As a frequent traveler, Chandra Gore has noticed some surprising changes when she rents a car.
There's a better selection of vehicles, for starters.
"When I rent at the airport, I get more options even after selecting a class of the car," says Gore, a communications consultant from Stafford, Virginia. "I've even been offered electric and luxury cars as upgrade options."
And one more thing she doesn't hear anymore: “We're out of cars.”
So far, there have been plenty of vehicles.
The car rental industry has bounced back from a pandemic-induced shortage, which drove rates up to historic levels. Customers are noticing. There are new ways to rent cars, there's new technology — and, of course, prices have returned to earth in many cities.
Everything is new in the car rental industry this year.
New technology. Car rental companies are testing and implementing new technology. For example, Enterprise Holdings has launched a company-wide initiative to improve the customer experience. This included a redesign of the National mobile app that allows a one-click reservation and gives users a streamlined reservation experience.
New options. One of the standouts is Audi on demand (formerly Silvercar), which in late 2022 expanded and added new long-term rental options. The app-based service leverages a network of Audi dealers in the United States to give customers more options, including the ability to rent a new Audi for several weeks or even months.
New electric vehicles. Hertz has taken the lead on EVs with several ambitious orders for Teslas in Europe and the United States. Hertz estimates EVs will soon comprise more than 20 percent of its global fleet. The new EVs will be supported by a combination of Level 2 and DC fast charging in more than 100 markets by the end of 2023, according to the company.
Renting a car is more popular than ever, if the number of web searches is any indication. In the last year, internet searches for "where to book cheap car rentals" went up by 2,850%, according to Semrush.
But what does all of this mean?
Car rental companies are competing against their “most recent and best” customer experience
There's a massive shift underway in the car rental industry, says Mario Matulich, president of Customer Management Practice.
"Car rental companies are no longer competing with other car rental companies when it comes to customer experience," he says. "They are competing against the most recent and best customer experience."
Matulich says while many car rental brands are still following the same playbook, others have evolved in 2023. He says Enterprise Holdings is a standout because its customer service initiatives promise to disrupt the car rental experience with new self-service tools and strategy.
"The initiatives will make waiting in long lines, completing detailed questionnaires, and receiving that last-ditch sales pitch to upsell that impractical sports car a thing of the past," he predicts.
To do this, car rental companies have to take a hard look at their processes. They need to understand the friction points, high-effort steps, and frustrations inherent in their current rental car delivery process. Then they can design a better system.
That's what 2023 is all about in the car rental industry, says Matulich.
How does Audi on demand work?
Another example of innovation this year is Audi on demand, which offers an app-based rental service. There are no rental locations or sales associates with Audi on demand — just an app that you download to your smartphone. You can select a car near your location, available through a network of dealerships, for anywhere from a day to more than a month.
Audi on demand proves how frictionless — and painless — a rental can be. Because there are no sales associates, there's no uncomfortable sales pitch for insurance, upgrades and extras. You can quickly swipe past those options on your phone if you don't need them.
Audi on demand offers three basic models: the Q5 and Q7 SUVs and the A5 Sportback. Some dealerships also have an Audi e-tron Sportback EV available. Once you add your payment and contact information to the app, the rental process is seamless. A dealership representative checks your driver's license and then hands you the keys — and that's it.
The benefits of renting through Audi on demand are significant: You can drive an almost-new Audi, which is a cut above most rental vehicles. And you also receive Audi-level service, which is personalized and attentive.
After you rent from Audi on demand, you will probably want to buy one, which I suppose is one of the reasons Audi on demand exists. Once you've driven an Audi, it's hard to go back to your regular car, unless you already drive an Audi.
What is Hertz doing with electric vehicles?
One of the most surprising recent developments has been with Hertz, which has charged forward with EV adoption.
"Hertz is not only incorporating more EVs into their fleet through its five-year deal with GM, but also getting into the charging infrastructure business with BP Pulse," he says.
Hertz's ambitions seem clear: It wants travelers to think of Hertz when they think of renting an EV, and with such speedy EV adoption, it may get its wish.
Steve Birkett, the EV editor at FindTheBestCarPrice.com, says car renters are at an inflection point in 2023.
"Two years ago, when I looked to rent an EV, the only option would be Turo or boutique Tesla rental firms in large cities like Boston and New York," he says. "This year, electric cars are much easier to find from established rental companies like Hertz and Enterprise."
There's a greater choice, too. Birkett says he's seen more models than just the Tesla Model 3. Car rental companies now offer Polestar, Nissan, and Kia EVs for this spring.
"However, there remains an EV premium of 20% to 30% over renting a comparable gasoline model," he adds.
In some cases, the lower cost of charging an EV could offset the higher rental rate. As more all-electric models hit the market and EV production ramps up, expect to see more affordable EVs added to car rental fleets over the next few years.
Will you have a better customer experience when you rent a car in 2023?
Despite the optimism, the car rental industry still has room for improvement, according to Mike Taylor, managing director for travel, hospitality and retail at JD Power.
The industry has shown small but steady gains over the past year and is plateauing when it comes to customer service, he says. "We still see some staffing issues in the JD Power data across North America, which is affecting some of the service scores across the major rental car companies," he says.
But overall, travelers are happier with their cars than they've been during the pandemic years. The vehicles are more available, rates are lower, and the rental experience is better.
Have you rented a car recently? I’d love to get your impressions. How was the customer service? Did you pay less? Or did you try one of the new EVs? The comments are open.
No.You don't need to clean or wash a rental car before returning it. However, ensure that you return the car in the same condition you received from the rental company or haven't made it too untidy. Another customer may have rented the car while you return it.
You will be held responsible for any new damage to the vehicle when you return it, so go over it carefully before you leave the lot. Start the car and make sure lights, heat/AC, wipers, power windows, and other features work properly.
Fill the Gas Tank. Before you return your vehicle, stop by the gas station and fill up the tank to the same mark it was when you drove off the lot. ...
If a driver returns a car that is particularly dirty, the rental company will spend longer cleaning it, and they may even have it professionally valeted elsewhere. This cost is passed on to the driver as a cleaning fee or valeting fee.
As a general rule, it's safe to drive for no longer than eight hours a day, taking breaks of at least 15 minutes every two hours. This means you can safely drive for around 500 miles, not taking into account external factors such as slowing for tolls, traffic, travelling with children, and tiredness.
Before you drive off into the sunset, it's important that you are aware of all the terms of your car rental agreement. These things include mileage limitations, fees for extra drivers, return deadlines, and other details.
The longer your trip is, the more prone you are to getting into an accident. You will feel more secured using a rental car than your own vehicle knowing that your Collision Damage Waiver or Loss Damage Waiver will cover partial or even full expenses of the rental vehicle damage when you get into an accident.
Look at sites like Kayak, Priceline and Cheapcarrental.com to compare your options and narrow in on the best deal. Then go directly to the car rental company's site. You might find an even steeper discount that way, particularly with “Pay Now” options.
How Do You Negotiate A Car Price? Enterprise Car Sales offers no-haggle pricing on all vehicles for sale, which make it easy to compare car prices. Our transparent pricing, combined with excellent customer service, puts the customer first and has been the cornerstone of our business for more than 50 years.
Demand for rental cars is outpacing the supply of available vehicles, so rental car prices have gone sky high. If you have been surprised by unusually high rental car rates, or by rental cars being generally unavailable, read on.
If you need to drop off your car earlier than expected, call the local number the rental company should have given you with the paperwork you got when you picked up the car. You will not receive a refund for the unused days, but there shouldn't be any charges for returning the car early.
How Long Does It Take To Return A Rental Car? If you interact with an agent of the company then returning a rental car usually takes around 10 minutes. This allows time for the agent to inspect the vehicle and complete a rental car return form. You will provide the agent with the keys and then continue your journey.
If need a to pick-up a rental car at night, check the rental counter opening hours, and look out for 'out-of-hours' information. Some rental companies will keep a counter open for longer if required. You'll usually pay an 'out-of-hours fee' for this service.
If the Return Agent finds evidence that the car has been smoked in and/or it smells of smoke, photos will be taken and the customer will be informed of this finding and that they may be assessed a cleaning fee of up to $450.
Yes, but you'll need to let us know in advance. From the U.S., to make a modification to the return location after you have signed the rental agreement and have taken possession of the vehicle, please call Budget Reservations at 800-527-0700.
The better your property looks, the more it will appeal to potential renters. This is where staging comes into play. Look for ways to properly style your rental property. Ideas include affordable artwork, area rugs, toss pillows and throws, as well as accessories such as vases, coffee table books and blooms.
A popular standard for budgeting rent is to follow the 30% rule, where you spend a maximum of 30% of your monthly income before taxes (your gross income) on your rent. This has been a rule of thumb since 1981, when the government found that people who spent over 30% of their income on housing were "cost-burdened."
How much should you spend on rent? Try the 30% rule. One popular rule of thumb is the 30% rule, which says to spend around 30% of your gross income on rent. So if you earn $3,200 per month before taxes, you should spend about $960 per month on rent.
Are There Better Days To Drive Long Distances? If you are looking for the best day to drive long-distance, Sunday is the day that tends to have the least amount of traffic on the roads. However, Tuesdays have the least amount of crashes according to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
According to the new HOS rules, the 8/2 split states that a driver may drive for up to six hours, and then take a two-hour off-duty break before driving another five hours.
These effects include impaired attention and coordination, slower reaction time, and poor judgment. It's believed that going 24 hours without sleep is comparable to having a blood-alcohol content of 0.10%, which exceeds the legal limit for driving in all 50 states.
It may seem obvious, but you should always have your license, registration, and insurance in the car whenever you are driving it. Especially when the new insurance card comes in the mail, remembering to actually stick it in the glove box could take months.
Anything that takes your attention away from driving can be a distraction. Sending a text message, talking on a cell phone, using a navigation system, and eating while driving are a few examples of distracted driving. Any of these distractions can endanger you, your passengers, and others on the road.
And what's more, the effect will probably be negative. But here's the good news: The damage to your score will be minimal. Only in rare circ*mstances would renting a car cause significant harm to your score.
Lower payments: The monthly loan payment for a car you own is generally more than a monthly rental payment. No fees/taxes: Standard expenses include taxes and fees at purchase and registration and inspections every year when buying a car. You're not responsible for any of these in a long-term rental.
Wear and tear costs: A long road trip can inflict costly damage on your car, even if you don't notice it right away. Every mile results in a certain amount of wear and tear to the engine, the tires and other moving parts. ItStillRuns offers an easy way to calculate wear-and-tear costsby the mile.
A rental is an easy and convenient alternative to using your personal car – especially if you don't think your car is reliable enough for a road trip! Our vehicles are meticulously maintained so no matter where your travels may take you, we can help get you there safely.
It is not bad to drive your car all day if your vehicle has been properly serviced and has sufficient fuel. A car can easily drive for 12 hours or even 24 hours straight without mechanical issues, provided it has undergone scheduled maintenance.
In many cases, rental companies will provide a lower rate on a long-term rental compared to a short-term one, and they sometimes also offer unlimited mileage.
When will rental car prices go back to normal? Rental car costs have dropped slightly in 2023 compared to 2022. However, most industry experts predict that rental car rates will, unfortunately, remain high for the foreseeable future.
In fact, July 2021 rental car prices averaged 67% higher than July prices in 2019, the last normal summer pre-pandemic. Road trips were especially hot that summer (thus high demand), but other factors — including a global semiconductor shortage and tourism industry labor shortages — contributed to low supply.
Like all car rental companies, Enterprise will put a hold on your credit card or debit card when you rent a car. The hold is equal to the rental rate plus a security deposit. The company holds this sum to guard against scenarios like an accident, late return or additional fuel charge.
How to Slice Drop-Off Fees on One-Way Car Rentals. One way to land car rentals with no drop-off fee is to book a special one-way promo where the drop-off fee is waived. These can be seasonal drive-in or drive-out specials, city-to-city promos and airport-to-downtown offers.
This is the most expensive car to rent in America—it's $20,000 a day. A Bugatti – the French luxury car — isn't cheap to own. There are only three models — Veyron, Chiron and Divo — and the prices range from $1.7 million to $3 million.
The expected cost to rent a vehicle varies depending on factors including location, car type and rental company. But the average cost in mid-October 2022 was about $81 per day, according to travel website Hopper.
The monthly cost is often lower than a traditional auto loan payment. You are (usually) not responsible for repairs needed on your car for the length of the lease or rental. Renting or leasing a new-model car is cheaper than buying one. You don't need to try to sell the car when you want to upgrade.
Once you take your car for a drop-off at the rental office, it will be checked by an agent for any damages, odours, or suspicious activities. So, although rental companies do not have any smoke or odour detectors in the cars, the agents will notice the smell of smoke or a vape during the check-up.
Hertz allow a 59 minutes grace period. If a renter returns later than this grace period, Hertz charge for extra hours. Excess hour is charged at one fifth of the daily rate subject to a maximum of 5 hours. Thereafter, full day rate will apply.
Members of National Emerald Club can log in with their password to display the reservation. Once you've logged into the page showing the details of your reservation, click the “cancel” link. The page will ask you if you really want to cancel. Once you do, you'll see a confirmation that the reservation is cancelled.
The smell of smoke: Rental companies assess if there is a smell of cigarette smoke in the car. Typically, the odor of a cigarette will linger for about 48 hours in the car cabin after you have smoked it. Therefore, the tobacco odor within the cabin is the primary evidence of smoking in the car.
If they think the hirer's been smoking, they'll charge a fee to get rid of ash and the smell of smoke. This is usually called a cleaning or valeting fee. If smoking causes damage to the interior of the car, the rental company will charge the full cost of putting that right.
Like other major car rental companies, Hertz will put a hold on your credit or debit card when you rent a car. This includes the total cost of the reservation plus a security deposit. This is to cover situations such as late returns or additional fuel charges.
We may place an authorization amount of up to US$ 200.00 for credit card and US$ 500.00 for debit card, plus the estimated charges on a customer's card, given certain conditions that will be outlined at time of rental.
Simply move the date of your booking to a later date (which can usually be done free of charge), then cancel it - which often means you are within the free cancellation period and won't have to pay cancellation fees.
If a Host cannot honor a reservation, it's their responsibility to cancel in a timely manner to allow their guest time to adjust their plans. If the check-in time is within 24 hours, the option to cancel online won't be available—you'll need to contact us.
$50 annual membership fee or fee-waived corporate enrollment. Bypass the counter at most major U.S. airports. Choose their own car. Earn their choice of Free Rental Days or frequent flyer miles.
Many rentals may require an authorization hold of the estimated rental charges plus $200 USD. Rentals of 4 days or more may require an authorization hold of the estimated rental charges plus $300 USD.
Your card will be charged the amount of the rental plus a $250 minimum hold for credit and debit cards at the time of rental. When you return your vehicle Avis will release the unused portion of the hold. The funds may take up to two weeks to be released by your bank.
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Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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