Anyone rent a car for a road trip?

carguy123 wrote:

poopshovel wrote: Also, check with your insurance company/CC you book the car with. You may already be paying for rental car insurance, so no need to pay the rental place for it.

Your insurance only pays for a rental car when you need one after you wreck your insured car. They don't pay for a rental car just because you want one.

Not really true, check your policy to be sure. Also, since I just have liability on my car, last time I rented I asked if my policy would cover a rental (it did) and asked about putting full coverage on my car for the time I would have the rental. I think it cost me $12 or so for the 6 days of full coverage, versus the $20 a day or what ever the rental place charges.

My company has a deal with Enterprise, but how can utilize such a discount on a personal use?

We had some acquaintances get into an issue with their personal insurance and damage to a rented vehicle. Their personal insurance covered the damages but the rental company charged the rental fee for every day the car was in the shop for repairs, so the acquaintance had to pay out of pocket for the days they actually drove the rental plus all of the days it was getting fixed. This has convinced me to purchase the rental companies damage waiver the past couple times we've rented. YMMV

I worked with Enterprise a lot as a Service Advisor, I regularly put my warranty customers that needed a loaner during repairs in an Enterprise car. They were great 95% of the time. However, I've personally rented/tried to rent from them 3 times, and had a terrible experience each time. I once booked a week in advance, and they left me waiting for an hour in the Pensacola Airport, don't know if they ever showed up.

"Enterprise, we'll never pick you up."

Other than the one time insurance was paying for a rental after an accident, I've since used Budget, and been pleased with their service and prices.

• Lee

PHeller wrote: My company has a deal with Enterprise, but how can utilize such a discount on a personal use?

Enter the code.

My company also has a deal with Enterprise, they encourage us to use the code for personal use as well. My guess is it helps keep the usage numbers up for their discount or something.

OP, I'd think the Durango would be more comfy for not a big different in cost. Then again, I like taking a larger vehicle for a road trip. Plenty of room for your stuff and anything you acquire on the trip.

we've rented for years as needed, this last year we rented a few times for longer trips a few times... the last bit trip we got a '13 camry, we put over 2500 miles on it in one week (felt almost back as we got the car with under about 4000 miles... we averaged about 32mpg if memory serves, I think in the end we paid under $100 more in the long run (figuring fuel savings and rental cost vs the volvo), rode in a new, quiet car with good a/c and plenty of room for the kids.

for who we rent with... it has usually been hertz of late, also used budget and thrifty... enterprise has always been a good deal more $$$ and a few times wouldn't rent because cars are required to stay within the region. We'll typically look at the online priceline type webpages to get a baseline and then go directly to the companies web page, it is rarely cheaper to go though the third party web page and fewer hoops to jump though if you go direct.

If planning a one way rental to a popular area - consider doing the opposite of most other travellers. The example that come to mind is travelling the Rocky Mountains from Calgary, Alberta to Vancouver, BC.

Most people rent a car in Calgary and drop it in Vancouver. If you fly to Vancouver and "return" a rental car to Calgary they do not charge you a drop-off fee....