Car rentals and leases

(Second of three parts)

Last month I talked about the upper age limit invoked by car rental suppliers. This month I would like to discuss other automobile rental and lease-related factors.

The following information applies to both rentals and leases.

Driving in Eastern Europe

If you plan to drive from Western to Eastern Europe, ask which countries are off-limits. Restrictions vary with the pickup location of your vehicle. (For leases there are standard restrictions, independent of the pickup site.)

Ordering an automobile in the U.S. usually entails more limitations than making your arrangements overseas.

Safety

As a rule, you need the rental contract or, in case of a lease, the ownership certificate — which you should never leave in your vehicle — to enlighten the police that you are authorized to drive the car.

When renting or leasing in Europe, make sure that the vehicle comes with a so-called Green Card for insurance; a nationality sticker for border crossings, and a European Accident Statement form for filling out details in case of a casualty. For border crossings in other continents, consult your supplier.

Always be wary of pulling over, especially if it is dark or you are unfamiliar with the territory. Never exit your car until you are sure that the situation is safe. Keep all your luggage in the trunk. Keep an eye on your automobile when you stop in a café. Store your belongings in a hotel before embarking on sightseeing. Do not draw attention to the fact that you are a visitor.

Be careful of roadside help offered by anyone other than the police, maybe with the exception of foreign tourists.

Review road signs and driving laws before you get behind the wheel.

Accidents

Procedures following an accident are similar to those in the U.S.

In case of personal injury, call the police, fill out the accident report form and notify the insurance.

Being involved in an accident in Eastern Europe can be — to put it mildly — disconcerting. Several years ago a friend of ours was traveling in Romania when another vehicle hit his automobile. Even though he was not at fault, the police put him in jail, since he did not have the cash — yes, cash — to pay the fine.

Make sure you have an emergency kit. In many countries it is mandatory to place a red warning triangle 150 feet behind the car in case of an accident or breakdown.

Theft

While theft of a car or a traveler’s belongings is especially common in cities, small towns have difficulties also. As a preventive measure, park where your vehicle is well protected, unless the hotel personnel inform you that street parking poses no problems. Never leave valuables in your car overnight, and always empty the trunk.

If an auto has an audible theft alarm, find out how to shut it off before you start driving. (On one occasion, our alarm kept everybody in the campground in Austria up in arms until I forcefully hit it with a hammer, silencing both the perpetrator and the campers.)

Know how to get at the spare tire and jack before you leave.

The following information applies to rentals only

Which vehicle?

Once you have made up your mind to rent a car, you have to choose the brand and model.

As overseas automobiles differ from American ones, check them over on the Internet and/or ask dealers.

Choose the smallest vehicle that will comfortably seat the required number of passengers. It should have an adequate trunk for all of your luggage. (Ask the reservation agent how many suitcases the car will hold; alternatively, you can peruse pictures on the Internet.) When the lid is closed, the baggage should be out of sight (although this does not guarantee that your luggage will not be stolen).

I look for the following additional features: four doors, no hatchback (which I feel is more prone to theft), at least dual air bags, air-conditioning and power locks, windows, mirrors, brakes and steering.

If you are older, request an automatic transmission (overseas, many rentals are stick shift). In countries where you have to drive on the left, the following suggestion, which I read on the Internet, may be helpful: “With the steering wheel on the right, one way to keep from getting confused is to remember that the driver is always the one closest to the centerline.”

Rental firms may place the same vehicles in different class sizes. This could vary even within the same company at different locations, so just check!

Note that the availability of a particular model is not guaranteed until you arrive at the counter.

Before you book

Once you have decided which car to rent, you will want to nail down the rate.

In most cases, you will obtain a lower cost if you make your arrangements before leaving the U.S.

Weekly — sometimes monthly — rates offer the best deals. The cost for a 5- or 6-day rental typically is the same as for a weekly one. Additional days are prorated at one-seventh of the weekly charge.

A premature return entails a higher local daily rate.

Search for fly/drive/stay packages, which may offer huge discounts.

Get a diesel wherever that fuel is cheaper (so far, in Europe).

Ask for the best promotional or preferred rate, about discounts offered to members of major national organizations such as AAA, AARP, Costco, etc., and about research frequent-flyer and credit card rebates. Note that some rental companies can be talked down if you have a better offer elsewhere.

Inquire about the cost of the CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) protection of your particular rental. In some countries the CDW is mandatory. If it is optional and you can get it at a reasonable rate, take it from the offering firm. If not, have it covered by your credit card. Be sure to first call the card company about its CDW policies. You will find that, typically, certain types of vehicles and specific countries are excluded and that coverage is limited to 30 days. Next, ask the rental firm whether it will accept your particular plastic.

Immediately accept every representative’s reasonable offer — if you can cancel without penalty — since you can never be sure that the quote you received at 10 o’clock will be available when you call back at half past 10.

Keep calling and checking online for even better deals.

Once you have settled on one firm, call or check the Internet at periodic intervals to see if a cheaper promotional rate has surfaced. Recently, when checking Auto Europe’s website after having made a reservation several days before, I found a decrease in price on three successive days. When I phoned and confronted the agent with my findings, I received the lower rate, saving me $100.