Many friends rent their own cars when traveling by car in the United States. Renting a car in the United States is different from that in China, and the operating procedures may be different. It is recommended that you choose a reliable and regular business to rent a car. Such a car will be safer and you will be less stranded.
Recommended car rental companies in the United States
Enterprise
Introduction: Enterprise Rent-A-Car is the largest car rental company in North America, with more than 6,900 branches around the world . The company has more than 700,000 vehicles, and you can find a service station within 15 miles of the United States. Not only in the United States, Enterprise has service stations at more than 200 airports in Canada, Ireland, Germany and the United Kingdom. Prices are common, reasonable, and service is good.
Hertz
Introduction: Hertz is the world's largest car rental company and has been providing quality rental services for more than 90 years. Hertz operates in approximately 150 countries around the world and is committed to providing high-quality car rental services to business and leisure travelers. There are many chain stores, the service is good, and the cars are in good condition, but the prices are on the high side.
Avis
Introduction: Avis was founded in 1948 and has more than 3,000 branches in the United States. Along with Hertz and Enterprise, it is among the top three car rental companies in the United States. Online booking is supported and the car can be returned from other places. The procedure is also very convenient and the price is slightly cheaper than the other two.
Alamo
About: Founded in 1974, Alamo Rentals provides low rental rates in the most popular travel destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia and a hassle-free customer experience. In addition, customers of Alamo USA can book in advance and choose the type and grade of rental car according to their needs. Alamo has the best reputation among budget car rental companies. If you’re on a tight rental car budget, Alamo is a great option. In addition, Alamo has become the official car rental company for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort in the United States.
National Car Rental Company
Introduction: National Car Rental is an internationally renowned car rental company with more than 1,500 service stations around the world, which can meet the needs of the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Daily rental needs of frequent airport travelers in Latin America and Asia.
Thrifty
Introduction: Thrifty provides car rental services in 1,000 locations in 70 countries around the world. They mainly do high-end car rentals, which are relatively new and expensive.
USD
Introduction: Dollar has nearly 300 stores and franchise stores in the United States. Economy is the choice for many business trips. The car is in decent condition, worthy of its price, and the efficiency is slow. Dollar's price can be said to be the cheapest among these companies, and it is more friendly to the people.
Summary:
It is generally recommended to choose well-known American companies, such as Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis. These companies are basically located all over the country, and there are pick-up and drop-off places at the airport, which is very convenient for passengers.
If you want to get cheaper, you can use the three second-tier brands introduced above: Alamo, National, Dollar, Thrift, etc. Cheap is cheap, but in many cases the car is exclusive and the service may be worse.
U.S. car rental process
Preparation of materials before renting
Chinese driver's license.
The recommended minimum interval from first licensing is 1-2 years and is available in English. It is recommended that the driver's license comes with an auxiliary page just in case.
English translation of driver's license
There are many different versions of the requirements for translating driver's licenses online. Generally speaking, as long as it is an English translation of your driver's license, it does not have to be downloaded from the car rental company. But if the car rental company you choose provides a template for driver's license translation, please use the template provided by the official company. The English translation of the driver's license can be translated into black and white without color printing; be sure to keep the driver's license image on the translation clear.
An international credit card (Masterxard or Visa) in the driver’s name
You need a credit card that supports international payment to pay the deposit for the car rental, which is usually around US$200, but some companies The deposit may be higher. Recommended credit limit is over $500.
Global (satellite) positioning system
It is recommended that you prepare your own GPS and Google Maps on your mobile phone.
It is easy to use for real-time navigation, as if you want to rent a car in the United States and want to
: Pick up the car
1. The main driver should bring all relevant documents to pick up the car , and ensure that the international credit card (MasterCard/Visa/American Express) in the name of the main driver has sufficient credit. Generally speaking, the car rental deposit is US$500 to US$3,000 depending on the model. It is recommended that the main driver carry two international credit cards in his name to ensure that there is enough available money for the pre-authorization freeze of the vehicle deposit.
2. If you pick up the car in advance with the permission of the store, please return the car in advance at the same time, otherwise the store will charge you an additional rental fee according to the store price (usually an extra day's rent).
3. If there are extra drivers, be sure to present relevant information and register at the store. Otherwise, if the extra drivers have an accident while driving, the insurance will be invalid.
Pick-up location: Pick up the car at the agreed time, and the location may be different.
If you are traveling by air, pick up your car in the city of landing. The pick-up location is at or near the airport. There will be a special car at the airport to take passengers to the airport office of the car rental company for free.
If you have not booked a car online in advance, you can rent a car directly at the airport office and complete all the car booking and pick-up procedures. Fees may be higher than pre-booked fees.
If the pick-up location is in a city where you live, you can take a taxi or walk to the car rental office to complete the pick-up.
Ask the service staff about the areas where the vehicle can travel. Car rental companies will impose restrictions in individual states or countries.
4. Upgrade the car model: When picking up the car, the company service staff may ask if you need to upgrade the car model. At this time, ask whether the upgraded model is the original price or the price has increased. In some cases, car rental companies will give customers free upgrades, while others will facilitate upgrades, which come at an additional cost. Therefore, be sure to confirm the situation with the service staff when picking up the car.
5. Check for scratches: After all documents are complete, the service staff will lead the renter to the parking lot to pick up the car. Both the car renter and the service staff need to inspect the vehicle, and the service staff needs to register issues such as scratches on the appearance, the amount of oil in the car, and whether the necessary equipment is complete. Therefore, if you find any problems with the vehicle when you pick up the car, you must inform it in time. After leaving the parking lot, the renter, except for the renter who purchased full insurance, will be fully responsible for the damage to the vehicle.
6. Keep all contracts and documents.
: Returning the car
1. Generally, when you arrive at the car return store, the staff will check the vehicle on the spot, make records, and print out a statement. You should check carefully to see if there are any additional fees.
2. If you want to return the car during non-business hours, it is best to ask the car rental company in advance whether you can return the car during non-business hours; if so, the store will usually ask you to park the car at the dealership. Designate the area and lock it. You will need to record the gas gauge number and mileage, and take photos of the gas gauge, odometer, vehicle appearance, etc. (Pay attention to turning on the time display function of the camera to prove the time when you took the photo); then put the car key in the key/storage box. But you need to bear the risk from the time you return the car to the store opening hours.
3. Remember not to smoke in the car, otherwise you may be charged a vehicle cleaning fee!
4. If your refueling policy is "fill the tank when you pick up the car, and fill it when you return the car," please be careful to keep the gas ticket within 5 kilometers of the return location, because the dealership may ask you You ask for it to keep the tank full.
5. After returning the car, it is recommended to keep all contracts and receipts properly for a period of time. If there are no violations during the rental period, the deposit will be automatically unfrozen and returned to the main driver's credit card within one month.
Selection of car rental models in the United States
Car rental in the United States is generally calculated on a per-class basis. The grades from small to large are: economy cars, compact cars, mid-size cars, standard cars, full-size cars, mid-size SUVs, standard SUVs, full-size SUVs, 7-seat commercial vehicles, and high-end luxury cars (convertibles, sports cars, etc.). ). Most non-luxury cars on the market can be rented through car rental companies.
Generally speaking, the larger the model, the more expensive it is. The price difference between full-size and below is very small, so full-size will be the most cost-effective -
US car rental insurance
Collision Damage Waiver/CDW: This type of insurance covers rental cars and can compensate for the loss of the rental car if an accident occurs. Highly recommended to buy.
Third party liability insurance (supplementary liability insurance/SLI): The car rental company’s agreement has basic liability insurance, which covers the other party’s accident (if you hit someone, medical expenses will be paid out of the liability insurance). Car rental companies usually want to sell you an additional liability insurance, which means that the basic liability insurance may not be enough to cover the other party's medical expenses due to a major accident, etc. Whether you should buy this or not depends on each person.
Personal Accident Insurance/PAI): It covers your medical expenses after an accident. If you have already purchased personal safety insurance, this is not necessary.
Personal Property Insurance (PEC): This insurance can cover the loss if personal items are stolen in a rental car or damaged in a traffic accident, but there are certain limits. Typically, this insurance will be included in PAI.
Roadside Assistance Cover (RP): For example, if your rental vehicle has a flat tire, loses its keys, or breaks down on the road, this coverage will cover the cost of calling for support.
Refueling in the United States
What is the price of gas in the United States?
U.S. oil prices fluctuate with international oil prices, generally around US$3-4 per gallon. Diesel will be cheaper than petrol. Refueling at highways and airports is generally more expensive. Moreover, even on the same street, the gas prices at different gas stations will be different, or even very different. It is recommended to search more and keep up the good work. Americans
What kind of gasoline is available?
There are three types of gasoline in the United States: regular gasoline, mid-range gasoline (or premium gasoline), and premium gasoline (or premium gasoline).
General: represents No. 85 ~ No. 88 oil (equivalent to No. 90 in China). Ordinary cars can add regular;
Mid-range (or plus): represents No. 88 ~ No. 90 oil (equivalent to No. 93 oil in China);
Special grade (or supreme): Represents oil above No. 90 (equivalent to No. 97 in China).
The higher the fuel number of the gasoline, the better the quality of the oil.
How to refuel in the United States?
There are two ways to refuel in the United States: manual refueling and self-service refueling. Note, New Jersey and Oregon only have manual refueling. The main payment methods for gas in the United States are cash payment and credit card payment. Usually pay by credit card and know the local zip code. If you want to use a domestic credit card to refuel, remember to quickly plug and unplug it, and then enter "00000" to refuel after the system confirms. Some gas stations cannot recognize domestic credit cards, so it is recommended that you use cash payment, which is relatively simple and convenient. Some gas stations will have discounts for cash payment.