The desire to travel is increasing, as is the cost burden: For many, a round trip is tempting when planning a vacation, as it allows one to explore an area or country independently. In the following, we explain how to save when booking a rental car.

Booking in Germany

Basically, the rule is to book as early as possible and preferably from home. Those who take care of a rental car in advance with a German provider, such as Check24 or ADAC car rental, or through a comparison portal or travel agency, will not have to verify the sometimes quite complicated contract terms on site later.

As a guideline, one should remember that the total price, including all insurance and fees, is clearly stated at the end of the car rental booking. On-site in the vacation country, there can often be various high additional costs. If you booked in Germany, German courts are also competent in case of a dispute.

Hidden Cost Traps

When unlimited kilometers are standard abroad, this is not the case with one provider, so it is essential to estimate in advance how many kilometers will be traveled during the trip. Exceeding the included number can result in extremely high costs.

It should also be noted: A rental day is exactly 24 hours, and just a few minutes of overrunning will result in an additional full day of charges.

Deposit and credit card

These two points are also extremely important when booking a rental car: It is common practice to provide a credit card for payment, which must always be issued in the name of the driver. Therefore, one should inquire in advance with the company whether the credit card is suitable, to avoid an unpleasant surprise when picking up the car.

Vehicle categories

When booking, a specific vehicle group is always guaranteed, but the displayed model is only an example. The crucial factor is the so-called “Acriss Code,” an internationally standardized system that lists the booked vehicle class, certain features, and other characteristics.

It often happens that the reserved category is not available on-site, and you are offered a free upgrade to a higher category. However, there is often a cost trap here as well, as these are usually associated with costs – this should definitely be checked, and you should not let yourself be talked into anything.

Tank regulation

The best option here is the "Full-To-Full" arrangement, which means picking up the car with a full tank and returning it with a full tank as well. This arrangement can help avoid excessively inflated fuel charges, and you only pay for the fuel you actually consumed at the prevailing gas station prices. The "Full-Empty" arrangement, where you take the car with a full tank and return it on empty, may sound tempting at first, but it's a deceptive offer, as the final fuel bill will also be charged separately—and it is always higher than at a gas station.

Insurance

Regardless of the contract, standalone insurances are often offered, which are then concluded with the landlord: If a damage occurs, it becomes complicated, since the customer has to pay the deductible upfront on-site. Then all receipts must be submitted to receive the reimbursement, which can take a considerable amount of time during processing, based on experience.

Benefit "Premium Protection"

This is always a "true" comprehensive insurance without deductible directly from the broker: As a customer, you don't have to worry about anything else in the event of a claim, nor do you have to advance any costs. And beware: Often, additional insurance packages are sold on-site that are supposedly important. These are usually completely unnecessary and overpriced. It is important to have a comprehensive insurance policy with theft protection and no deductible in order to be covered in case of minor and major accidents. The liability amount should be at least two million euros, preferably "unlimited."

Vehicle handover

When picking up the rental car, one would ideally like to take off right away, but a little patience is worthwhile, and one should meticulously pay attention to any pre-existing damage on the rental car: If such damage is not noted in the handover protocol, you must insist that it be recorded as well. The same procedure should be followed when returning the car, and you must again insist that the rental car is inspected for damages in your presence and that everything is documented in writing. Additionally, it is also important to take your time during the pickup to understand how the car "works," as things like the fuel cap or trunk opening can be quite tricky on newer models.

Und

It may not be directly related to car rental booking, but it is important – before a trip, one should always be informed about the country-specific traffic rules!

If you have taken all of this into account, it now only remains to say: Have a good trip and finally enjoy the vacation!