Last Updated on: September 19, 2021
When you finally find the time to visit the United States of America as a tourist, or if you get sent on a work assignment to this country, there is one thing that you won’t be able to deny. You will need to find a way to go from point A to point B on a daily basis while staying in this country, since going on foot is not only impractical but also practically impossible. Of course, you probably weren’t even thinking of walking certain distances, regardless of whether you are on vacation, or on a business trip. In both of those instances, you will need to have a vehicle at hand when you want to go somewhere.
Does this mean that you should drive to the USA from, say, Norway and use your own vehicle to get there so that you can have a car once you are in the country? Well, good luck with that! To cut to the chase right away, you shouldn’t even be thinking about this. Catching a plane is the option that you want to use, even though it will leave you without your four-wheeled friend when you get there. The good news is, you can always find a new four-wheeled friend.
If your first thought after what I’ve said above was to buy a car once you reach the United States of America, then you must be either filthy rich or deluded. Whatever your case might be, let me assure you that there is no point in buying a new vehicle in this country if you don’t plan on staying there for good. If you think about it for a second, you will definitely understand the foolishness of such an idea. Although, if you really want to do this, then I guess that nobody will be able to stop you.
Since I’m not suggesting you should buy a new four-wheeled friend, you are probably wondering what it is that you should actually do. Well, if you’ve ever traveled anywhere by now for longer than a day or two, then you must have heard about the option of renting a car for a specific period. Chances are that you have also used that option once or twice already, meaning that this isn’t anything new to you. If it is new to you, though, then you are going to be delighted with the option. Okay, you’re probably delighted anyway.
Knowing that you need to rent a car is one thing, but knowing how to do it is a completely different thing. Today, we are going to focus on the latter topic and talk about the renting process. It goes without saying that you need to learn more about the things you should consider and the steps you should take when you are on the hunt for the perfect vehicle in the USA to rent. It should also go without saying that there are some things you absolutely shouldn’t do during the renting process, and that is precisely what we are going to be talking about now. Below you will find a list of those things you shouldn’t do when renting a car in the USA, and that will help you avoid some mistakes and basically end up getting the best rental services in the country.
Forgetting To Explore Your Options
When people want to rent a vehicle, they are usually in a hurry and they want to do it as soon as possible. I get that completely, but here’s the thing. When you are in such a hurry, you will probably end up using the services of the first firm in the USA you come across, without thinking things through and without exploring your options. This, however, isn’t exactly a good move, since you won’t be able to decide which services are the best ones if you previously don’t explore your options.
My point here is that you shouldn’t rush into anything, no matter how big of a hurry you might be in. Take your time to check and explore multiple different options and compare the services that certain USA firms are offering before deciding on the one you want to use. The same goes for when you are picking the actual vehicle. Be patient and do your research, because hurrying things up won’t get you anywhere.
Ignoring Bad Comments
All of the companies you’ll find, or at least most of them, will have already had some previous clients. The best part is, those previous clients will love to talk about the services they used and the vehicles they used while working with certain companies. Why is this important for you, though? Well, when you find out what other people are saying, you’ll be able to check if there are any bad comments that you should take into account when choosing a firm.
This does not mean that you will need to contact those previous clients directly, although you can feel free to do that if it is an option. Yet, those people will probably have left some comments online, and those are the comments that you should focus on. The worst thing you can do is just ignore the negative comments and move on, because those have been written for a reason, and you need to figure out those reasons so as to determine if a particular company is worth working with or not.
Ignoring The Prices
Speaking of things you should not ignore, prices are certainly the next on the list. Before you start getting in touch with certain companies, you should find a guide, such as Leiebilguiden.no: bilutleie USA, or a similar one and thus compare the prices that certain companies are charging for their services. That way, you will get a clear picture of which prices might be reasonable and which ones are a bit over the top. You don’t want to get overcharged for these services, which is why ignoring the prices is never a good idea.
Forgetting To Inquire About The General Terms
Once you do get in touch with a particular USA company that can give you the vehicle you want, you should focus on asking all the right questions before agreeing on anything. Perhaps the most important thing that you should never forget to do is inquire about the general terms of the rental arrangement. If you don’t inquire about this, you will probably make a few mistakes during the renting period and those could lead to some surcharges, which is certainly not what you want.
Forgetting To Inspect The Car Before Leaving
When you are happy with the terms that a specific USA firm offers, you will want to start driving your rented vehicle right away. Yet, you shouldn’t do that before thoroughly inspecting the vehicle. This serves to check if the car is in good shape and if driving it will be safe. I suppose you do understand why checking that is important, so make sure not to drive off without inspecting the car you are renting.
Crossing The Borders Without Thinking
You might feel tempted to cross the borders with your new vehicle, but you should keep in mind that this is usually not permitted. So, before you do something like that, you should check with the rental company in the USA if it is allowed. After all, you don’t want to make a mistake that will cost you a lot of money and nerves.
Forgetting To Refuel On The Way Back
Most USA car rental companies have a policy in place that requires you to refuel the car once you return it. If you don’t do this on your own, you will get charged for refueling and you’ll usually get charged more than you would pay if you just refueled the vehicle on your own. So, search for a nearby place where you can refuel the car on your way back.
