely cheaper to use your card as long as nothing goes wrong. OTOH the company comprehensive coverage is as simple as it is expensive. Just bring the car back with no hassles at all about dings or other road rash. 3. Won't affect rental or company insurance rates one way or the other. If your driving record isn't good, most companies won't rent to you period.  |  IP: Logged Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 04-10-2006 01:42 AM                        quote: Frank Dubrois Make sure you DO walk around the car and note EVERY irregularity aka scratches, paint chips, dents, window cracks, and go over the interior VERY closely I'm paranoid about things like that, should I take pictures of the car BEFORE I drive away, or is that too silly Also, I have a AAA membership and I just noticed that there is a Hertz rental and discount ID# on the back on my card.  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 04-10-2006 02:58 AM                     Hertz seems to be fairly expensive, try Dollar or Alamo, they're both reasonable.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-10-2006 03:59 AM                     Valid Driver's License and a credit card to secure the rental..for starters..and just bring it back, or to the destination depot with a full tank of gas. And, you're the only permissable driver. If you get caught with someone else driving...  |  IP: Logged Dick Vaughan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1032 From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: Jul 2000 posted 04-10-2006 04:43 AM                        I use rental cars quite a lot in the US and Canada. Trying to bring my car across from the UK is less than easy I find I can often get bettter rates booking through Expedia or similar rather than going to the rental companies direct. Also as they are usually business rentals I take the comprehensive cover as it saves arguments over minor scratches etc  |  IP: Logged Richard Hamilton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1341 From: Evansville, Indiana Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-10-2006 05:37 AM                     Dick, Just be careful when booking through Expedia or Travelocity. They get a discounted rate, which is not good if you need the car longer than booked. I recently had a trip booked through Travelocity and I was delayed 2 days because of work (the return portion of my trip). I called the car rental place and was told my daily rate was doubled for the remaining days. I also had to pay a higher rate at the same hotel. And I had to purchase a new return ticket from Delta.  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 04-10-2006 11:09 AM                        Hertz generally offers unlimited miles and no state restrictions. For simplicity, I swear by them. Other companies are generally pretty good about laying out their state/mileage restrictions in the details of a rental offer. Most rental car companies will try to sell you on their "loss damage waiver" insurance...hard. But if you use a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express for the rental, your credit card gives you the same basic coverage automatically. Check with your credit card company for specifics. Also, if you book through Hertz online, make sure you check rates for both your AAA discount as well as with NO discount. I have found myself surprised at how the base rate changes that way. It's sometimes actually cheaper to go the base route. As far as being paranoid, I would suggest walking around the car at the rental place and pointing out any scratches or dings immediately...not taking pictures and reporting later if they complain to you. One more small little detail...Most rental car companies will not accept debit cards, even if they have a Visa/Mastercard logo on them.  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-10-2006 01:39 PM                     Also, make sure you have a true Credit Card. Most car rental agencies are no longer accepting Check Cards, because they are not able to put a large enough hold, for long enough. In regards to the hold, expect a roughly $100 hold on your card, which is refunded/canceled upon return of the car - minus any balances owed. Some rental companies will ask if you are taking the car across a state line, some wont. I've never been asked at National if I'll be leaving the state. Don't worry about taking pictures, but go over the car in detail with one of their personnel, and document any blemishes. They should have a sheet for this. Return the car with as much or more gas that it had when you got it, but it doesn't have to be FULL. Certinaly don't opt to pre-pay for the gas fill up upon your return. Their rates are astronomical.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-10-2006 01:50 PM                        If you don't smoke, and don't like the smell of a smoky car, be sure to request a "non-smoking" car. Also, rent a car that is one size larger than you think you will need; a "large" rental car is generally "medium" size by normal peoples' standards. I've rented from pretty much all the rental companies and haven't seen much difference between them (with the notable exception of Rent-A-Wreck, which I don't recommend). Several people have recommended using Priceline for rental cars. You might check this out, although I don't like the way that Priceline requires a credit card number before letting users do anything on their web site (they used to, anyway...haven't checked recently).  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-10-2006 02:47 PM                        Be sure to return the car with a full tank of gas, or they might give you the "courtesy service" of filling the tank for you at about double the going price of gas. (Some companies do charge the regular gas price, but not all.) On the out of state thing: I once rented a car in LA for the purpose of driving to Vegas and back, the rental office never asked me about driving plans, and the trip was completed with no problems...but after I had returned home I happened to glance at a pertinent part of the contract where it said I would not take the car out of state and if I did, I would be liable for the entire cost of the car if I wrecked it, even if I bought their insurance!! So it pays to read the fine print.  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 04-10-2006 04:21 PM                     The thing about the credit card insurance is that it is secondary coverage. Basically, if you wreak the car, your insurance gets the claim, you pay the deductable and then wait for the credit card to reimburse the deductable to you. I usually get the damage waiver, just because its worth the $15 a day to not have to worry about road debris or other drivers.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-10-2006 07:12 PM                     When I was living in Los Angeles, I had to go to a wedding in Virginia. I flew out of LAX to Dulles Airport. I used Hertz rent a car for the trip. As Sam posted Hertz generally offers unlimited miles and no state restrictions. And they did, because I needed to drive to Fredericksberg and then to the city of Orange. But before I went to Fredericksberg I drove to D.C. for a few hours. After the wedding and a few local trips around, I had to drive one of brides maids to Richmond, Virginia to get her plane before my flight took off at Dulles later that evening. I had the car for just 2 1/2 days and put just over 905 miles on it. I bought their insurance when I booked it. I originally had another rental company, but Hertz's prices were half of the other.  |  IP: Logged

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