A big part about traveling is finding a means of moving while you are in a different country or state where you couldn’t go in your car. You could use public transport, but in some cases, you might need to drive yourself.
In such a case, the only solution would be to get a rental car you could use as you please, provided you keep it in the regulations.
Regulations might differ depending on the agency, and some people might not get a car even if they had the money for it.
Let us get into the details and see how much driving experience you need to rent a car, so we make the whole process easier on you;
Can I Rent A Car With Permit?
For the sake of road safety, car rentals only allow users with valid driving licenses to use their cars, so you will not get a car even if you have a permit.
Some states don’t allow drivers to use rental cars for test driving, so you need to get your own. You have to finish driving school and get a license to drive a rental car in the US.
What You Should Know Before Using Turo
Turo is essentially Airbnb for cars; it is a popular platform for drivers to rent cars to use when traveling to distant places.
You can go to the app and rent a car owned by another person, and you will use it for however long you need.
People who might have used Turo know how reliable the service is, but there are issues you need to know about before going in. Let’s help you make the right choice;
1. Age restrictions
Turo has age brackets for their users, especially younger drivers. Anyone under 25 will get an additional fee because of insurance, but Turo will not tell you this beforehand. So if you see a price of $20 per day, you will pay more for it if you are under 25.
If you are above 25, you have nothing to worry about, but the rest will pay between 30 to 50% of the daily rate added to the rental fee.
This might be inconvenient, but it is better than nothing since some rentals might not give you a car if you are under 25.
2. Late or Early Pickups
With Turo, you are dealing with people and not the company, so the timing might be off at times, and you will incur additional costs for it.
Let’s say your flight gets in at midnight; you will have to pay the car owner an additional fee for the late drop-off.
You might also have to pay for parking if you delay or the drop-off point needs you to pay for parking.
If you delay getting your car, you will pay for any additional costs that might come up because of the delay, so you have to keep it in mind.
Depending on the car owner, you might have to pay for all the tolls you go through when using the car.
Some owners will cover the cost, while others will require you to repay them for all the tolls you went through, so keep it in mind.
3. Audio and Navigation System
If you are in a foreign state or country, the chances are that you will not know your way around. This means that you will need a reliable navigations system in the car you rent. Many people want music in their cars, so it is also something you have to look into.
Talk to the car owner before you travel to know the audio situation with the car and see if it has a navigation system.
It would help if you had a place to keep your phone, and you have to make sure you will be comfortable and safe using the car.
4. Mileage
Each vehicle you use on Turo will have a set number of miles you can drive the car on, and you should find one with the highest possible, if not unlimited, mileage. This is also something you should consider depending on your reason for traveling.
You might feel like it’s not a big deal since you will only pay 55 cents for each mile after the set mileage, but it’s still a mental barrier.
It will put a lot of pressure on you and could potentially ruin your vacation, so you need to be free.
Tips When Renting A Car In The US
Like other travel experiences, renting a car can be easy and complicated, depending on how you handle it.
It is easy to choose a car, but you can be presented with choices that can be a bit confusing so let’s see how you can make the experience easier;
1. Sign up for a car rentals reward program
You could have access to a car rental reward program through your credit card or work. If this is the case, you should register for the loyalty programs to enjoy several perks. The biggest is that you will get your car rented for you when you get to the airport.
You will not have to waste time checking at the counter; you check on the board or a mobile app to get the car.
If you have a premium credit card, you will have access to high rental status with some companies; thus, you will get better deals.
2. Inspect Your Car
Most of the time, you get off the plane tired, and you want to get on the road as soon as possible so you can get some rest. However, this might cost you a lot since you could fail to notice issues with your car.
Do a quick inspection of your car’s interior and exterior to make sure everything is in order before you get in and leave. Make sure any scratches or dents are recorded before you take the car.
If you fail to do this, you might end up being held liable for the damages when you take the car back, and it might not be cheap.
This is crucial if you don’t have insurance on your rental since you will have to pay for all the damages.
3. Know Your Insurance options
Many premium travel credit card companies offer primary rental car insurance. This will save you from the exceedingly high rates that most car rental companies offer for their vehicles. It might be a complicated setup, but it is worth understanding before you get a car.
With an insurance plan, you will survive minor damages that could happen to your rental; thus, you will save some money on your trip.
It is always better to play it safe and bring the car back the way you got it, but some accidents are unavoidable.
4. Avoid Underage Rental fees
Most rental car companies will charge you an extra fee if you are under 25 and use their services. While this charge might be hard to avoid when under the age of 25, there are potential ways to reduce or avoid it entirely.
If you are an AAA member, you might get your fee waived, and if you are a USAA member, you could do the same with Enterprise.
When traveling, you need to cut down your budget as much as possible to be in a more relaxed state of mind.
5. Avoid Refueling Options
Rental companies will often offer refueling options that seem convenient but are generally a bad deal. One option will be to fuel your car to a necessary level, but the cost will be about 3 or 4 times the fuel cost.
You could also get an offer to pay for a full tank, but it will generally be higher than you would pay at a normal gas station.
Another catch is that they will charge you for the whole volume regardless of how much fuel comes back in the car.
It is always better to refill your fuel and use the car on your terms. You could use numerous apps to find a gas station near your location and avoid ridiculous pricing.
6. Pack phone accessories
It would help if you always had your phone charger, charging cables, car chargers, and phone cradles when traveling.
When you have all these, you could use them instead of using the GPS from a rental car company since it will be more expensive.
You will be able to make the car more accommodating if you have all these accessories, and it will be easier for you to adapt if the car is missing something.
Conclusion
You can’t rent a car in the US unless you have a driver’s license, so you will not get a car with a driver’s permit.
This law ensures that all drivers who get a car are responsible and knowledgeable enough to keep other road users safe.
Make sure you review the rental company’s policy before taking the car to avoid unexpected charges.
Getting a rental through a credit card company might give you additional perks like insurance, so it is worth looking into.