Car Rental: what to pay attention to while picking up a vehicle
We at Wisecars know that car rental is at the moment a bit overcomplicated. It’s our mission to make the process easier and that’s why we’ve created the ultimate car rental guide. Here’s what you should keep in mind when picking up a vehicle:
Check the car rental companies details beforehand
Make sure you know what kind of a pick-up method your chosen supplier has. If you have booked through a comparison site like Wisecars.com, check your voucher to make sure which car rental company will be providing the vehicle and if they have multiple brand names. If you have a voucher, it should include all of the details necessary for the pick-up.
Arrival time
During booking add your flight details. If you think you might be late, call the company you booked with and the supplier. Car rental is more like a restaurant reservation than a hotel reservation and the vehicle will be given away to another traveler in a certain amount of time- don’t be late. Picking up your vehicle during the peak travel season might take a while.
Inspect the vehicle and take photos of its condition
Make sure the representative has marked up all of the pre-existing damage and take photos of the rental vehicle to ensure you will not be charged for this damage once you drop off the car
Security deposit
Car rental companies mainly use pre-authorization for security deposits. This means that the deposit amount is reserved during the pick-up and can not be used for other purposes but it has not been actually withdrawn from your account. When the vehicle is returned without any issues and/or damage, the deposit is released. If you are paying with a debit card, the amount will actually be charged and refunded. It might take a couple of days for the refund to settle.
Do not sign the contract if you’re not certain about it
Make sure to review all of the charges and terms mentioned in the rental agreement. Your signature on the rental agreement is definite proof of the acceptance of the services and terms imposed by the Car Rental Company, even if the same terms and services were not presented in your reservation. If there are any extra charges you do not agree with, inquire for more information and contact the company which you reserved the vehicle through.
