Renting a car? Read this first

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/12/2010 (5604 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Having just returned from our golf trip at Horseshoe Bay in Texas where we rented a vehicle for the week, I can really identify with the sentiments of today’s first question. I have added a few tips which I hope will save you a few dollars the next time you are dealing with an automobile rental.

Q. Every time I have rented a car lately, the pressure to buy insurance has been extreme even though I have told them I purchased additional insurance from MPIC before I left. Are these people on a commission or salary?

A. While they are on a salary, their real income is derived from the add-ons they can sell you at the counter.

There may even be targets set which will affect the amount of commission they get if they don’t get you to agree with their suggestions.

How many times have you heard one of the agents suggest you take an upgrade for an extra daily amount. An article I read lately suggested that the upgrade price is not fixed but left to the discretion of the agent to get as much as possible for it.

You may even be able to negotiate with them for a price you find fair if you are considering an upgrade.

One of the newest add-ons sounds like a real customer service, but in the end isn’t entirely. Pay for a full tank of gasoline in advance, they suggest, and the price per litre will be lower than what you would have to pay at the nearest filling station.

The reality is that you will pay for a full tank according to the tank size in the automobile. Few people return a car that empty. While there may be some element of convenience in the offer, in most cases you are likely to pay less if you have the time to stop and fill the tank at the closest gas station near the airport.

Many airports in the United States and Canada now have them virtually on site.

In regards to your initial question, I had an agent tell me the company had introduced a policy where liability insurance was now mandatory. When I complained about this upon returning the car, the attendant said this was not the case and suggested I speak with the manager. Knowing this process could take time, and with my flight’s check-in deadline approaching, I passed on the suggestion, and like many others I am sure, never followed up afterwards.

There are also a variety of insurance packages you are presented with, often with connotations meant to inspire fear and a subsequent agreement to purchase.

There are ways to save on car rentals and saying no to suggestive selling is just one of them.

In the U.S., most car rentals are not actually at the airport but a kilometre or two away. But in Canada they are often actually on site.

If you have the time you can avoid the airport location fees by renting with a company that doesn’t have a booth in the airport. In most cases these companies will pick you up and deliver you back to the airport, while still charging you substantially less.

Remember as well that when you sign your final exit documents you are agreeing that you have inspected the vehicle and are responsible for all damages, small or large.

No matter how late you may be, walk around the car, make note of all dents and scratches, and bring them to the attention of the attendant, and keep a copy of the report that outlines all of these past flaws.

Finally, if you are booking online, be sure to go through all the pages of the rental options. On one of the main booking agencies, I have seen the same brand automobiles on subsequent pages at a lesser price than on the landing page.

Q. With cholera being a significant problem in Haiti right now, what is the situation in neighbouring Dominican Republic?

A. Initially there were four confirmed cases of cholera in the Dominican Republic. When these were discovered, the country’s public health department began an aggressive monitoring program.

At the time of this writing there have not been any more cases even though they have tested many people who came down with severe diarrhea or other related symptoms.

There were four people whose condition appeared to be cholera. After lab tests and continued observation ruled out the disease.

Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas of the Dominican Republic has announced a program of enhanced surveillance, water and sanitation services education, and rapid follow up on cases which could be cholera related.

Our own Public Health Agency of Canada has been monitoring the situation and has not recommended any avoidance of travel to the Dominican Republic. You can keep up with any updates at the agency’s website: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/thn-csv/rep-cholera-eng.php.

Cholera, which can be a serious disease, is acquired by drinking or eating contaminated water or food. Symptoms include watery diarrhea and rapid dehydration, which is why medical help should be sought quickly.

With only four reported cases, a rapid response and a monitoring and education program should prevent further cases.

Forward your travel questions to askjourneys@journeystravel.com. Ron Pradinuk is President of Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre and can be heard Sundays at noon on CJOB. Previous columns and tips can be found on www.journeystravelgear.com or read Ron’s travel blog at www.thattravelguy.ca