Renting car for first time

[drgopoos]

Hi,
I am going to rent a car for first time in my life and i have so many questions.:confused:

1. Is there a beginners guide ? :idea:
2. I have a RBC gold visa card and it says " Auto Rental Collision / Loss Damage Insurance1 could save you up to $22 per day on the cost of car rental insurance. The coverage that comes with your card includes collision, theft, fire, vandalism, and more.

Does this mean that i dont have to take the insurance offered by car rental agency ?

4. Are there any hidden things i need to know when renting a car ?

5. Something to be kept in mind when i cross the border to USA. DOes this change the insurance coverage and stuff ?

6. are the gps units provided by the rental agencies good ? or is it better that i buy one for myself ?

7. are economy cars good enough for long distance travel ?

8. Any other advice is welcome .

I have posted this question in other sections too.. ( jus that i dint want to miss some good advice )

[Pete_Coach]

Answered in the automotive forum but herre it is again:
1. No
2. Get the RBC policy or phone them and get the specific information for you. It varies. Also, make sure it is valid in the US.
3. oops, no number 3
4. Can be, tire tax, location fee, environmental tax, extra driver fee etc.
5. See #1, ask your RBC insurance rep. Be certain when you rent he car that you let them know that you are going into the US. They need to know and it may affect your rate.
6. No, GPS is an option. About $10 or more per day. It is better to buy one yourself and then you have it forever.
7. Depends how big your butt is and how comfortable you wish to be. I hate economy cars for long drives and pay the extra for comfort.
8. I actually like the satellite radio some rental places have. You don't have to keep searching for stations. Take CD's if you don't have satellite or ask the company beforehand if they have mp3 adapters. Satellite is free with some, depending what car type you rent.

[drgopoos]

thanks for the replies.:)

[Ebola]

Make sure to do a fairly thorough inspection of the car when you pick it up, to make sure you don't run into issues later on when you return it.

(ie, where did this giant scratch come from? It wasnt notated on the inspection slip, its on you now sir!)

[boyoflondon]

1. NO
2. You are covered, but double check with your creditor that the coverage applies once you cross the border.
4. There are small things such as conservation surcharge and VL/AC fee .. both of these are usually under $2 combined per day

5. Keep in mind that some companies dont give you unlimited KM once you leave the province (ie. Enterprise). Other companies such as Discount have no problem with you taking the car out of the province as long as you let them know prior.
6. Buy your own GPS.
7. I would not recommend an economy vehicle for long trips. Chevy Impala which I have taken a few times is quite comfortable. I also took a Hyundai Sonata to Manhattan and had no problems with it.
8. As another OP mentioned, XM radio is really a nice option .. However, on long rides, you will find that music tends to repeat itself ....

[drgopoos]

Thank you once again.

As suggested, I have already ordered for a GPS 770 ( 389$ including everything from gpscity.ca . On sale now)

I booked a car via discountcar rental.