Posts Tagged ‘Tips’
If you are renting a car or other vehicle, the process will be the easiest and smoothest if you have a credit card to use for the transaction. Some car rental companies won’t even rent you a vehicle if you don’t have a credit card for payment. If the car rental company does allow you to rent without a credit card, you may have to pay a large cash deposit to cover any potential damage to the vehicle you are renting. If you are using a travel agent and do not have a credit card, ask your agent about using pre-paid vouchers to pay for your vehicle rental. A voucher is typically easier to use than cash when renting a vehicle.
Be aware that a large part of your credit line on your credit card may be tied up while the rental vehicle is in your possession. The car rental company may place a certain amount of money on hold on your credit card for possible additional charges such as late return fees and damage fees. The charge won’t be processed unless you incur those additional expenses. But because that money is on hold you won’t have it available to you for other purchases so you may want to use for other purchases such as your hotel.
Your driving record may be a factor when you rent a vehicle. Not all car rental companies check driving records but some do. If your driving record doesn’t meet the car rental company’s standards they will not let you rent from them. To prevent this from happening check with the car rental agency to see if they check driving records and what their standards are.
Twenty five is the magic age when renting a vehicle. If you are at least twenty five years of age you will not incur additional fees to rent a vehicle. If you are between the ages of eighteen and twenty five you will likely be required to pay more money for renting your car than a twenty five or older driver. If you are under 18 years of age you will not be able to rent a vehicle in the US. Although those rules may not seem fair, it is just the way it is in the car rental industry
Rental car companies will offer you various optional insurance and waiver options, but you may already be covered. Before you go to rent a vehicle, check with both your personal auto insurance agent and with your credit card company. You may already have protection if you have an accident, lose, or damage your rental vehicle. If you do have protection, you shouldn’t need to purchase the collision damage waiver or CDW offered by the car rental company because it will be a duplication of coverage you already have.
If you do purchase a CDW, keep in mind that it is not insurance but an agreement between you and the car rental company stating that you will not be liable for loss or damage to the rental vehicle as long as you comply with conditions stated in the agreement. Those conditions are common sense ones such as not driving while under the influence of alcohol, not driving the vehicle off-road, and not allowing an unauthorized person to drive the vehicle. A CDW will almost always not cover you though for personal injuries or damage to personal property sustained while using the rental vehicle. If you are renting overseas though, you may not have a choice of whether or not or purchase a CDW. Some countries require you to purchase it.
If you are renting a vehicle overseas you may need to obtain an international driving permit. Check on this before you show up at the overseas rental car counter.
After you get to your rental vehicle walk around the outside of it and inspect it for any possible damage. If you notice damage such as a dent or noticeable scratch report it to the lot attendant right away and get it noted on your rental agreement so you won’t be liable for that damage. I learned this lesson the hard way. On one of my first rentals I noticed a dent in the vehicle, told the lot attendant about it who told me not to worry about it. I didn’t insist he write anything on my rental agreement stating the damage was already on the vehicle when I picked it up. When I returned the vehicle the rental car company wanted to charge me for that dent. I eventually got my money back but it took time me quite a bit of time and frustration to get those charges reversed.
If you find you are going to return your rental vehicle more than 4 hours late, call the rental company and arrange for an additional day’s rental. Although most companies allow you a one hour grace period before they start to charge you additional money, the hourly rates can quickly add up to more than the cost of an entire day’s rental. Usually when you get to the 4 hour mark, renting the vehicle for an additional day is cheaper than paying the hourly late fees.
Written by hentawan
Dentist
style=”text-align:justify;”>Tips for buying Used Cars:-
Kicking the Tires: The Basics of Used Car Buying
Why you need to buy used Cars?-
Given a choice few would opt for buying used Cars, for majority of you think that buying used cars tantamount to buying other people’s problems! Is it really so? Not necessarily, if you buy used cars, with proper planning and care.
The economics being the main reason behind going for the used cars you need to be careful and pragmatic in getting the best bargain while you buy a used car. The fastest growing segment in the automobile industry is the used car market as a consequence to the increase in the average price of the new car. Of late record number of used cars is being sold in the market and the value that the used cars give have since increased. You may save thousands of dollars by opting for a one or two year old used car especially in the backdrop of increasing prices of new Cars. A one or two year old used car is not so old and you may even get the original factory warranty transferred in your name. Another prime reason for the growing number of used cars for sale is the advantage of easy leasing facility for the cars that are slow movers because of the low mileage or other unpopular tags attached to the brand.
Steps to be followed while Buying used Cars:-
Be specific about your need:-
The first and the foremost step, in acquiringused cars is to have a clear idea of the car you are going to buy. That is details like the budget you can afford, the make and the model you prefer, the seating capacity of the car etc. The cost varies significantly depending on the purpose whether you need a car for your family or for the use of your college going daughter or son. It would be always wise to have one or two choices in model and make to have a wider choice in the selection. There are various sites that give the used car listing along with the new cars. Consumer reports is onesuch site that gives detailed information about used cars. You may also get in touch with the online help of the US department of transportation auto safety hot line to get the details like the recall record of any make or brand before getting trapped.
Know the Price:-
The dealers as well as the buyers follow a variety of price guides to determine the price of the used cars. One of the reliable system is the Official used car guide of the National Automotive dealers Association. The bulletin published on a monthly basis is also available for reference in public libraries and credit unions. The details such as average trade in the wholesale and retail prices of the cars sold during the last seven years are available in the publication. The publication gives you an opportunity for price comparison and a clear idea of the difference between wholesale and retail prices as compared between the local classifieds and the rates from such sources.
Financing:-
The next step would be to enquire the details of credit with the banks and credit unions. A comparison with dealer financing would help save money. Arrangement of pre approved credit would avoid dealer pressure for the purchase of vehicle. Simultaneously an insurance quote for the vehicle may also be obtained to see whether you would be able to meet both the payments while keeping an amount for unforeseen contingencies. Never forget to ensure that the dealer is licensed by the division of motor vehicles. Various sites allow you to compare the rates and the terms of used car financing. Bankrate.com is one of the reliable sites that helps you in the search for the used cars, give you quote and gives the used car buying tips besides other useful input.
Choose the best seller:-
Contrary to the popular belief, the purchaseof used cars is a major decision and a big deal and you need to ensure value for the hard earned money. You have the option to make a good deal with any one of the many sources available for buying used cars. The options include new car dealers, used car dealers, leasing firms, car rental firms or private individuals. While each of these options has its own merits and demerits, the purchase from a new car dealer gives you immense choice besides warranty with regard to the repairs and maintenance of the vehicle. While the condition of the cars offered by the rentals would be comparatively better, no service or labor warranties would be offered by them. You may also look around in the local classifieds to see whether you can get a better deal and new model. The advantage of buying from an individual is the opportunity to discuss the condition, the mileage and other details of the car and also the reason to sell the car. Not only such deals lacks any warranty of any kind but often you may also end up in paying more amounts since you may be under an impression that you are avoiding middlemen and thereby getting a better deal. Moreover the financing of buying used cars from individuals may have to be arranged privately or from own resources. There are umpteen numbers of sites that gives the used car listing and gives used car advice and sites Like Carjunky.com and Car max.com are some of the more popular ones.
You need to know the lemon laws of the state to seek recourse in case you feel cheated in the deal later. Knowing the history of the car and making a test drives are other inevitable steps to be followed to ensure that the car is in top condition and would give you trouble free service for some more years. You need to have an elaborate discussion with the seller to know the graphic details of the car offered for sale. The following checklist that is only illustrative would help you to ascertain the relevant details while meeting the seller.
1) The make and model of the car
2) Whether the seller is the first owner or not
3) How long the seller has been using the car
4) The mileage history
5) The service records and repair details after the purchase.
6) Details of any major accidents
7) The profession of the seller or the usage the car has been put into ( The car used by a professional like a doctor or a lawyer might have run less distance compared to the usage of a marketing executive)
8) The reason for selling the car
9) The details of the service firm if the seller is an individual
10)When a test drive and inspection can be arranged
11)Any other relevant details that is considered necessary.
Inspection and test drive:-
You may also explore the possibility to get an extended warranty from the seller in case the car is to be bought from a new car dealer. You need to get inspected the car by a known and experienced mechanic and also to obtain a detailed report including the cost of repairs if any required for the vehicle. A test drive by yourself and a second opinion from a reliable friend would definitely help you in making a good choice while buying the used cars. If you need to know the A to Z of buying a used Car Visit this Site
Written by Greenbird
Journalist and freelance writer
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