Archive for February, 2010

Car Rental Upgrades – Get Them Free

It takes more than skill to become a pro at renting cars – you should treat it like an art. There are those who believe that since they rent cars on a regular basis, they are automatically given the best deals available. This is not necessarily the case, and there are numerous guidelines that can teach you how to get the best deal possible. We hope you find the information in this article useful for changing how you look at renting cars.

Upgrades are a great example. When renting a car of a specific class (such as economy, midsize, etc) on a particular date, you are actually just renting any old car – and the class doesn’t matter. This applies unless the car in question is a specialty car. Allow me to explain:

Car rental companies spend quite a bit studying the inner workings of the minds of consumers. In so doing, they hope to predict the wants of their clients so that they can maximize their car investment returns. Their studies indicate that the average consumer places a bargain – or a perceived bargain – at the top of their list. It is a science, but not one that is as well understood by the rental agents as by their computers.

An important thing to remember is that agents at a car rental agency get paid an hourly wage plus commission. This means that they may not have your best interests at heart and are often driven by a need to sell. A large part of their income is from what is call the “upsell” of product from the rental company. An example of an upsell would be a ten day car rental with an upgrade like a compact to a full-size vehicle which is an additional $10 a day. Therefore the agent would be netting an upsell of $10. All agents are required to maintain a specific amount of upsells to avoid being reprimanded but most limits are set relatively low. Often if an agent reaches a certain amount of upsells a day they will receive a bonus or “multiplier”. For example, an agent who averages a $5 upsell a day may make 1.25 times their normal commission.

If you are looking to rent a car, the type of car you get may be dependent on your needs and your “approach” to the car rental agency. If you are looking for a high-end car, your best bet might be to rent in advance. Rental agents are on commission and will be most cooperative. On the other hand, if you are looking for an economical rental and don’t have specific desires, rental agents reserve these types of cars for “walkups”.

You will be offered an upgrade on your rental car, at a price ranging from 10 to 25 dollars per day on top of your basic rental fee. The rental agency will likely offer this to you no matter what kind of car you’re renting, and will try to make the upgrade sound like a really good deal. It all depends on the rental market at the time you’re renting. If they offer you an upgrade price that’s cheaper than simply renting that type of car in the first place, who wouldn’t think it was a great deal?

When you go to rent a car, remember that the $10-$25 rental upgrade you’re being offered is made up. Agents know that most customers are going to go for the subcompact to save money, but what they really want you to do is to take the convertible. Each idle car on the lot costs the company about $15 per day, so chances are the company will take most any amount from you to get the car off their lot.

Lower rates hurt car rental agents’ commissions, but it is still possible to get a rental at a lower rate. The best time to do this is at the end of the month, when an agent is just under the requirement to receive a higher commission for that month. They will typically sacrifice the average sell for the day in order to get their commission for the month.

Bolder consumers can try to get a rental upgrade for a lower rate or for free by persuasion or bribing them with a gratuity. The agent will not be punished for giving you a cheaper rate, and if you are a regular customer of the agency, you may be given the lower rate just for being a loyal customer.

Bad Credit Zero Down Car Loans

If you don’t have any money to put down on a car, have bad credit and need a car loan, there is hope. You’ll have to lower your expectations just a little bit and get your eyes off of that new Lexus.The reality is that if you have bad credit and no money down, yes you can get approved for a car loan. It might not be a brand new car and depending on your credit situation, may only be a 9 or 10 thousand dollar ride. These days however, you can get quite a very nice vehicle for around 10 grand.

The no money down aspect of the situation really isn’t that big of a deal so long as the car that you want to buy isn’t price high above the loan value of the car. Finance companies that specialize in helping people with bad credit don’t like to loan too much money above and beyond the loan value. This however, doesn’t mean that you won’t have a wide selection of vehicles to choose from because, in today’s market, prices are low.The economy has affected most everyone and lenders know this, therefore, they are not as strict when considering past credit histories.The easiest way to get approved for a car loan if you have bad credit and no money down is to apply for a loan online with a lender that specializes in helping people in your situation.

It’s quick, painless and only takes a few moments to do this online. You’ll have lower payments and probably be able to get more car for your money.