Q – You have not responded to many questions about renting a rental car for vacation or even business use. I realize that this site is more centered on vacation planning. But I read some of the online stuff and everyone talks about Expedia or Kayak for rental cars. There are, apparently, a great many car rental websites that allow you to compare rates etc. Is this the way to go – simply pull up one of the mega-sites and book what looks like a good deal? Here in Philly, there are many of us who support your efforts. By the way, what are the two or three top-rated rental car companies?
A – Let’s be honest – if you really supported our efforts you might send us some Philly steaks from Pat’s or Geno’s in South Philly.
Our advice: Always check some prices, types of vehicles available, and special promotions online. But anyone who books a travel product online is asking for problems. Itr is, virtually always, a sucker move. Get whatever informatio0n you want online and then book directly with the rental company. You never want to be dealing with a third party site that could be located anywhere on earth. What is there are issues with your rental or if you need to change your plans. Going through a third party on a car rental is just never a good idea.
The same is true, by the way, in the case of hotel reservations. Remember that online sites demand you personal address, credit card information and they already have your computer information recorded. Remember that ghost travel sites number in the tens of thousands online. Booking online is, in the vast majority of cases, a sucker move.
Know that off-property airport locations have lower rates generally than in-airport locations. Try to secure AARP or AAA Memberships as most of the major rental car companies offer discounts for members.
The top-ranked car rental companies are:
- National
- Enterprise
- Alamo
But the quality of service can vary greatly by location. Not every rental car location is a Pat’s or Gino”s!
