6: Getting Around Europe in .NET

Generator Data Matrix 2d barcode in .NET 6: Getting Around Europe

wwwautoeuropecom) and Europe By Car (% 800-223-1516; wwweuropebycarcom) invariably offer the best rates Make sure

to find out what your rental rate includes or excludes such as a collision-damage waiver (CDW), taxes, mileage (you definitely want unlimited), and any other restrictions that may apply Shop online As with other aspects of planning your trip, using the Internet can make comparison-shopping for a car rental much easier You can check rates at most of the major agencies Web sites Plus, all the major travel sites Travelocity (www travelocitycom), Expedia (wwwexpediacom), Orbitz (www orbitzcom), and Smarter Living (wwwsmarterlivingcom), for example have search engines that can dig up discounted carrental rates Just enter the car size you want, the pickup and return dates, and the location, and the server returns a price You can even make the reservation through any of these sites Be flexible When giving the rental company your dates for pickup and delivery, inform them that you re open to other dates as well, if changing your dates means saving money Picking up the car on Thursday instead of Friday, or keeping it over the weekend, may save you big bucks You may also save money if you rent for a full week rather than two days Finally, check whether the rate is cheaper if you pick up the car at a location in town instead of the airport Know your restrictions Most rental companies restrict where you can drive With some companies, you must stay in the country of rental (usually only smaller, national outfits mandate this rule) Likewise, most don t allow you to take a car that you rented in England to Ireland or the Continent Few let you drive from any Western European country into Eastern Europe, so if you re planning to drive to Prague, make sure that you make arrangements with the rental agency before you leave Check any age restrictions Many car-rental companies add on a fee for drivers 24 and under, while some don t rent to them at all If you re 24 or under, research which companies will rent to you without a penalty Lease for longer periods of time Companies don t always remind you of the leasing option, but if you want a car for more than 17 days (up to six months), tell them that you want to short-termlease the car (Auto Europe and Europe By Car both offer this option) Leasing a car gives you a brand-new car and full insurance coverage with no deductible The minimum age for renting a car ranges from 18 to 27, but anyone 18 or over can usually lease a car Mention the ad If you see an advertised price in your local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise you may be charged the standard (higher) rate Don t forget to mention

membership in AAA, AARP, and trade unions These memberships usually entitle you to discounts ranging from 5 percent to 30 percent Check your frequent-flier accounts Not only are your favorite airlines likely to have sent you discount coupons, but most car rentals add at least 500 miles to your account Consider a stick shift instead of an automatic You can save up to 40 percent on the price of car rental if you rent a stick-shift car instead of an automatic As an added bonus, stick shifts are more fuel efficient and often give you better control on Europe s many narrow, windy, hilly roads and tight streets in ancient cities Look into coverage you may already have The collision damage waiver (CDW) basically allows you to total the car and not be held liable Your credit card may cover the CDW if you use it to pay for the rental, so make sure that you check the terms of your credit card before purchasing the CDW However, keep in mind that some rental agencies in Italy won t accept a credit card CDW for rentals; you must purchase it separately instead Travel Guard (% 800-8264919; wwwtravelguardcom) sells independent CDW coverage for a mere $7 a day a sight better than the $10 to $20 per day that rental agencies tend to charge Carefully consider the other insurance options The car-rental companies also offer additional liability insurance (if you harm others in an accident), personal accident insurance (if you harm yourself or your passengers), and personal effects insurance (if your luggage is stolen from your car) Your insurance policy on your car at home probably covers most of these unlikely occurrences However, if your own insurance doesn t cover you for rentals or if you don t have auto insurance, definitely consider the additional coverage (ask your car-rental agent for more information) Remind the company that you ve already paid Make sure that you know exactly what you paid for when you arranged your car rental Many times, the car pickup offices in Europe overlook the fact that your credit card was already charged for the rental cost, and they try to double-charge you Usually, you end up with one charge on your card from the European office for the first full tank of gas that it provides (which is almost never included in the original rental price) Inspect the car before driving away If the rental agency doesn t know that something is wrong with the car you rented when you drive it off, it ll assume that you broke the car and charge you accordingly If the car s condition doesn t match the inspection form that they want you to sign, point out the discrepancy Otherwise, you re legally liable for the condition after you drive