Are you considering a road trip in Rwanda or you simply want to rent car in Rwanda for long or short-day trips? Haven’t driven in Rwanda before? We have you covered with the ultimate guide to renting a car for first timers. Frequently it just takes time to learn that confirming a car rental is a good opportunity if you book through an online travel agency like Self-Drive Kigali.
It only takes getting to the counter once and finding out you don’t actually have a car to confirm that calling ahead is a wise choice. Closely, it takes time to know that airport rental spots might be charging up to 25% more for the convenience of location over car rentals from other locations. In the meantime, read on to get a firm on renting a car for the first time without being ripped off or surprised in the process.
Make sure you have all your necessary documents
On the day of picking your rental car, there are a few documents you will need to provide in order to drive away. If you don’t have these things, like a valid driver’s license, you won’t be renting a car that day. Self-Drive Kigali, one of the Rwanda rental car companies, notes that you need three vital pieces of documentation in order to rent: a valid driver’s license at least a year old, a valid form of identification, and a credit card that expires more than three months after the car return date.
Beyond that, Self-Drive Kigali reminds drivers that all the documents need to have the same name on them. This is a particularly important point to remember if you have changed your name recently or if you have a business credit card with a different name on it than your legal name.
Debit cards may not be accepted
It’s a safe rule of thumb to assume you can’t use a debit card when renting a car without hassle because a lot of companies only accept them under certain conditions. Before trying to pay with a debit card, figure out if your rental agency allows this. For example, at Self –Drive Kigali, debit, prepaid and check cards aren’t accepted for payments but Visa cards are allowed.
Shop around for rental rates
You have to shop around for rental rates. Picking a rental car is a bit like shopping for Black Friday deals. Everyone has a different price point or sale going on, so it’s worth searching around before committing to one particular rental car or company. One of the best ways to save on rental cars is by comparing prices of locations outside of the airport versus airport rental lots because renting at the airport can be much more expensive, according to Self-Drive Kigali.
There is another way to shop around is to check out which rental companies don’t include a drop fee for one-way rentals, says Self-Drive Kigali. According to the outlet, smaller companies will have smaller or no drop fees at all for doing one-way rentals instead of round trip. Some companies might even have great rates on one-way rentals too, so just keep your options open when shopping around.
If you’re delayed, your car might get rented out
Rental car companies are still businesses, so if you don’t show up around the time you say you will be there to get your car, there’s a good chance they might rent it to someone else. Unless with communication for example delay of the flight then the reservation can be held for a day. If you don’t let the rental agency know you’re running late, they could assume you’re a no-show and cancel your rental, which also means you will not be refunded, according to rental cars.
One way to avoid this, especially if you’re flying in, is to provide the rental agency with your flight number. That way they’ll know you’re running late. Just let your rental company know if you’re aware of any personal delays and save yourself from a headache later on.
Try to book early
As with flights, it’s a good idea to book your car rental in advance to not get denounced with last-minute fees. Not only are cars more likely to be cheaper if you book early, but there’s also a better chance you get the car you want. If you plan on renting a car during a heavy tourist season, keep in mind that you’ll want to book as far in advance as possible to ensure you get the car you desire. Most rental companies operate with limited fleets, so the estimated demand for each car might be calculated weeks or months in advance.
Even booking just three days ahead of time instead of trying to rent a car on the day of your arrival will save you money. And while booking early has been the normal for savings benefits, it’s not always true, the outlet’s research discovered. But it’s worth checking in on your rental price options starting early to make sure you’re getting the best deal. The less money spent on renting means more money for fun.
Think twice about add-ons
Being asked about add-ons at the counter when picking up your rental car or online when you’re booking it is commonplace in the rental market. But just because the GPS add-ons or additional driver benefit upgrades are offered doesn’t mean you need to shell out the extra cash for them.
Those extras can add up fast and even double the cost of renting your car, reports Smarter Travel. When it comes to add-ons like an in-car GPS, it’s likely you don’t need that because your phone has a built-in GPS already.
Take photos of the vehicle you’re renting
Anytime you pick up or drop off a rental car, you need to take photos of the vehicle for insurance purposes. Especially if the car has scratches upon pick up, you want to document the existing damage so the company does not come after you to pay for it later.
Even if the damages appear small, be sure to document them. Not only that but the outlet suggests emailing the photos to yourself after taking them so you can keep track of them since rental agencies don’t usually bill for damages until a few months post-rental.
Always remember to gas up yourself
Always remember to gas up yourself, it’s cheaper to fill the tank yourself, but that can be a costly gamble if you’re a forgetful person. If you bring a rental car back without matching the fuel level where it was when you picked it up, the company will charge you significantly more to make up the difference.
Not to mention that pre – paying gas prices are based on the prices where you are picking the car up from which could be different from where you’re dropping off, so filling up on your own makes more sense in that case too, the site adds.
The only times it really makes sense to prepay for gas is if you are returning it too early or late to access open gas stations or if you’re unfamiliar with the area and don’t want to worry about it. Still, putting gas in the car yourself means you’re just paying for the gas you’ve used, not the gas that’s still in the tank when you drop it off. Prepaying for gas is more about convenience than saving money.
