Business Travel: Rent or Drive Your Own?

I travel quite a lot for work; mostly cross country, but sometimes regionally. I can rent or drive my own car. Renting means taking a train to the airport, but saves miles on my own. Last time I rented, this time around I took the Miata. When the salt's on the road I'll obviously pick up a rental.

My main question is, are there insurance/liability advantages to using a rental instead of my own? I have rental car coverage through my credit card and my employer's plan.

If you use your own car, you have to have business use insurance on it.

Personally - rental all the way.

Ummmm, you should get reimbursed like .555 cents per mile if you drive your own car.

If you drive a lot for work that means your car is paid for.

Rental means you pay for your car to sit while you drive a penalty box.

Most companies force you to take a rental because it is SOOOO much cheaper for them to reimburse you for. If you have the choice drive your own car, and probably get paid for doing it.

I drove my own often. My very economical old Hyundai operated on far less than 55 cents/mile. Made money.

gjz30075 wrote: I drove my own often. My very economical old Hyundai operated on far less than 55 cents/mile. Made money.

I've even heard of people going so far as to drive to and from the job site 500-700 miles away to make .55 on each mile instead of flying. Usually they will drive a hybrid or a cheap economy car hoping to pocket some extra money. This example came from a large consulting firm that would fly the employee to the location every week and home on the weekends.

I used to drive my own and it paid for itself and put money in my pocket. When they stopped me, it changed my world and not for the better. I no longer have walking around money.

I use to drive all of the time because of locations of the places I had to visit. There was just no good way to fly and not have to still drive a ton once I landed. Even when I was going to houston, it was still quicker for me to drive because I live an hour away from the airport. I had the car paid off in 2 years but I also had 25-30K a year miles on it.

I would only use it for work and had my miata for the weekends.

Use a rental. So much less hassle if you ball it up.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Use a rental. So much less hassle if you ball it up.

This-- been there, done that.

Also, current reimbursement rate is 54 cents/mile.

If it's less than maybe 100 miles I'll drive my own car, for longer trips I rent. It saves wear on my car, and ends up costing the customer less (we charge for expenses). There's an Enterprise rental a few blocks down the street from my house so I can just walk there and pick up a car.

i like rentals because of the lack of care you have to have for it. your not racking up miles on your personal vehicle, worrying about when maintenance comes around and wear and tear of the road.

plus rental car = race car