While Every Other Travel Thing is Cheaper, Rental Cars are Still Super Expensive

November 7, 2009 at 4:48 PM | by Victor Ozols | 0 Comments

Airfares and hotel room prices have fallen markedly in response to the global economic meltdown, but rental car rates are as high as ever, prompting the penny-pinchers over at Budget Travel to offer up a few tips on keeping the costs down on your next trip. In an AP item, the magazine's editor-in-chief said that car rental companies are unique in that they can trim their supply of cars very easily, maintaining a tight market for rentals. Thus, your best bet for a bargain is to book in advance, look for a discount code on a site like best-car-rental-tips.com, or use a bidding site like Priceline.

My advice? Avoid the car altogether, if possible. Vacation in a place like New York or Miami Beach that's well-served by public transportation and taxis, and get a hotel that's convenient to everywhere you want to go. A car's a drag most of the time anyway, what with the hassle of parking and having to stay sober, etc. But if you absolutely must rent a car, do what I do and decline the insurance coverage. That's one way to ensure that you drive very, very carefully, and you get an amazing sense of relief and elation when you finally drop it off, undamaged, at the rental place. Sweet victory!

[Photo: carlustblog.com]

Related Stories:
· Tips for Getting the Best Deal When You Rent a Car [AP via Yahoo! News]
· Rental Cars [Jaunted]

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